Year: 1862




radical curse, then its opposite must be fun
damental blessing In a late number of the
Portland Advertiser-whose editorials for the
past few weeks would be considered sound at
Rchmond-we find this remark from its lead
ing editorial mind:


We frankly and fearlessly avow, we don't
believe the abolition OF slavery at once would
be blessing to either the white man, or the
slave, but a profound and radical curse to
both.


We do not propose to discuss the PROPOSE
tion here "fearlessly avowed,' though we may
remark en- pdssdnt, that it is the common plea
of tyrants and despots, and has been for hum
dreds of generations. The old Egyptian king
doubtless argued that it would bring ruin up
on the Israelites TO allow them to depart free
ly from his domiuons, and he continued to hug
his delusion until the lice, and frogs, and other
pests overran his capital; nor then did his
heart relent until it was softened by the warm
blood of the first-born of his willing subjects;
In fact, according to the record. the opinion so
"fearlessly avowed" by him did not cease to in
fiuence his conduct until it was actually chok-
ed ont in the swelling waters of the Red Sea-


1t is very probable that the old feuda lords
of the middle ages, looked upon the better
civilization whose waters gathered around
and begrt their strong castles, and finally un-
dermined their rocky foundations, as the har-
binger of unutterable woes to the masses over
whose lives, liberties and employments they
had so long exercised guardianship; and very
likely they might have published, had they
been in control of daily journal in that mur-
ky age, as their ''learless avowal' that the
abolition of feudalism at once would be a
blessing neither to the lord nor his subject
to the feudal despot nor to his abject serf and
slave. But as they did not have daily papers
iu those days, their names are spared the
disgrace of such a record; a record worthy
only of despotism, and libel upon the great
fundamental doctrines which alone render
luminous the Declaration of Independence,
and the history of our fathers in their strug-
gle for civil and religious liberty. But the
plea of tyranny will probably never cease to
be uttered till the race of tyrants shall come
to an end.


The author of the "frank and fearless avow-
al" above noted, referring to the abolition of
slavery" says


Could President Lincoln's Proclamation do
1t, we believe ii would send poverty, starva-
tion and death to majority of all the four
millions of negroes SO liberated, and it wonld
involve white labor and white capital in scenes
Of rivart, conflict, and distress unparalleled in
the annals of the world


Four millions of devils let loose from hell,
In all the shapes and forms Of furies upon the
human brain, would not be more devastating
and troublesome to white men. and to white
labor, and to white capital, until every ind-
vidual OF them were shot. or starved or pois-
oned, or got rid Of in some way-how, God
only knows.


What curse then is liberty! What boon
suppression! What an inestimable and fun
damental blessing is slavery! How should the
whip, the thumb-screw, the thong, the hand
cuff, and the shackle be transfgured in our
eyes, and stand forth all gloriously luminous,
and transcendantly glorious, as the emblems
OF goodwill, the insignia of Gods great love
for his sable creation-his own "image cut in
ebonyP How ineffably unblest are those free
men of color, who have no master TO c,ack
the whip over them, to confer upon them the
privilege of being properly whipped, and Of
having their wives and children taken from
them at the will and caprice of another. 1t
Is astonishing TO our mind how man who can
see not simply "a niger in every woodpile,"
but "devil let loose from hell" in every free
negro, can remain in such pestilental atmos-
phere as that which broods over New Eng
land; why he does not more closely identify
w tba oh
has settled down upon the South, and the re-
moval of which would infict untold curses
upon the black and white races!


Does the gentleman Judge his fellows BY
himself, when he intimates that the white
people would all turn negro-shooters, or ne
gro-poisoners, or negro-starvers were the slaves
once freed, and allowed as men to enjoy those
inalienabe rights, life, liberty, and the pur-
suit of happiness? Ii that is his spirit it Is
devoutly to be hoped that before emancipation
comes of, he may be looked after, lest he do
some desperate act, and find himself amenable
to class Of laws which, as yet, in our State,
have made no distinction among men on ac-
count of the color of their skin.


But We will pursue this thought no further
We fail to find words to express the feeling
naturally called up by such language as we
have quoted from the Advertiser. 1t is truly
lamentable in an age like the present, when
the light Of Christianity is falling almost yer-
<ically upon US, to find men of brains and If
education, so outraging all the known princi-
Piles of human action. Who ever knew men
no matter how degraded - converted into
devils by an act of kindness? Who ever
knew crop of evil passions and of evil ac-
tions to spring up from kindness received
and benefits experienced? The truths of
history and the observations of every right
minded man, are directly opposed to such
condition of things as the editor of the Adver-
tiser has ayowed will spring from given
cause. Freedom in Hayti never resulted in
awakening the evil passions Of the black man;
and it was only when, in an evil hour, the at
tempt was made to re-enslave him that he be-
came furious, and rained upon his attempted
oppressors such a storm of wrath as caused
humanity to stand aghast. In the British and
Danish West Indies emancipation was follow
ed by no excesses; and we challenge any man
TO put his finger upon the first circumstance
or fact in the history of the negro race on this
continent, TO justify any such conclusions as
the pditar M fha Advart;ear r,ko