The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-06-20
For the Missfssfppian.
rhe Unity Of Mankind in Relation
to the Question of African Slavery.

Mr.. EDIToR:-I regret that an argument
written by me on this subject in a Northern
'aper, the Century,s and which you had kind
y consented to republish in the Mississippian,
allied to reach you In its sbsence-for l
have not another copy-permit me to refer
to points discussed in it.
In discussing the question of slavery, al
most the entire fabric of the christian system
comes unavoidably to be considered.
In my view Of this discussion we should I
not assume extreme positions on the question
of slavery, that cannot consistently be de- |
Tended except at the expense of the christian |
system. There are certain great cardinal |
points that lie at the basis of the Gospel, as
scheme of Divine origin, that must not be |
abandoned when we come to defend the other |
institution. Among these points, are first, the
unity of mankind, and secondly, the exis
tence of evil, in all the states of social life
In my judgment, it is not necessary to the
defense of slavery, to say of it that it is de-
void of evil. This is an extreme position,
that can be taken in respect to no social state
known among men. They all have their dis
advantages.
l do not desire to discuss Theological ques-
tons in your paper, Mr.. Editor, but what am
l to do when it is impossible to disengage the
origin, or if you please, the authenticity of the
Scriptures from the subject of the identity of
all races of people, whom its salvation condi-
tons include or are said to include in the
bonds of moral accountability? We permit.
the Gospel Of Christ to be preached to our
negroes. We voluntarily tax ourselves for
this purpose. In this, so far as our conduct
is concerned, we bring their consciences under
obligations of moral character-fetter them
to peculiar mode of salvation-restrict them
to the acquisitions of a particular system.
| Now, we manifestly have no right to do this
if they are without the pale of the covenant
ed mercy of God.
Certainly, we are committing an outrage on
their rights of conscience, if this system is
not binding on them; and how can it be bind
ing on them, if they are not in origin, of the
lineage Of Christ?
In order to human redemption, it is, pre-
sumo, universally admitted that Christ took
upon him our nature-''took on him not the
nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham
was made like his brethren"-was made
flesh" For as much Heb. 2, II, 14) Their
as the children are partakers of flesh and
blood he also himself likewise took part Of til,
sa0ae." 1t will not be questioned, presume
that Christ tore our nature on the cross, in or
der to our restoration to the favor of God
that he was incarnated after the sirnilitude Q
ADAM partaker of his flesh and blood.
The language Of Scripture is equally expli
cit on the point that "God hath made of On
Mood all nations of men to dwell upon the fac
of the whole earth. Luke II, &c.
Now it is beyond controversy that tn
Scripture is in lin opposition to diversity {
races. Should there be race that arose NO
in the loins of Adam, that race is manifesto
> outside the provisions of the Gospel.
desire to be distinctly understood on thi
point, as it is one of extreme importance.
:, I do not hold to identity of nature NON bt
tween the African race and our own. ] &C
init the impregnable force of the reasoning
DR.. Cartwright on this point. The physic;
differences between the sons of Japhet an
>, those who have descended from the loins
:, Ham, are misunderstanding al-obyious
| unmistakeable.
a What ]. do hold in opposition to DR.. Car
: wright, Gliddon the editor of the Day Bool
h. Thompson and Others is, that we have con
=, munity Of origin. hold that the negro b
came black consequent upon the curse of
race. bold, that being cursed to involunt;
!, ry servitude, he was physically accommod:
n ted to that curse, just as we are accommod
It ted to our curse, viz: of having to earn brea
by tlle sweat Of The brow
Everybody admits our race TO have bee
IS cursed by God. All the commentators th
'r have been enabled to consult agree in Il
- fact that ws-the masters of the African
r are now suffering from the curse OF Go
entailed on our race in consequence of Il
'e transgression q common progenitor.
e We all mistake the character of the ours
" of God. We all mistake the beneyolence tn
> gives origin to them.
'r Some persons have been weak enough
say to me, that in admitting involuntary Sc
O. yitude to be curse-tO be an eyil-to be
IT disadvantage-tha thereby admit it to
70 sorong. No such logic has the strength of
;" straw
ID All the curses of God arose-not becau
y he delights to punish-but because of hums
y ingratitude and disobedence of laws, who
;" violation has Instantaneous results to Il
re disobedient. That punishment of any kir
Or is an evils a disadvantage-no reasonab
,, man will deny.
10 The curse of the involuntary seryitude
k the African race, arose in the legislation
Of God in consequence of the filial irreyerence
one of the sons of Noah. This child the
4 was not only born "white as the snow and n
lie as the rose," but he was born the equal,
Is rights Of social being, of his brothers. Doub
d less he would have continued white-doub
IS less he would have continued to enjoy natur
III and social equality with them, had he not on
81 ragged the moral government of his Creator
l. an act of gross impiety towards him and
reverence towards the Patriarch of our rae
We may mourn over the calamity Of hi
i man degradation, but that degradation is N
= cessary in any scheme of human probation.
n In this life God gives us the choice Of evil
: How can he do this-how can he set bot
). good and emil before us unless he gives orig
: to the Instantaneous conditions of life? |
It cannot institute a scheme by which we ma
, be freely virtuous without at the same tin
n giving us the ability and the opportunity,
n choose evil, if we so prefer to choose-an
e hence, sets it before us.
Though slavery be an evil state Of life, y
: it is the best for the African.
Do we suffer no inconvenience from the nj
e cessity Of labor? Certainly we do. Its evil
e are many and various. But like slavery, it
not wholly evil. 1t has its advantages.
. If YOU proceed to enumerate the advanta
|, ges-I may as well say the blessings Of Afr
can seryitude, you will readily be enabled
do so. These blessings are many and various
, It is not, however, perfectly joyous state
Hence if you proceed to enumerate the euil
of slavery-I may as well say, the curses G
slayery-you will readily be enabled to pre-
, sent them, for they are many and various
So in regard to the curse of labor.
But what is the dictate of wisdom with re
spect to these two social institutions.
Shall we, with respect to the necessity 0
labor impugn the purity and beneyolence o
God, because he set both good and evil befor,
our common progenitor, who unwisely choose
the latter, and now, because we can point t.
and enumerate the evils of our state, conse.
| ~, bic robaIIon chail ar,ry,1a from