Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-06-21


dreds. instead Of millions, five headed |
enormity would Snd little indulgence.
All would sise against It. while re-
ligion AMI civilization woallfiavish /
their choicest efforts In the general
warfare. But what = wrong when
done to one man can not be right
whca done To many. lift Is wrong
thus 20 degrade a single soul--if il i
wrong thus to degra e you. Mr. Presi-
dent-it can not be right to degrade
whole race. Anil yet this j. de-
MED bv the bArbarous logic Of Siav-
cry. which. taking advantage OF it.
own wrong. claims immunity because
it, usurpation has assumed q front OF
auaacity that can not be safely at
tackc'l. tnha'pily. there Is bafbar-
ism elsewhere in the worlal: but Amer
lean Slavery. rs defined by existing
law, stands forth as the greatest or
ganizea barbarism on which the sun
now shines. 1t is without single
peer Its author, after making il.
brok~the die.
Ii curiosity carries rs to the origin
Of this law-ani here | approach a
topic often considered in this Chamber
we shall confess again It's barbar
ism. IL Is not derived from the CON-
m,n law. while unhappily recognizing
asystem of servitude, known as vii
leaage, secured 10 the bon1maA priv
ilcges unknown to the American slave
protected his per soa against mayhem;
protected his wife against rape: gave
10 M marriage equal validity with
tho marriage OF his master, and sur
ronnlcd his offspring with generous
Prescriptions Of sFeelom, unlike that
rnle Of yours BY which the servitnde
OF the mother is necessarily stamped
upon the chill Ii is not derived from
the Roman law. that fountain of tyr
amy. for two reasons first. because
bislaw. in Its better DAYS, when its ear
" rigors were spent-like the common
law itself--sccarcl to the bondmaR
privileges unknown TO the American
sisse--in certain cases OF cruelty res
cred from his inaster--prevented the
SEPARATION OF parents AMI children, also
brothers anil sis'ers--and even pro-
t. ted him in the marriage relation:
and secondly, because the thirteen
colonies were not derived from any Of
those countries which recognized the
Roman law, while this law, even be-
fore tlcsliscovery Of this continent had
lest all living efficacy. 1t is not de-
rived from the Mohammedan law; for
unicr the mild injunctions of the 10
ran, a benignant servituAe. unlike
yours. has prevailesl--where the lash
Is not allowed To lacerate the back of
female; where no knife o. branding
iron is employed upon any human be-
ing TO mark him a. the property Of
his fellow man; where the master is
expressly enioined 10 listen to the de-
sircs Of his slave for emancipation;
ani where the blood of the master,
mingling with his bondwoman, takes
from her the transferable character of
a chattel. and confers complete free
com upon their offspring. 1t. is not
derived from the Spanish law; for this
law contains humane elements. un-
known to your system. borrowed. per-
haps. from the Mohammedan Moors
who SO long occupied Spain: and. be-
sides. our thirteen colonies had no
umbilical connection with Spain. Nor
is it derived from English statute or
american statutes; for we have the
Positive and repeated avernrent of TIE
Senator from Virginia, (Mr. Mason)
AMI also other Senators that in not a
single State of the Union can any such
statutes authotizing Slavery be found
From none OF these does it come.
No. Sir. not from any land of civil
lization is this barbarism derived. II
comes from Africa. ancient nurse Of
monsters, from Guinea. Dahomey,
sud Congro. There * Ks origin and
fountain. This benighted region. we
are told by Chief-Justicc Marshall, in
memorable judgment (the Antelope.
~ Wheaton r., CO. still asserts
right. discarded by Christendom. to
enslavc cap'ivcs taken in war; aud
this African barbarism : is the begin
ming Of American Slavery; and the
Supreme Court Of Geor, ia Slave
State-has not shrunk FROM this con
clusion. Licensed To hold slave prop
erty.' says the Court the Georgian
planter held the slave as chattel. Ell
tier direct or from the slavetrader, or
from those who held under him. and
he from the slavc-captor in Africa
The property OF the slave in the plan
ter became thus the property of the
original captor.' Neal ". Farmer,
8 Georgia Reports. page 300 1t is
ra,ural that right thus derived in
defiance Of Christendom should be ex-
sreiscd without any mitigating inau-
ence of Christianity that the masters
authority over the person OF his slave.
over his conjugal relations. over his
parental relations. over the employ
mcnt oil his time, over all his acqsisi-
tionS, should be recognized. while no
generous presumption iGclines TO Free
dom, anil the womb Of the bondwo-
man can deliver only a slave. From
It's home in Africa. where it is.sus-
tanned by immemorial usage. this bar
harism. thus derived and tAus devel-
opel, traversel the ocean to american
soil. IL entered on board that fatal
slsve-ship. built in the eclipse and
rugged with curses dark. which in
1920 landed its cUel cargo at James
town, in Virginia. and it has boldly