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

SIR: The Divine sanction for the existence OF
slavery, aud for the various titles by which prop
erty in slaves may be acquired, being shown, it
would rest UPON those who deny its religious le-
gality day TO prove dstinctly that this sanction
had been withdrawn Nor would it answer their
purpose TO p.eld that the political and civil code
OF Judea not To be obligatory upon Christians.
because We do not assert their obligation upon US;
but We declare that they contained no sanction
incompatible with the natural law, or the princi-
piles OF sound morality; and they did contain the
sanction OF slavery, and OF the titles of acoui-
sltion. which, We say. cannot therefore be i'm
moral. unless they be Incompatible with laws
subsequently enacted. This enactment is 10 be
proved by those who oppose US, and must be,
at least. plain ; what we have exhibited.
The view which have taken was confined to
Judea-because it was only there could procure
distinct and direct evidence of the Divine sane
ton. Nor this privilege of that people. be-
cause we hnd il in existence previous to the for
nation of the Hebrew nation. Abimelec, the
contemporary of their great progenitor, gave slaves
to Abraham; and as he could not convey better
title than existed in himself. if he did not law
fully own the slaves, Abraham could not lawfully
accept them. Bathuel was not Hebrew, and he
had slaves, some of whom accompanied his
daughter Rebecca. Laban was not Hebrew,
nor was Job. Ii was not then privilege granted
TO the Hebrew people, nor to Abraham and his
progeny, but il was common right, and subject
to the Legislative regulation OF nations
Its existence very extensive, il not univer
sal-and the regulations concerning it varied in
the several States and nations. The exhibition
of their difference would be an idle and useless
display of references to the various codes and
customs Of the Gentle world. The number OF
slaves are yeEy great In Attica, at one period
when the citizens did not amount to thirty thou
sand, the slaves were four hundred thousand; this
disparity ia numbers not however, fair
representation OF the world. nor even of Greece
itsei. The generally acknowledged titles, by
the law OF nations. were purchase, birth, legal
conviction, capture in just war.
Ii will be well 10 observe in this place, and
the principle will he of e>sentiel Importance in
examining the apostolic letters of the Holy See
that war waged for that mere pretext of making
saves-or under other pretexLs, but for that pur-
pose-was always cOnsIdered To he AS notorious
ly pirdticsl as would be incursons made for the
purpose of obtaining ANY mure booty; nay. in
this case II worse than any other kind of rob-
berry. The stealing offreemen and selling them
into slavery, or invading people for the purpose
of reducing them % slavery, were considered
great crimes; the individuals who were thus
guilty. were. in almost every place, liable to cap
ital punishment; aj If "A nation committed the
crime. it was considered 10 have lost its rank oil
civilization The capture should have been
made in war properly waged, and carried on ac-
cording to the usageof cIyillze nitions and in
most cases the captive could, If he had property
redeem himself, or be ransOned by his friends
aud thus saved from slavery
ANY person cOnverslnt with the history of the
Gentle nations previous to the Christian epoch
will Immediately perceive the striking contras,
between the comparatively happy situation OF the
slaves of the Hebrews. and the oppression under
which those of the most polished among the Other
nations labosed Yet the writings OF some o
these latter servants form no uconsiderable share
of our classical collections.
shall then, pass any view of the slave
system of the Gentes further than to remark
that, at the period when the Savior came, it wa.
exceedingly oppressive; and that, in many in
stances, the master could put his slave to deltl
without the Interference OF any legal tribunals
and that the instances of its iuhcton were by ns
means rare. / shall not stop 70 inquire into thu
validity Of the claim to the exercise of this power
nor into the moral criminality of those wh'
use il
Iator of Christianity has done upon this subject
He has made no special law, either to repea
to modify the former and still subsisting right
but He enforced principles that. by their neces-
sary operation and gradual influence produce,
an extensive ameiioraton In the words of tn
apostolic letter of Pope Gregory XVI. "Verily
when the light of the Gospel first began TO diffus
of 80 many wars, h al iillel into cruel servituie
felt their condition among Christians very muc
aileviated Irspirei, imieel. by the Divin
| Spirit, the Apostles taught servants 10 rende
obeience 10 their mssters 10 the flesh. as nut
Christ. aud TO do the will of God with Cheerful
mind vet they commanded also unto master
tn they should use their servants kiudly, tha
they should render unto them what Is Just an
right, aud that they should not employ threats
-. -
and that with Him there is no respect OF per
sons
Bergier says, Diet. Theol Art Esclaysgs
Ill :" When our Lord Jesus Christ appeare
upon earth. the rights of humanity were not bet
ter known than they were IN the time of Nose.
| The philosophers. in place OF rendering ther
more clear, had made them more obscure. Tn
Greeks had decided that amongst men some ma
tons were born for liberty and Others for SLAYER,
that everything was lawful against barbarian!
that is, against every one that not Greek
In the State of Athens alone. there we're .fou
hundred thousand slaves fer twenty thousan
citizens In Rome the condition OF slaves wa
not better than that Of beasts of burden. On
shudders at reading the treatment OF those M
fortunates. See Memories Of the Academy
Inscriptions tom. So, In l2mo D. 1902 Sue
was the common Law Of all nations Ia the ages
philosophy. Ii Jesus Christ had by his laws q
tackled, face TO face, this assumed right, h
would have given weight TO the opposition Of tt
emperors and other soseregns 10 the pfomulga
ton of the Gospel; and our philosophers of ii
present day would have accused Him for havn
assailed the public law OF all nations.
/ The Divine Legislator did better; He dispose
The minds Of people BY His maxims of charity,
meekness. Of fraternal love between men, to pc
ceive that slavery In its then character was 60
ting into opposition to the nstural law II ms
4 be perceived by the letter Of 81, Paul TO Phil
mon. what was the teaching Of the GosPel nesa