The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-02-22
Slavery and Ethics,

Shareholders and their advocates are
accustomed to give proof Of their extra
ordinary picty by their constant deSout
recognition Of Divine Providence
1t will be found that this appeal to the
Providence Of God undcrlies, a large
part Of the argument, and is the basis OF
some Of the most fervid deuuuciations
of, this Bishop Hopkins's View of
Slavery" and Of pru.slavery writers
generally. I shall not call it blasphc.
nous; but shall cndeuvor, once for all,
to expose its fallacy, its utter und insutter:
able nonsense, considered as a matter Of
reasoning. The whole question lies in q
small compass. 1t must be plain, upon
the slightest reflection, that the e" Prov.
idencc Of God" has nothing whatever to
do with determining the moral character
Of the actions Of men. What sin was
ever wrought; what crime was ever
pcrpetra,ed; what cruelty or villuiny
way ever committed; ; what action, right
or wrong, was ever done by man; what
event, Of whatever character, ever trans.
pired in human history, which did not
take place by the Providence Of God?
Because God brings good out Of evil,
does that justify the evil If go, not
slavery alone, but all sin would find
speedy absolution. Gods Providence,
but not the evil, is thereby justified. The
justification Of Gods Providence, and
the Justification Of mans agency, are
two distinct things. a Theodicy is not
u system Of ethics. Whatever is, is
right is true in relation to Divine
Providence, but not true, most assurcdly,
in relation to human, octions. The
slave trade, with ull its, cxcerable and
horrible Larbarities, took place under
Divine Providence. The slave trade
was abolished aud declared piracy under
Divine Providence. All the atrocities
Of the old French Revolution were com.
United under Divine Providence. The
American Revolution was achieved under
Divine Providence. Negro slavery was
established in America under Divine
Providencc.' And wherever, and by
whatever means. internal or external
violent or pcaceIul-sudden or gradual
1T shall ever be abolished, it is to be
presumed it will bc m,lcr Dtcinc PrOr.
Htnce Why, has not the "aboliiion
Canaticism' itself, as well as the institu'
ton, arisen under Divine Providence? ?
Aud yet abolitionis,s are denounced be.
cause they would "interfcrc with the
Providence Of God" If L man can get
outside Of the Providence Of God to in.
,crrrrc with it, he must 90 Somewhere
tina, never heard Of Did the steam
ship Interfere with the Providence of
God? Did the telegraph interfere with
the Providence Of God? Does the
teacher, with his instructions for tho ig'
uorant, interfere with the Proridcneo ut
God? Does the physician, with his
remedies, interfere with the Providence
of God? But arc not darkness and
death, both spiritual and temporal, sent
upou mankind as the result Of divine
cnr&? Why. then, should it be in in.
terfereucc with the Providence o.! God
to preach dciverauce to the captive TO
seek tho freedom Of the slave; TO Gu.
deavor to eulighten aud elevate tho long
oppressed and bcnighted negro race ?
What there should be so peculiar, in
lust this particular case, in relation to
Divine Providence, passes ull comPre'
hcnsion. In the name Of common sense,
then, let US hear no more justiticutions
Of Slavery and denunciationS Of Aboli-
ton from the Precedence Of God.--
T Good,cin's ''.South.rn .Slurcry IN It's Pres.
cnt AspcctS." ... ..r