Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-31
ABoLITIoNIsM REFUTED.
A Great Catholic Prelate ON slavery
Letter of the late Right Rev. Dr.
England, bishop of Charleston.
To The Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary Of State,
United States

England, Bishop OF Charleston.
To he Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary Of State,
United States:
SR-I proceed to examine the titles which di-
vines and cauouists have considered to be good
and valid Tor the possession Of a slave.
In their definitions and remarks they always
restrict that dominion TO what is called service Of
the BODY, not of the soul, which latter was not
held in bondage.
The slave was accountable 10 God for his NOR
ality, and hence the master could not require him
to lay aside the practice OF religion, or to do an
immoral act, but be could command his labor
and was bound to give the necessities OF life.
Berger very properly remarks, Diet. Theot
ogy Art Esciare, that in the wandering state of
early tribes and families, where civil society had
vet been scarcely and in only few places estab-
lisbed, servant could not change his master
without expatriation. nor could a master send
away his servants without destroying his family,
and in this state of things domestic slavery be
came inevitable was. however, he remarks.
very greatly mitigsted under the pstrlarchal gov
eminent, and he instances one great benefit
which would accrue, thong certainly very sell
dom TO the servant Gensis XIV 2: "And Abram
said Lord God, what wilt thou give mel | shall
go without children: and the son of the steward
of my house is this Damascus Eezer. B. And
Abram added but to me thou hast not given
seed; and 10 my servant born in my house shall
be my heir
He adds, that civil liberty became a benefit
only after the establishment of civil society. when
man had the protection OF law, and multiplied
facilities for subsistence that prev ious to this alb
solute freedom would be an injury to person
bereit OF hOcks. herds. Ian is and servants: hence
that Abraham and the other patriarchs held great
numbers of slaves. whom they treated with pa
rental care. and governed by Wholesome discip
line. and whose services were absolutely the
property of their masters
job possessed slaves and he treated them with
kindness, XXI -: III have deSpsed to abide
judgment with ms man servant or my maid ser
want. when they had controversy against
Ia For what shall do, when God will rise TO
judgel And when he shall examine, what shall
| answer him? Is Did not he that maue ME in
the womb make him also, and did not one and
the same form in the wombY'
How came those patriarchs to have property
in those slayesi Many of them were born in
their houses. that Is, Of their servants and this
was acknowledged to be good title, not only by
| the law of nations but clearly ia the case before
fus, by the law of God But how were their pa
rents slaves? Perhaps originally they vountari-
! " became so They might also have been
/ bought from others, who had acquired just do
mnOn, By that or by some other good title
am now only treating of the title which rests on
birth, the validity OF which the patriarcbs thus
testified In Genesis xiv IA. we find Abraham
arming three hundred and eighteen OF his trained
servants born in his house 60 accompany him to
the rescue of Lot. In chapter XIV we find Eliezer
! Damascus. his servant born in his house In
chapter xvi we find Agar, the Egyptian, maid
! or slave of Sarai, whom she introduced wife
| of an inferior rank to Abraham. In chapter xxi.
we lind this bOndswOman, or slave OF Sarai. TO
| gether with her sou Ishmael. who was the slave
4 equally as he was the son Of Abraham sent away
by the direction OF her mistress Safsi. in chap,
| ter xvi. We hnd that Abraham declared to Sarai
Behold Thy handmade is in thy own hand, use
/ her as il pleaseth thee" Grotus says It was a
concession of power even 20 put her TO death, and
| ST. John Chrysostom. HON 81 describes it as an
unlimited power of punishment for petulance and
INSTRUMENTATION; which Calmet, in his remarks on
| this place, says every master bad over his slave,
aud every husband had over the slave OF his wife.
/ In chapter xvii. when God is making a covenant
with Abraham, he recognizes the validity of this
title 10 servitude by birth. IL He that Is born
in the house, as well ms the bought servant shall
be circumcised 80 "Then Abraham took
/ lshmael his son, and all that were bo-n in his
house, and all whom he had bought, every male
among the men of his house, and he circumcised
the flesh of their ioreskin, forthwith the very
same day, God had commanded him" -.
"And all the men OF his house, as well they that
were born in his house as the bought servants and
strangers. circumcsed with him"
Thus God himself recognized the validity of
the title to a slave founded upon purchases, as
we'll upon birth.
The title by donation OF gift is equally plain
as is that by purchase. Genesis Xxx IA: land
Abimeech took sheep, and oxen, and servants.
and handmaids, aud gave To Abraham They
accompanied their mistress upon marriage.
/ Genesis xiv. 81 We may observe the same
in Genesis Xxx 43: XXI. 81.
The titles thus are, fair purchase, or gift
and birth
When Moses led the people from Egypt. the
Lord himself gave to him. in the desert, laws not
only for morality but also for the ritual service
of religion. and civil political code.
snail dwell very briefly upon this latter; but
| shall previously remark that, 10 the great moral
code known the Decalogue, the Almig hty
recognizes the legitimate existence OF slavery
! Exodus Xxx 10: but on the seventh day is the
Sabbath Of the Lord thy God; thou shalt do no
work ON IT, thou nor thy son. nor thy daughter
nor thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor
thy beast. nor the stranger that is within thy
gates" IL: Thou shalt not covet Thy neigh
bors house; neither shalt thou desire his wife
nor bis servant, nor bis Landmaid; nor his OK nol
( his ass nor anyt thing that is his
In the political or civil legislation. of which
God himself is the author. hud provision made
| for
The temporary slavery of Hebrew Ex-
odus xxi. ,: IF thou buy Hebrew servant. SIX
years shall he serve thee; and in the seventh
year he shall go free, for nothing" Leviiicu:
XIV. SO: III thy brother. constrained by poverty
sell himself To thee, thou shalt not Cypress him
with the service OF bond servants. 10 But he
shall be with thee Il hireling and \ sojourner
he shall work with thee until the year OF the
jubilee. fl And afterwards he shall go out
with his children, and shall return to his kindred
and the possession OF his fathers. A. For theS
are my servants, and | brought them out of the
land of Egypt; let them not be sold bonds
meu. 43 Afflict him net by might. but fear thy
God
,. Provision was made for his clothing and hi:
family, Exodus xxi. 3: with what raiment hs
came in. with the like let him 60 out if having
wife, his wife shall go out with him" Levitcus
XIV IL: HE shall GO out with his children.
Thus the Hebrew could sell only his labor unit
the year of the jubilee. because God bestowed or
him a special right ~ His wife and children
were free; aud Calmet quoting Seldea. Iii. 8. C
j. de jnre uat ct gent } states that the master
was obliged to supper, the family
3 Provision made for his relief at the time
of completing his servitdde Deuteronomy XIV
| in the seventh year thou shalt make re-
mission" II When thy brother, Hebrew
tn