The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-11-30

probable successor OF Breckenridge. The loyalty
Of Mr. Clay is without stain Or reprosch.
The Social Relations Of Slavery "a
the War aud the Country.
Whatever effect the war may have upon
Slavery, or whatever relations the negro
is hereafter to bear toward the country,
two facts are clear: that negro Slavery
caused the war, and that 10 clear idea
is formed of what is to become of it. The
latter is the important fact. The war
We have, and must get through as We
can; but what is to become of the negro?
When we look this question straight in
the face, without prejudice, we must ad-
NIT that the question of Slavery is an in-
f.rior one, practically, to the question Of
what is to be the future locus as we'll as
status of the negro? The right or wrong
of one man holding another in Slavery,
we may settle by decree of society and,
except to those who are deeply interested
in slave property, it may be entirely salts:
factory. Society will be satisfied with
any decision which satisfies its conscience
without disturbing its property. But
when Slavery is disposed OF, what is the
locus of the negro! What is his social
relation? That is the real question, which
has disturbed and perverted the mind Of
the South, is beyond doubt Let US take
a signal example of this influence in crea-
ting moral delusion aud perverting the
judgment. Take the example of the cler-
~. Take is before the acar, for since that
fact, passion and excitement have taken
the place of reason. But long before, the
leading clergy of the South maintained
the absolute right Of property in man.
They justified this by elaborate illustra-
tions from the Old Testament, aud the
supposed example of PAUL in sending
back slave to his master. We say sup
posed, for the case was never clear wheth-
er it was the case Of servant, an appren-
tice or slave Admitting, all the facts
claimed, however, the conclusion drawn
was mere non sequitur, false inference.
1t only proved that religious institutions
had outwardly contorined to the civil law;
fact obvious without any elaborate argu-
ment. But it necer proved, even in its
broadcast construction, that Christianity
affirmed the IN oral right of property in
man; and without this, the whole argu-
ment failed. The Southern clergy, then,
in adopting this unsound and illogical
conclusion from the mere historical and
civil position CT Christianity, not only de.
luded themselves, Gf they were sincere)
but revealed to all the world the fact that
it was social necessity which compelled
them to this ALTERATION of reason and sac
rifce of conscience. The cause and the
motive we're as obvious as the body of the
ostrich, who hides his head in the delusion
that he is concealed. Their sin shat
find them out, is true of the best as well
as the worst of men when they think to
hide their motives from observation.
But we say OF the clergy defending Slave.
ry, that they did no moro wrong than,
probably, nearly all mankind do, in some
circumstances. They simply obeyed, in
that particular the imperative exactions
Of society. How many men can fairly
say they have never done this! But, the
simple fact of this exaction upon body
Of men, who, OF all, are supposed to be
most free from the baser influences OF the
world, is conclusive, that it is the socia
relations ofthe negro, rather than either the
right to hold slaves, or the property il
them, which is the great, and overriding
question Of the day. We have just seer
q letter of gentleman in the South, ant
he says, that if il be necessary to sustain
and establish the Government, the as ,ciit
ing to giDei up the Niger. and more too. ;
This makes great advance in the loya
mind, even in the South, and yet it Il
more true of the North, as we sec by tn,
speech Of JOHN CocHRANE, and Of tn,
popular and Influential leader of Democ
racy. This is, no doubt, the drift of tn
public mind. Even the vast amount o
property involved in Slavery would no
of itself prevent emancipation; for con
stituting only about tenth of the rea
properly of the United Statse, the los
would not be irreparable, and an equliza
ton Of that loss could be made, withoo
Injustice. But, not so, with the socia
question. That comes in different form
| aud must be answered in different way
In the mountain districts OF Kentucky
Virginia, North or even South Carolina
they have really, no interest in slavery
except to get rid Of it. Ina region Q
country there covering 100000 squar
miles. which though not very fertile,
Iimmenaaly valuable in the riches of tn