The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-03-03

/
maintain them, it was in order to re-
serve to herself the right to say to the
entire world, with all the energy of
her affection, "Your souls, give me
your souls, and keep the rest"
Let no one ask me to discuss the
theoretical question of slavery let no
one remind me that all ancient socie-
ties have passed through it; let no one
endeavor to prove to me by the force
of imaginary hypothesis that slavery
is not unlawful in itself, considered az
ter certain fashion, in certain condi-
tiOns. leave abstract theory and
confne myself TO facts.
l consider how often these cohdi-
tions meet in history, and how human
ity, being what it is, they can meet
| consider not the exceptional case,
but the state, the foundation even OF
human life and dignity condemned by
slavery to an irremediable abasement.
| do not trouble myself with abstract
ions and hypothesis. Certainly I
should have much to say upon the Or
igin of this obstinate and invetcrate
plague. How has man reduced man
TO scrvitudc? l defy any one to ex-
plain it without original sin. How
has slave become the equal of his mas
ter? | defy any one to explain it
without Redemption. Slavery is so
odions that no one can understand its
commencement; it is so convenient
that no one can understand its end
If | attacked theory, / should show
that the unity of the hnman family,
which is with us not q nero opinion
but a dogma, let it be well understood
dogma, and even one Of the founda-
tions of our faith, has become also q
dogma Of science, should show that
the unity of the human family, the
principle of dignity, of equality, oflib-
erty, of humanity among men, con-
demns and reproves slavery Ishould
turn to the works of Blumenbach, of
Tiedcmann, of Humboldt and of Geof-
frey Saint Hiliairc; l should appeal to
my learned colleagues, NJ. Flourens
and NJ. dc Quatrefages, and to the eel
cbrated report of the Duke of Broglie,
upon this great subject. | should turn
also to the admirable work of NJ. Wal
ton, upon Slavery in antiquity, and
to the great and generous work of M.
Augustin Cochin, upon Modern Sla-
very Here arc men and writers Of
greater authority than these vain soph-
lists who alone to day from hatred Of
Christ and his Church, attack, with all
the efforts of a desperate science, the
Christian dogma of tho unity of our
race, and would destroy with our dog
ma, the dignity, the fraternity, and
liberty Of men. But we leave the the
cry.
do not wish to rofute the objections
which are urged in favor of this sad
cause. / do not wish to discuss the
subtletics of doctrine; but | appeal to
the truths of experience.
Now, it is clear from experience,
that slavery has never proved the mi
tiation and education of liberty. The
longer it cndurcs the worse it becomes.
The further it spreads the more it de-
grades, and it is not developed alone.
You refuse to set them free, because
they arc, say you, unfit for Freedom,
But say to you that this unfitncss is
maintained, if not created, by slavery,
and prevents the improvement of the
slaves. Experience also teaches that
slavery, that is of the blacks, has an
origin and consequence alike abom-
Unable. Its origin was the slave trade
that base and cruel traffic, condemn
cd by Plus III, in 1882, by Paul III, in
1867, by Urban VIII, in 1859, by Ben
cdict XIV, in 17ll, by Gregory XVI,
in 1899. Its consequence is the de-
struction Of the family, which is con-
dcmncd by tho anathcmas of every
human heart. Its consequence is the
destruction of flibcrty, not only of the
slave, but Of the master, for the mas
ter is forbidden to teach the slave to
read or write in favor of liberty!
There arc, then, upon the face Of the
earth as myself children of God and Of
mon like myself, saved by the same
blood as myself, destined to the same
heaven as myself, five or six millions
ofiellow creatures in the United States
in Brazil, in Cuba, in Surinam, who
are slaves-old men, men, women,
young girls, and children.
Just Heaven! Is it not time at last,
after eighteen centuries of Christian
ity, for us to commence to practice the
eternal law2 "Do not to others what
you would not others should do to
you. And what you would have 9th
ors do to you do ye even so to them?"
Is it not time at last that we give ear
to that great saying of the Master
"Love one another; by this it shall be
known, that yo are my disciples ifyou
love one another" For eighteen cen
turics we have been repeating these
words to the slaves in order to calm
their passions; we do it still but this
gives us the right to recall the masters
to sense of justice.
Since the time that Jesus Christ, ST.
Paul, and the Apostles laid down the
principles of universal emancipation,
the most illustrious preachers of the
faith, the greatest bishops and popos
have spoken in their turn. Know il
well, ye who calumniate the church
continually, that if the church rebukes
the license and passion of spirits, hu-
man liberty is dear to her; for liberty
in the plan of God, who has not made