Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-11

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readers and contemporaries not 10 fall into the
error Of surprising that we are making any in
vidious attack ON New England 10 fhis matter.
Nothing Is further from our purpose. In proving
New Enslsnd 10 have been slay yeholding from the
start, and in establishing slavery Puritan
principle, we simply prove that the New Euala
fathers were like the New York fathers. AMI like
the Southern iathers--not whit better. and per
haps not whit worse We publish the truth of
history against bold Misrepresentation OF Mr.
Charles Sumner aud the New England Society.
We know, and gladly recognize the fact that
these New England Society men, ashamed OF
their ancestry and seeking TO conceal the truth
about them, are poor specimen, even of modern
New England. But their Justification Of history
receives wide circulation, and nine tenths OF the
abotionists in the country really believe that the
Puritan fathers came to this country to establish
free Institutions This belief needs enlightening
The subject Is important in historical point OF
view. We therefore pursue it, - -.
"A false statement travels far and fast, and the
truth seldom over axes il. Me- Summers foolish
letter the New England Society. 10 which he
so boldly defrs history, was backed up the same
evening by voice from the society itself 10 the
foiio~ing toast:
''The New England Society in the city Of New
York TO the New England Society in Montreal.
Greeting: Thanks for your generous wishes We
shall not cease 20 labor for their complete fulfill
ment. aud, by the blessing Of God and our still
victorious arms. we mean in our next anniversary
to celebrate in all States from Maine to Califor
MIA the National jubilee in honor of the eternal
principles of Liberty under the law which the
Pilgrim emerging from the cabin of the May
flower laid down the cornerstone Of the nation"
Loud applause
Here we see the Society endeayoring by bold
deuia OF history, to conces the character and
misrepresen, the principles Of their ancestors,
OF course these society people and all people of
the same sort insist that whoever undertakes 10
correct the historical blunders or deceptons OF
New England men, is throwing dirt at New Eng
land. Let them insist. We will take the risk of
all accusations of intent 10 defame New England
while we proceed TO show that she was never any
better than her neghbors. "Consecrated TO hu
man liberty" quOth Mr.. Sumner writing of the
Pilgrim F,thersl Ii would mike no sort of diff
ference 10 the present race Of men whether the
Pilgrim Fathers were consecratcd To liberty or to
tyranny il ihey were not brought out OF their
graves 80 constantly by these false teachers and
male 20 play part in history which they never
dreimei of when alive. These Boston boasters
ought to be ashamed OF themselves for thus be-
lying their ancestors They ought TO fear the
ghosts of their Pilgrim Fathers. their veritable
bones rising from uncomfortable graves while
their sons are thu disturbing their repose by
f,lsehood. Why. ii Mr. Summer hid lived in
Pilgrim times. that letter OF his would have made
him liable TO sit in the stocks all day, aud be
branded. II not to be banished or put to death.
They had severe statutes against filsehooi. cir
cGlating false news and misreprescnting the
truth II would horrify Puritan Father TO hear
anv one say he was consecrated to human liberty.
He would abhOr the idea.
Thlt we may furnish the truth on this subject,
and not be accused OF bearing false witness our
selves. we have already given some evidence of
the saveholding and slave trading propensities of
the pilgrim fathers We propose now 10 show
some more Of the rhetorical evidence. by which
il will appear what nonsense those men are en-
deavoring to sprea' in the community, for truth,
when they boast of the superiority of New Eng
land over the rest of mankind in the matter Of
slavery.
There is some question whether the first writ
ten law. actually establishing slavery in the mod
efn world. did not originate ia New England.
Elsewhere il accepted ancient institu-
ton, but IN Massachusetts it was justified on
scriSnral grounds and established by statutes and
treaties As early as l64I. the Massachusetts
General Court adopted the foilo~ing law:
I'll is ordered by this court and the authority
thereof that there shall never be anv bond sla
very. vilanageo captivity amongst US; ualess it
be lawful captives taken in just wars, rs Wiling
" sell themselves sold to US and such
shall have the lberties and Christian usage which
the law of God established in Israel concerning
such persons doth morally require: provided this
exempts none from servitude who shall be ad-
judged d. hereio by authority
We doubt whether any earlier statute can be
found in modern cvz, ,tion which recognizes.
aud in TACT appoints and protects the institution
Of slavery We have heretofore shown how the
Puritan bought negroes, and shipped and sold in
the BeFmudas the captive Indians ard their child
ren. We have not the ace to quote a tenth
part Of their legislation this subject. Ii any
one seeks the origin of the fugitive slave law, at
which Massachusetts now -protesses a holy hor-
ror. we point 20 the ARTICLES Of Confederation
of the New England Colonies" mule in Ply
mouth, close by the rock, Sept. 5, 1872, in which
il was provided:
Sec Z. 1t is also agreed rast il
anv servant run away from his master into any
other of these conicderatei jurisdictions, that in
such clse upon the certificate of one magistrate
in the jurisdiction out of which said servant fed
or upon other due proof, the said servant shall be
delivered either Co his master any other that
pursues and brings such certificate or proof.
Here is the first Fugitive slave law. Here was
no talk Of jury trials or of the prima facie evi
deuce of freedom until a m an proved TO be a
slave The certificate of magistrate was the
sole evidence req1ired for extradition.
"A
cerning the right of men to sell themselves for
cebts. and providing that the court of he county
should regulate the time of service so that Other
creditors should not be defrauded of their fair
share of the msn's lifetime Here was curious
provision for men consecrated to human liberty
being nothing more nor less than an establish
ment of slavery for debt Long before this lir
1886 ttey had forbidden any who
covenant servant in,household with any other, :
to vote or hold Office
The Puritan sysiem involved three distinc
castles in society. The "master or owner" th,
a'servant" aud the ''save." The grades of su
periorfy and infeFiority were regulated by law
and strictly observed The Servant" was to al
intents and purposes slave for limited period
He could rot buy or sell goods. not even the pro
duct OF hi own extra LABOR Ia this respect h
was worse of than the South Carolina slave to
day. He might become servant by ruling him
self, and in other ways. The idea of equality il
human rights or in the enioymant Of libert,
woulI have been raUk heresy in the Purital
church. Superiority and inferiorty, master an'
servant, owner and slave. were relations de
Tended out of scripture and firmly held as scrip
turnI bY the Pilgrim fathers
On the subject of emancipation the Purital
fathers hell doctrines that would honify Nr
Sumner If he ever read history. They were de
cidedly. firmly opposed TO the indiscrimnat
emancipation Thev deniei the right of a maste
to cast of his relation AS master At will. The.
found freedmen troublesome and they made law
against emancipation. In 1886 they passed a Law
on the subject OF covenant servants" Of whicl
Section I this:
"it is ordered that no servant shall be set FIRE
or have any lot until he have served out the tim
coveuanted. under penalty OF such fne as III
quarters courts shall infict. unless they caus
TO remit the same"
This provision forbidding the master to eman