Year: 1859

We are often asked the question: Why do you
select from the great field Of reform the question
Of chatte slavery, and devote your powers, your
energies and your time, to its overthrow alone
Are there other evils in society, quite as much
TO be deplored the adjustment of which is equal |
ly to be desired ? Why should one select the anti.
slavery cause, as the chief work of Philanthropy
or Christianity


There is for instance, the Temperance cause
which at this time is calling loudly for cham pions
to work in its behalf Are you aware how many
of our young men handling the intoxicating
cup, drinking Of its poisonous contents, to the
destruction of mind and body, blackening the soul
perhaps forever: Is there not work here, in this
direction, noble philanhropic work Why work
alone against chattel slavery And again, there
is the peace question, which, for the past few years
has seemed to be forgotten. The nations still re-
tain the barbarous custom of settling their difficult
ties by the of the sword our own nation un,
derstand very well how to create difficulties, that
with her powerful wsrlike arm. she may subduc
conquer, and take as her own possession any Ter
ritory, which she looks upon as desirable. Think
of the thousands of human lives which are, and
must DO inevitably sacrificed in every war
Shall we not work to the end of wars extinc
ton


Once moro there are in our midst a set of men.
and women, and, alas even children, whom our
laws condemn as criminals are the situations of
these unfortunate persons, in all cases, such as
high Christian Civilization would prompt? Are
not these persons dealt with after tho old law ian
eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth" rather
than by the new code of Jesus of Nazareth, which
teaches forgiveness and reformation, in tho place
Of revenge and death? May not the truly humane
man find employment in this section Of relormato.
~ labor? Look again in still another direction.
One entire half of our race are disfranchised-no
recognized in law, in all cases, as Individuals
denied the control of their children, deprived of
equal intellectual culture with the favored class,
shut out by the rigorous law of custom from situ'
atoms advantageous to the accumulation Of wealth
or even competence. Surely there is much need
of labor in this direction also. Why not work
in a universal way for the overthrow of all evil
We answer, to all these causes, sngly and collect.
lively, we give hearty God speed there is
great need of labor for them all, and as we be-.
licve special labor, but without applying to our
selves the maxim, charity should begin at home"
for in all things which pertain to the elevation of
society, we are equally interested With any other
person-we beg leave to say, that neither Of these
evils, singly, or combined compare, in our humble
opinion. in the magnitude of Importance with the
crime of chattel slavery. To our perception and
understanding slavery is emphatically "the sum
of oil vanies" We know, to see our young
men, aye, and our old mon too, staggering under
the effect of alcoholic drink, is sickeuing sight
and when We lock with prophets ken. and see
these young men in the future taking the places of
power and trust we are more than saddened at
the prospect. But added to the degradation of
being slave, chattel, a thing, the slave is La
bic to become addicted to ntemperance. We
have seen the slave not only encouraged but com
PEELED by his master to swallow the burning dram
the better to impress him with his imbeclity and
degradation. Now if it is an evil to be drunk. is
il not an evil of much greater magnitude to be in
situation or condition where you must submit
even against your own will to such tate of bru
sality. We know of no statute that requires
man Of any age, who is recognized as a man, to
become intoxicated. We are sorry there is not an
efectual law against the salo of the maddening
liquid but until man is forced by legal enact.
ment to use it, we think the drinking is voluntary
and evil, is ovespowered by the greater and
moro monstrous wrong of suhjugating the entire
being. body soul and mind, to the control of an
other. We wish it were possible to make the peo
pie understand the enormiIy Of the crime Of reduc
ing human being to a slave. What is it but
blotting out his entire responsibility 1t is much
more easy to show the people the evils growing
ou, Of slavery. 1t slave is cruelty beaten, al.
most any person would say shame upon the perpe-
traitor of the deed. If he is burned alive the com.
munity stand aghast for hour perhaps and
shudder at the suffering but who thinks Of the
indescribable anguish of soul that comes to one
daily and hourly. as he contemplated his condition
as helpless, lifelong slave. lie is conscious of
his humanity he knows he is fashioned man ;
that he bears about in his person the image of
God he feels that latent in his own being are
pvwers capable of high intellectual work and
more, he finds himself possessed Of affections
yearning to find utterance; bot his situation as
. slave denies him even this boon. Oh ! it is the
trampling down these tender impulses of tho soul
which make the slaves degradation complete.
Think Off il! ye who wonder that one in thous.
and is found who can work in other channel
Who is willing to give himself and all that he has
to the cause of the bondman think of the condi.
tion Of him who knows home, no father, no
mother, no brother, no sister. no wife, no child
net even friend-aloae, yet with n heart full Of
affection.


But. say you. such is not the Gaze; the slave ID
conuected with the ties Of blood and family. Sc
10 the horse and the OK but who regards them
not the owner of the horse or the OK. Neither
does the owner of the slave his will is law
though it comes between the nearest relations o
iifa What than 10 in con, m rod IN
chattel slaveryf And 10 with the evil of war
whom weighed in the balance with slavery, We
shall, We think, find il light indeed. The horror.
OF the battle field are fearful, We willingly admit
but the horrors Of the plantation are also terribly