Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-04
ABOLrTIoNIsM REFUTED.

u
A Great Catholic PreIate on slavery
Letter of the late Right Rev. DIR.
England. Bishop OF Charleston
To the Hon. John Forsyth. Secretary Of State
United States:
SR-I proceeI to examine the titles which di-
vines and onistS have considered TO be good
and valid for the possession OF 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 to God for his NOR
slity, and hence the master could hot require him
to las aside the practice of religion. to do an
immoral act, but he could command his labor
and was bound to give the necessqries Of life
Bergier very properly remarks, (Diet TheOi
0qy. Art EsetgUe,) that in the wandering state of
early tribes and families, where civil society had
yet been scarcely. and in only few places estab-
lished, servant could not change his master
without expatriation, nor could master send
away his servants without destroying his family,
and in this state OF things domestic slavery be
came inevitable IL was, however he remarks
very greatly mitigated under the patriarchal gov
ernment, and he instances great benefit
which would accrue, though certainly very sell
dom TO the servant. Genisis XIV. 2: .fAnd Abram
said. Lord God, what wilt thou give meY j shall
60 without children: and the son of the steward
of nv house is this Damascus Elezer. 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 previous this alb
sOlute freedom would be an injury to a person
bereft OF hocks, herds, Ian Is and servants; hence
that Abraham and the other pstriarchs held great
numbers of slaves. whom they treated with pa
rental care. aud governed by wholesome dscip
line, and whose services were absolutely the
property OF their masters
job possessed slaves, and he treated them with
kindness, XXI l3: eli have despiSed to abide
Judgment with ms man servant, or nv maid ser
want. when they had controversy against me.
IA. For what shall do. when God will rise to
iudgeI And when he shall examine what shall
answer himl Is Did not he that made me in
the womb make him also, and did not one and
the same form in the wOmbz"
How came those pdtriarchs 10 have property
in those slavesT Many of them were born in
their houses. that is, Of their servants, aud this
was acknowledged 10 be a good ttie not only by
the law of nations. but clearly, ia the case befote
rs, by the law OF God. Bus how were their pa
reats slavesl Perhaps originally they voluntari-
" became They might also have been
bought from Others, who had acquired Just do
miniOn, by that or by some other good title
only treating of the title which rests on
birth, the validity Of which the patriarchs thus
testified. In Genesis xiv. a. We hnd Abraham
arming three hundred and eighteen Of his trained
servants born in his house. to accompany him to
the rescue of Lot. In chapter XIV. we fnd Eliezer
Damascus, his servant born in his house. In
chapter xvi find Agar. the Egyptian, maid
or slave OF Sarai, whom she introduced as a wife
ofa fufa apk IN A Abra1t oha 80
we find this bondswoman. or slave OF Sarai. TO
gether with her son lshmael. who was the slave
equally as he was the son of Abraham, sentaxMy
by the direction Of her mistress Sara rs in chap
ter xvi we find that Abraham declared TO Sarai
behold Thy handmaid is in thy own hand. use
her as il pieaseIh thee" Groiius says il was a
concession of power even to put her to death and
st. john Chrysostoni, HON. 81. describes it rs an
unlimited power Of punishment for petuIanee and
insubordnaton; which Calmet, in his remarks on
this place, says every master had 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 thi:
title to servitude By birth. ~ He that is born
in the house, as well AS the bought servant, shal
be eircumcised" %. Then Abraham tool
Ishmael his son, and all that were born ia hi,
house, and all whom he bad bought. every NAL,
among the men Of his house. and he crcumcises
the flesh Of their foreskin. forthwith the yer,
same day, as God had commanded him." u
"And elithe men Of his house. well as they tha
were born in his house "a the bought servants ant
strangers, aere circnmeised with him"
Thus God himself recognized the validity o
the title to slave founded upon purchases, a
well as upon birth
The title by donation or gift is equally paiI
a. Is that by purchase. Genesis TX Ia: "An.
AbmeIech took sheep. and oxen. aud servants
and handmaids, and gave To Abraham" The,
raccOrspanied their mistress upon m srriage
fGeBesis xiv. 81 We may observe the sam
in Genesis XXX 43; XXI 81. r.
The titles thus seen are, fair purchase. or gifs
and birth
When Moses led the people from Egypt, tn
Lord himself gave to him. in the desert, laws no
only for morality but also for the ritual servic
of religion, and a civil or political code.
:, shall dwell very briefly upon this latter: bu
IshsII previously remark that, in the great mora
code known as the Decaiogue. the Aimght
recognizes the legitimate existence OF shaver
Exodus TX 10: But on the seventh day is tn
Sabbath Of the Lord thy God: thou shalt do n
work on il, thou nor fhy son, nor thy daugbteI
nor thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, no
thy beast. nor the stranger that is Within th
gates.' IL: Thou shalt not eovet thy neigl
b0r's house; neither shalt thou desire his wife
nor hrs servant, non bis haDdnaid; nor bis OK ne
his ass, nor anything that Is his" s-3
In the political civil legislation. Of wbic
sod himself s the author we fud provision mad
for -
- l.. Fhe temporary slavery of a Heyrew. Ex
.odas XII. 2. 'tlf thou buy Hebrew servapt. 81
years shall be serve thee; and in the seyenf
year he shall 60 fee. for nothin9v Lcyiticu
ky. 80: III thy brother. constrained by POVERTY
sell himself 90 thee, thou shalt not opprsss hir
with the ser sics Of -boud servants 40 Bot h
shall be with thee as q hireiing and sooufneI