Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-03-14
The 9ible aud Slaperv,
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
ARGUMENTS FOR SLAVERY.

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the methods adopted either to hberate the
s,aues, or to prouide for them 'ohen released
from bondage.
It is incumbent upon those who oppose
system of slavery like ours, and who aim to
bring it to an end, not only to provide a
method by which slaves can be really, just
ly and safely admitted to freedom, but also
to make that disposition of them, that will
secure their alleged rights and promote their
interests, and the general welfare of man
kind. Until they evince their ability to
accomplish these objects, the argument for
slavery remains unimpeachable whilst their
clamors against it are proved to be unwise,
uutimely, nugatory, fanatical and absurd.
To establish the position here taken, it is
proposed to bring under view some of the
efforts made to free and provide for the lib
Grated slaves. These efforts, and the
schemes they involve, will, We think, appear
Objectionable, because of their character and
results. The first plan for advancing free
dom that we note, is that of Abolit'onism,
many of whose features we have already
commented upon. 1t prouounces slavery
always and everywhere sinful, and hence,
regards its determination in any possible
manner, as justi6able and proper. Every
species Of violence is approved, and no
scruples are felt at the employment Of fire,
sword, insurrectiou, and other means for
securing the escape and manumission of the
enslaved. We need not enlarge much in
order to stigmatize this doctrine and system.
1t is enough to say of it that it is in every
aspect, and every step, opposed to all the
principles and precepts and examples of
the word of God. 1t is the offspring Of
in6delity, lives and grows amidst fanatlcism,
tends to produce the most baeful and hor-
rible results wherever it is attempted to be
enforced, and never in the whole history of
slavery, has it achieved any success that
could commend it. Condemned by God,
by religion, by enlightened humanity, by
reason, by example, by fruits, it has ever
failed, utterly and wofully failed, to con-
tribute one iota either to refute the argu-
ments sustaining the institution we advo-
cate, or advance the cause of human free
dom.
Another method aiming to give liberty
to those in bondage, is that which by State
and Governmental law would authorize and
proclaim, and enforce universal emaucipa-
tion. AS coudemnatory of this theory, we
urge several facts. First. 1t would, if
carried out, really inaict upon our country
and the world, the loss of all the benefits
already detailed or accruing from slavery.
Secondly. 1t would either subject the
States and Government to an exhaustive
and overwhelming debt, or deprive the own
ers of slaves of property, which they have
valid economical right to hold, until they
have been compensated to its fullest value.
To lay upon the Government the burden
of paving for the slaves it would emanci-
pate, would be to ask it to pay for four mil
lions of slaves, which at four hundred dol
lars a piece, a very low estimate, would
compel it 10 assume and pay debt of one
billion and sir hundred millions of dollars.
It would evidently be as impossible for the
Government to pay it, as it would be unjust
and oppressive to make the present masters
of slaves do without it, and yet make the
sacrifice required by universal emancipa-
ton laws. We can also object to this
scheme of liberation, upon the ground that
it interferes with the consciences of men.
There are thousands of Christian masters
who feel that they are morally bound to
protect and provide for the slaves of their
households, and so to conserve and perpet-
uate the institution of slavery. In their
consciences, they feel that they, and they
alone, are responsible for the features and
duties connected with the relation under
which they hold their negroes. But the
emancipation scheme comes, and with a
ruthless hand sewers this relation, which is
as truly recognized and authorized in the
Bible as the copjugal or parental relations,
nuts the slave into a condition in which
there is no guaranty given 10 the master
that his interests will be promoted, or even
cared for. And thus such scheme would
just as truly and really, although, perhaps
not to the same degree, conflict with many
of the consciences of pious masters, as if a
scheme were proposed by which parents
were to be deprived, by arbitrary State laws,
of their children whom God has given them.
But this fact is not a more potent argu-
meutagainst this policy, upon moral ground,
than another to be suggested, which ope-
rates to give coloriug to the social and hu-