Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-03-21
The @ible and Slareryy,
For the Yorkville Enquirer.


For the Yorkville Enquirer.
OBJECTIONS TO OUR SYSTEM OF
SLAVERY.
The objections to the Biblical argument
for slavery have already been discussed and
refuted, and hence our attention to day will
be confined to others. As the same obJec-
ton is often presented under different forms,
we aim to condeuse so as to grasp and con-
fute the principle that uuderlies each form
without Dam;ng every form of objection.
L. 1t IS said that slavery deprices the
ueoro of certain natural and political rights
aohich are inaltenabte.
To this we reply: 1. The objection is
based upon what is false in theory and 10
practice. Thomas Jefferson borrowed from
the in6del philosophy of France the erro-
neous maxim, "that all men are born free
and equal" and upon this, freedom shrek
ers have been harping for three quarters of
a century. But it is an indisputable fact
that all are born under subsection to parents
and to civil government, and one half OF
the world has been born as slaves. Hence,
the freedom alleged to exist at birth is im-
agiuary, being itself restrained by obliga-
tions to parents and to civil government
the ordinances of God and men. As to
the equality contended for, it is unreal and
visionary as ground of pleading against
slavery, for whilst on the one hand diver
sity and not equality, characterizes the men
tai endowment, social and political status
and outward circumstances of all the hu.
man race, and it is certain that slavery is
consistent with these; on the other hand,
whatever equality men may have, is not In
terfered with by their being subjected to
bondage. And hence we infer that the as
sumption upon which the objection is based
is false; but, even if true, it could not prove
the injustice of slavery, for 2. All admit
that every inmate of society is necessarily
under restraints, I. e. must give up what
are supposed to be natural rights, for the
general good. No man is absolutely free
to do Just as he pleasss for unless he al.
ways pleases to respect the interests and
rights of his neighbor, the laws of gov
ernment, under which God has designed
all to be placed, will put restrictions upon
him, and thus curtail his liberty. No sane
man denies the wisdom of the arrangement,
or contends that for the good of others it is
unjust that he should renounce some of
what are supposed to be natural rights
This is just what slavery does: 1t subjects
men to the control of others and deprlves
them of personal liberty just so far as is
for the public good. There is nothing un-
Just in this privation, for 8. 1t is in analogy
with the practice of all civilized govern.
ments. Women and minors are, by law,
debarred from civil and political privileges.
Who ever complains that the natural and
civil rights of these persons are violated,
by their not being allowed to vote and hold
Office in the State? Foreigners, no matter
how intelligent, are compelled, in coming
to this country, to refrain, for certain
number of months or years, from exercising
the elective franchise This is the right
the government has, to restrict the liberties
of different classes. Why then may not
the government deprive the slave of certain
political immunities for certain reasons, rs
we'll as women and minors and foreigners,
for other reasons? 4. 1t is wise political
maxim that no man has right to exercise
a privilege, or discharge duty, for which
he is incompetent. The duties Of citizen.
ship may then be rightfully withheld frou
all who have not the competency to dis
charge them so as to promote the public
good. For this and other reasons, the right
of suffrage is refused to several classes in
every community, and for these very rea'
sons, slaves may be justly excluded from
many of the privileges of citizenship. D
By common consent and universal practice
certain laws-which are just such as regu
late slavery-are carried so far as to de-
prive men of all liberties and privileges. -
The State claims, and has the right to con
fine criminals, and compel them for years
to give up all theirsoc and political right:
as is evinced in modes of imprisonment a
dopted in different States. So, too, va
grants, and paupers and all nuisances to so
ciety, can be justly arrested and forced te
labor in the work houses and penltentlarles
The very men, and States too, that decrJ
against the institution of slavery, admit and
exemplify all these rights in reference te
the classes named. 6. The famous Dr.
Charming, the arch advocate of Abolition
ism, admitted just what we plead for con-
corning slaves. He said "The slave is
subject to the community, and the commu
nifty has a right and is bound to continue
all such restraints as its own safety and the
we'll being of the slave demands.
# he cannot be induced to work by ration
al and natural motives he should be obliged
to labor, on the same principle on which tn
vagrant in other communities is contlne'
and compelled to earn his bread"
MI .,uo 20 ,;rtuallv acknoWledpeQ b.