The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-07-10
Mr.. KendalPS Letter on Slavery.
To ABRAHAM LlNCoLNl e,
Presideat gf tie United States

iSA'NiS 1 SIttfSo tNtlFH w oltVN lhNt
whether slavery befight or wrongs
nobody il IeslonsI Rel for its exist.
encr. or has s FisterIere with
ljtsAadcr 0Nr pllIlgsgsE. .inAtitltios,,
except lie lsVbI a iles Siatcs,
where II exists. My object intlliS
letter il not tQ show that slavery is
an useinl or desirable institution
for our age or country, but that
whatever may he the abuses to
(which 1t is liable, there Is nothing
lin the Institution itself which
makes it the duty ofa Christian to
seek lis nl,oiion otherwise than
hy almunlShing the slaves 10 ho
obedient and faithful to their mas.
tels, aud the masters to be Kind
and indulgent to their slaves.
To this end shall attempt to
prove that slavery is not in Itself
sinful, by showing ON the Bible
t1at it has been sanctioned hy God
himself, not on y hy not r"hhklhg
l., but Iy giNins it his III ect AL
thnrily.
: The first we learn of sl;v'ry in
the lie is the curse Of Ham or
Canaan ly Noah-Genesis, 9th
chapter, 22th verse: And he said,
cursed he Canaan, u servant of SER
wants shall he he unto his breth
rem Now, Noah WIS the man Sc
lectrd hy God to perpetuate the I'M
man race, and yet lie was not pun
isned nor censured by his Maker
tor dooning Il portion of his pos
terity to perpetual bondage.
In the 18th chapter of Genesis,
verses 12, IL, 20 and 27, the fact
that Abraham b' ught men with
money, is four times recognized
Verse II is represented to he the
language Of God himself, speaking
to Abraham. aud :s in the follow.
ing words, viz:
"And he that is sight days old
shall be cireuinuisod Hiirpirg you.
every man child in your genera.
uoin, he that is born in ;he house
or bo ght with money of amy stral'
ger. which is not or thy seed"
Here is II direct recognition o
the tact that Abraham held slaves
and God, instead of commanding
him to set them free, directed hin
to Incorporate them into his owl
family hy the right of circum'
cision.
In the 24h chapter, verse 35
men servants and maid servants
are named among the BLESSINGS
wl.irh God had bestowed upon
Abraham, The speaker, who wa'
himself 81 servant, said:
"Aud the Lord hath blessed my
master greatly, and h" ia be om'
or a.; all le hrh ii e
him to,As, and herds, and sive
and gold. and men servants an'
maid servants, and cameis, an'
asses"
BY the 14th chapter, 14th verse
it appears that Abraham had thre'
hundred and eighteen trained ser
wants born in his house." and how
many he bought with money i
not stated.
Now. if buying men with none,
and holding them in slavery be !
sin, Abraham was in his age one q
the greatest of sinners; yet God, in
stead of r.buking aim and requi
ring him to put away his SIN, no
only prospercd him, but ON accoun
of his srccial faith and holiness
selected him to he the father of hi
chosen people, and an exampl. 10
all generations. Could tins hay'
Happened If slavery had been q siI
IN The sight OF God?
o
1t does not appear that the lie
brews neid any slaves when the.
tied cut ri Egypt, or llIat they ac
qutred ANY wn"e Wandering IN In
WnuerhesS. Fylng ron Slayer.
themselves, the! wcfe new lMlloI
WItuUuI constitution or laws, AM
AL thur Institutions were plesvrl
bed by God h.nIseIl, throilgit Mo
scs. Does any ChIaollan Oelley
) lnat God couiU or would prescrib
~ his cnu,en people u silnHl'hietl
tutiun! Yet GoL himself estab
lsncd, or expressly Recognize,
slavery as All lus,itullOn of the lie
IN brew natiuu. II any dJubt 1t, le
ic INN real me 2tSt cnapter OF EXC
'e dus, Tie Z5tn cnapler oI LeNHIcus
4 4 auu The 10tlI chapter et DGuter
s, onomy.
e. The first six verses of the first
u u and tile verses from the twelfth t
70 the eighteenth ot the last, rec"S
al nizc lhe rlght OF Hebrew to ba
4 ihs UwH coantfymen and hold thel
Tin bondage six gears, and prescrlb
a nioue ny which, with tneir ow
consent, ,1ney may uSmade bonds
Y ineir ''I0rever." " 'n But the establish
athient Recognition ot perpetE'
slayepS as ap institution of the ht
)-lbrew commonwealth is foundi
y tire 25tb ohaPtF Of DsVitisas; ~