Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-02-09

during succession, a diviuely chartered existence
to the end Of time, aud however corrupt, it can
never be wrong.
The inference has been drawn thousand
times-"The Jews held servants by Divine per-
mission therefore, American slavery is right"
propose to test this logic, by the means usual.
" accorded in controversy.
The Rev. Mr.. Van Dyke proposes to discuss
the character and Influence of Abolitionism.
His text may be found
ITrMv l-5 Let as many servants are under the
yoke their Masters worthy Of all honor that the
name Of God and his doctrine be not And they
they are brethren but, &c.
After announcing his text, FIVE pages are de.
voted to proving that these servants we're sldUes;
that they bad believing Masters and in defin-
ing the word ".Abolitionism," and stating bis DO
sitiou. How much tue question: whether these
servants under the yoke we're slaves in the mod
ern sense, and whether their masters we're true
believers, has to do with the real issue will be
an after consideration. As to his definition of
".4boiitionism" an ".Aboi.ionist is one ,pho
believes that slaUeholding is sin, and ought
therefore to be abolished !" confess it looks a
little Ike calling everybody "Back Republican"
that don't vote with modern Democracy | Does
not Mr.. Van Dyke know. that many who are
couscientiously opposed to saveholding as
system, and believe it SINFUL still maintain that
men may innocently sustain the legal relation
when benevOlence and the good Of the slave re-
quire it. But we accept the definition, since it
draws the line Of demarkation sufficiently plain
between the friends aud foes of impartial, uni
versal freedom, and while we welcome to our
liberty-loving brotherhood men of every faith
and creed and nation, we would also remind the
advocates and defenders of slavery, that they
too have a brotherhood, OF allies made up of
quite as great extremes from the modest, hmm
ble Northern apologist, down to the heartless
soul.drivers who reign on Southern plantations,
and piratical kidnappers, doomed to death by
the laws Of our country, who furnish the raw
material from Africa for American Slavery.
After defining "AbotiOnism," Mr.. Van Dyke
states his positions, as follows:
l. Aboltionism has no foundation 10 the
Scriptures.
g. Its principles have been promulgated chief.
ly by misrepresentation and abuse.
3. It leads, 10 multitudes of cases, and by
logical process, to utter in6delity
4. 1t is the chief cause of the strife and the
danger that threatens our country.
Mr.. Van Dyke proposes to discuss the char
aCter and influence of 'AbolitiOnsm, and at.
ter an introduction of five pages lays down his
four positions, as have just stated them. He
then states the FIRST, viz ".1bolitionism has no
foundation in the Scriptures" and enters at once
into an argument to prove that Hebrew servi-
tude was system of Slavery, so that Abolition
ism is to be proven unseripturak, by proving
slavery scripturdL Now, in order to meet each
position of my Rev. opponent, will adopt the
following course of reply:
l. Slavery has no foundation in the Scriptures
2. Slavery has been promulgated chiefly by
Misrepresentation and abuse.
3. Slavery, in a multitude of cases, and by
logical process leads to utter infdelity.
4. Slavery is the chief cause of the strife that
agtates, aud the danger that threatens our
country.
My object in changing the terms, while re-
tain the order. is to vindicate rational Aholi
tionism by proving that Slavery is the criminal
tried and condemned by reason and revelation
Slavery is an unscriptural system, promulgated
chiefly by misrepresentation and abuse tending
to infdelity, causing strife and enda Igering the
safety and welfare of our country; while aboli
tionism is the very opposite of slavery, both in
spirit and design therefore tends to opposite
results.
Let me not be misunderstood on this point
| take AbolitOnsm in the sense defined. "Au
Abotionist is one who believes Slaveh lding is
sin therefore ought to be abolished" He may
be ColonizatiOnist gradual emancipatiOnist
moral suationist, legal suasiOnist or a come.
outer According to Mr.. Van Dykes definition
it is the ,fdih that makes the man, and not ht
measures. | do not charge Mr.. Van Dyke with
endorsing the African Slave Trade, because he
endorses Slavery Nor can he charge me with
endorsing extreme measures because | endorse
the doctrine of Abolitonsm, as laid down by
himself.
Again Abolitionists believe that slavehod
ing, as a system is sin, and ought therefore to
be abolished Of course, then they do not be-
lieve that it originated with the pure God is
approved by Him, or is endorsed by the Reve
latiOn He has given us When, therefore, they
hear old Abraham and other PatrarchS. and
Hebrew worthless denominatei "SLdUehOLders,
they regard it as prOlane and libelous They
believe that Hebrew servitude was beneUOLeHi
| system, free from all taint of "chdtteLism" and
no more like American slavery, than the gov
ernment of Austria is like the purest Repub
licauism, or Christianity like Paganism.
Bot the advocates of American slavery, drv.
en- to the wall by the force OF increasing light
and the progress of public opinion, and know
ing too we'll the bare-faced corruption of the
American system, to dare risk the argument or
its inherent merits, like a renegade, going
out OF town to prove his character good, they
are obliged to make a mission way back into
the twilight of the worlds history, soon aftel
the food in search of testimony And wha
do they bring back as evidence =? Why Noal
cursed Canaan, and said "A servant of servants
shalt thou be unto thy brethren" and a litt
later in the worlds history, good old Abraham
owned servants, bought with his money" AM
"born 10 his house," and still little latter He
brew servitude was recognized aud regulated b,
law. This completes the chain of Old Testa
ment testimony But where is chattel slavery
10 all this display of words 2 boldly answer
No ichsre =! 1t cant be found in the Old Tes
lament ode.
Let me now bring Slavery to the bar and in
troduce the testimony of the Scriptures agains
it. My position affirns,
l. Slavery has no foundation in the Scriptures
FIRsT What is Slavery Webster sayt
Bondage the state of entire subsection of on
person to the will of another Slavery is th
obligation to labor for the benefit of the mas
ter, without the contract or consent of the ser
want"
But let us look into the American slave cod
for the law defining the relations and condition
of slave;
"A Slave Is who Ia In the power OF Master 10 whOI
he belongs The master sell him, dispose OF his psrOT
his industry and his labor he can DO nenn Dossess NOTHING
/ nj Aah Nhfa - a.N ku H. "A