Part 4 (1/2)
”I hope I may be excused, if I add, that the subject which engages us, is one in which it is our right to act--as much our right to act, as it is the right of those who differ from us not to act. If we believe in the existence of a great moral and political evil amongst us, and that duty, honour, and interest, call upon us to prepare the way for its removal, we must act. All that can be required of us, is, that we act discreetly,” &c.--_Speech before Colonization Society._
Mr. Clay says,--
”If they would repress all tendencies towards liberty and ultimate emanc.i.p.ation, they must do more than put down the benevolent efforts of this society. They must penetrate the human soul, and eradicate the light of reason, and the love of liberty. _Our friends, who are cursed with this greatest of human evils, (slavery,) deserve our kindest attention and consideration. Their property and safety are both involved._”--_Speech before Colonization Society._
William H. Fitzhugh, Esq. says,--
”Slavery, in its mildest form, is an evil of the darkest character. Cruel and unnatural in its origin, no plea can be urged in justification of its continuance, but the plea of necessity; not that necessity which arises from our habits, our prejudices, or our wants; but the necessity which requires us to submit to existing evils, rather than subst.i.tute, by their removal, others of a more serious and destructive character. There is no riveted attachment to slavery, prevailing extensively, in any portion of our country. Its injurious effects on our habits, our morals, our individual wealth, and more especially on our national strength and prosperity, are universally felt, and almost universally acknowledged.”
Mr. Leva.s.seur says,--
”Happily, there is no part of the civilized world, in which it is necessary to discuss the justice or injustice of the principle of negro slavery; at the present day, every sane man agrees that it is a monstrosity, and it would be altogether inaccurate, to suppose that there are in the United States, more than elsewhere, individuals sufficiently senseless to seek to defend it, either by their writings or conversation.
For myself, who have traversed the twenty-four states of the Union, and in the course of a year have had more than one opportunity of hearing long and keen discussions upon this subject, I declare that I never have found but a single person, who seriously defended this principle. This was a young man, whose head, sufficiently imperfect in its organization, was filled with confused and ridiculous notions relative to Roman History; and appeared to be completely ignorant of the history of his own country. It would be waste of time, to repeat here, his crude and ignorant tirade.”
These are the sentiments of MEN OF EMINENT TALENTS, CITIZENS OF THE SOUTH, AND SLAVE-HOLDERS!
Lastly, the Southern Reporter says,--
”The _conscientious_ slave-holder deserves a larger share of the sympathy of those who have sympathy to spare, than any other cla.s.s of men, not excepting the slave himself.” ”One _great evil_ of the system is its tendency to produce disorder and poverty in a country.” ”The slave-trade may be regarded as a _conspiracy_ of all Europe and the commercial part of this continent, not only against Africa, but in a _more aggravated sense, against these southern regions_.”
”Almost all masters, in Virginia, a.s.sent to the proposition, that when slaves can be liberated without _danger to themselves_, and to their _own_ advantage, it ought to be done. If there are few who think otherwise in Virginia, I feel a.s.sured that _there are few such any where in the south_!”
[See Dr. Reese's Letters to the Hon. William Jay, p. 50-53.]
But if it be now asked why do they not liberate them, as they appear so anxious so to do? I reply that totally independent of the considerations above stated, the law of the land prohibits their so doing unless they give large security, or send them abroad. So that in fact the _Abolitionists themselves are now the actual slave-holders of thousands_! For by their calumniating and misrepresenting the motives of the advocates of the Colonization Society, they have prevented the influx of such means to that body as would have enabled it to relieve the slave-holder from that _bondage_ under which he labours, and thus free his slaves!
Another calumny circulated is respecting the state of ignorance and irreligion in which all the slave-holders keep their slaves. This is as great a falsehood as ever was uttered by man or Devils, if we are to give any credit to the testimony of every good and pious man who lives in, or has visited, the South.
The following testimony I the more readily adduce because it is taken from the Report published by the _Abolitionists_, of the Discussion between Mr. Breckinridge and Mr. Thompson; and the truth of which I find the latter gentleman does not attempt to deny.
”RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF SLAVES.
”The Southern Evangelical Society, is the t.i.tle of a proposed a.s.sociation, among the Presbyterians of the South, for the propagation of the gospel among the people of colour. The const.i.tution originated in the synod of North Carolina, and is to go into effect as soon as adopted by the synod of Virginia, or that of South Carolina and Georgia. The voting members of the society are to be elected by the synods. Honorary members are created by the payment of 30 dollars. All members of synods united with the society are corresponding members--other corresponding members may be chosen by the voting members. Article 4th of the const.i.tution provides that 'there shall not exist between this society and any other society, any connexion whatever, except with a similar society in the slave-holding states.' Several resolutions follow the const.i.tution--one of these provides that a presbytery in a slave-holding district of the country, not united with a synod in connexion with the society, may become a member by its own act. The 5th and 6th resolutions are as follows:--
”Resolved, 5. That it be very respectfully and earnestly recommended to all the heads of families in connexion with our congregations, to take up and vigorously prosecute the business of seeking the salvation of the slaves in the way of maintaining and promoting family religion.
”Resolved, 6. That it be enjoined on all the presbyteries composing this synod to take order at their earliest meeting to obtain full and correct statistical information as to the number of people of colour, in the bounds of our several congregations, the number in actual attendance at our several places of wors.h.i.+p, and the number of coloured members in our several churches, and make a full report to the synod at its next meeting, and for this purpose, that the clerk of this synod furnish a copy of this resolution to the stated clerk of each presbytery.”
”The next doc.u.ment carried them one state farther South, and related to South Carolina, in which that horrible Gov.
M'Duffie, who seems to haunt Mr. Thompson's imagination with his threats of 'death without benefit of clergy,' lives, and perhaps still rules. It is taken from the same paper as the next preceding extract:--
”RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF SLAVES.
”From an intelligent New Englander at the South:--
”To the Editor of the _New York Observer_--
”I am apprehensive that many of your readers, who feel a lively interest in the welfare of the slaves, are not correctly and fully informed as to their amount of religious instruction. From the speeches of Mr. Thompson and others, they might be led to believe that slaves in our Southern states never read a Bible, hear a gospel sermon, or partake of a gospel ordinance. It is to be hoped, however, that little credit will be given to such misrepresentations, notwithstanding the zeal and industry with which they are disseminated.
”_What has been done on a single Plantation._
”I will now inform your readers what has been done, and is now doing, for the moral and religious improvement of the slaves on a single plantation, with which I am well acquainted, and these few facts may serve as a commentary on the unsupported a.s.sertions of Mr. Thompson and others. And here I could wish that all who are so ready to denounce every man that is so unfortunate as to be born to a heritage of slaves, could go to that plantation, and see with their own eyes, and hear with their own ears, the things which I despair of adequately describing. Truly, I think they would be more inclined, and better qualified to use those weapons of light and love which have been so ably and justly commended to their hands.
”On this plantation there are from 150 to 200 slaves, the finest looking body that I have seen on any estate. Their master and mistress have felt for years how solemn are the responsibilities connected with such a charge; and they have not shrunk from meeting them. The means used for their spiritual good, are abundant. They enjoy the constant preaching of the gospel. A young minister of the Presbyterian church, who has received a regular collegiate and theological education, is labouring among them, and derives his entire support from the master, with the exception of a trifling sum which he receives for preaching one Sabbath in each month, for a neighbouring church. On the Sabbath and during the week you may see them filling the place of wors.h.i.+p, from the man of gray hairs to the small child, all neatly and comfortably clothed, listening with respectful, and in many cases, eager attention to the truth as it is in Jesus, delivered in terms adapted to their capacities, and in a manner suited to their peculiar habits, feelings and circ.u.mstances;--engaging with solemnity and propriety in the solemn exercise of prayer, and mingling their melodious voices in the hymn of praise. Sitting among them are the white members of the family encouraging them by their attendance, manifesting their interest in the exercises, and their anxiety for the eternal well being of their people. Of the whole number 45 or 50 have made a profession of religion, and others are evidently deeply concerned.