from the ,google ,print project47       
,liberty or ,slavery2 the ,great        
,national ,question4  ,,three ,,prize   
,,essays  ,,on  ,,american ,,slavery4   
,,the ,,truth ,,in ,,love4  ,,boston3   
,,congregational ,,board ,,of           
,,publication4  #aheg4  ,entered        
according to ,act of ,congress1 in the  
year #aheg1 by  ,,sewall ,,harding1  ,in
 the ,clerk's ,office of the ,district  
,court of the ,district of              
,massachusetts4  ,,cambridge3  ,,allen  
,,and ,,farnham1 ,,stereotypers ,,and   
,,printers4     ,,premium ,,offered4    
,a benevolent individual1 who has       
numerous friends and acquaintances both 
,north and ,south1 and who has had      
peculiar opportunities for learning the 
state and condition of all sections of  
the nation1 perceiving the danger of our
 national ,institutions1 and deeply     
impressed with a sense of the           
importance1 in this time of peril1 of   
harmonizing ,christian men through the  
country1 by kind yet faithful           

exhibitions of truth on the subject now 
agitating the whole community1 offered a
 premium of #ajj for the best ,essay on 
the subject of ,slavery1 fitted to      
influence the great body of ,christians 
through the land4  ,the call was soon   
responded to by nearly fifty writers1   
whose manuscripts were examined by the  
distinguished committee appointed by the
 ,donor1 whose award has been made1 as  
their certificate1 here annexed1 will   
show4     ,,premium ,,awarded4   ,the   
undersigned1 appointed a ,committee to  
award a premium of one hundred dollars1 
offered by a benevolent individual1 for 
the best ,essay on the subject of       
,slavery1 adapted to receive the        
approbation of ,evangelical ,christians 
generally1 have had under examination   
more than forty competing manuscripts1 a
 large number of them written with much 
ability4 ,they have decided to award the
 prize to the author of the ,essay      
entitled1 ,the ,error and the ,duty in  
regard to ,slavery1 whom they find1 on  

opening the accompanying envelope1 to be
 the ,rev4 ,r4 ,b4 ,,thurston1 of       
,chicopee ,falls1 ,mass4  ,they would   
also commend to the attention of the    
public1 two of the remaining tracts1    
selected by the individual who offered  
the prize1 and for which he and others  
interested have given a prize of one    
hundred dollars each4 ,one of these is  
entitled1 ,friendly ,letters to a       
,christian ,slave-holder1 by ,rev4 ,a4  
,c4 ,,baldwin1 of ,durham1 ,conn42 the  
other1 ,is ,american ,slavery an        
,institution which ,christianity        
sanctions and will perpetuate8 by ,rev4 
,,timothy ,,williston1 of ,strongsville1
 ,ohio4      ,,asa ,d4 ,,smith1         
,,mark ,,hopkins1     ,,theodore        
,,frelinghuysen4  ,may1 #aheg4          
,,contents4                             
,,page  ,i4 ,,the ,,error ,,and ,,the   
,,duty ,,in ,,regard ,,to ,,slavery1    
#a  ,,ii4 ,,friendly ,,letters ,,to ,a  
,,christian ,,slave-,,holder1           
#ci  ,,iii4 ,,is ,,american ,,slavery   

,,an ,,institution ,,which              
,,christianity ,,sanctions ,,and ,,will 
,,perpetuate1                           
#ii  ,,footnotes     ,,the ,,error ,,and
 ,,the ,,duty  ,,in  ,,regard ,,to      
,,slavery4  ,,by  ,,rev4 ,r4 ,b4        
,,thurston4   ,the great and agitating  
question of our country is that         
concerning slavery4 ,beneath the whole  
subject there lies of course some simple
 truth1 for all fundamental truth is    
simple1 which will be readily accepted  
by patriotic and ,christian minds1 when 
it is clearly perceived and discreetly  
applied4 ,it is the design of these     
pages to exhibit this truth1 and to show
 that it is a foundation for a union of 
sentiment and action on the part of good
 men1 by which1 under the divine        
blessing1 our threatening controversies1
 ,north and ,south1 may be happily      
terminated4  ,to avoid misapprehension1 
let it be noticed that we shall examine 
the central claim of slavery1 first1 as 
a legal institution2 afterwards1 the    

moral relations of individuals connected
 with it will be considered4 ,in that   
examination the term property1 as       
possessed in men1 will be used in the   
specific sense which is given to it by  
the slave laws and the practical        
operation of the system4 ,no other sense
 is relevant to the discussion4 ,the    
property of the father in the services  
of the son1 of the master in the labor  
of the apprentice1 of the ,state in the 
forced toil of the convict1 is not in   
question4 ,none of these relations      
creates slavery as such2 and they should
 not be allowed1 as has sometimes been  
done1 to obscure the argument4  ,the    
limits of a brief tract on a great      
subject compel us to pass unnoticed many
 questions which will occur to a        
thoughtful mind4 ,it is believed that   
they all find their solution in our     
fundamental positions2 and that all     
passages of the ,bible relating to the  
general subject1 when faithfully        
interpreted in their real harmony1      

sustain these positions4 ,it is admitted
 that the following argument is unsound 
if it does not provide for every logical
 and practical exigency4  ,the primary  
truth which is now to be established may
 be thus stated3 ,all men are invested  
by the ,creator with a common right to  
hold property in inferior things2 but   
they have no such right to hold property
 in men4  ,christians agree that ,god as
 the ,creator is the original proprietor
 of all things1 and that he has absolute
 right to dispose of all things         
according to his pleasure4 ,this right  
he never relinquishes1 but asserts in   
his word and exercises in his           
providence4 ,the ,bible speaks thus3    
,the earth is the ,lord's and the       
fulness thereof1 the world and they that
 dwell therein1 for he hath founded it4 
,we are his people and the sheep of his 
pasture--ourselves1 therefore1 subject  
to his possession and disposal as the   
feeble flock to us4 ,even irreligious   
men often testify to this truth1        

confessing the hand of providence in    
natural events that despoil them of     
their wealth4  ,now1 under his own      
supreme control1 ,god has given to all  
men equally a dependent and limited     
right of property4 ,given is the word   
repeatedly chosen by inspiration in this
 connection4 ,the heavens are the       
,lord's1 but the earth hath he given to 
the children of men4 ,in ,eden he       
blessed the first human pair1 and said  
to them1 in behalf of the race1         
,replenish the earth and subdue it2 and 
have dominion over the fish of the sea1 
and over the fowl of the air1 and over  
every living thing that moveth upon the 
earth4 ,behold1 ,i have given you every 
herb bearing seed which is upon the face
 of all the earth1 and every tree in the
 which is the fruit of a tree yielding  
seed4 ,this1 then1 is the original and  
permanent ground of man's title to      
property2 and the important fact to be  
observed is the specific divine grant4  
,the right of all men equally to own    

property is the positive institution of 
the ,creator4 ,we all alike hold our    
possessions by his authentic warrant1   
his deed of conveyance4  ,let us be     
understood here4 ,we are not educing    
from the ,bible a doctrine which would  
level society1 by giving to all men     
equal shares of property2 but a doctrine
 which extends equal divine protection  
over the right of every man to hold that
 amount of property which he earns by   
his own faculties1 in consistency with  
all divine statutes4  ,this right is    
indeed argued from nature2 and justly2  
for ,god's revelations in nature and in 
his word coincide4 ,it is1 however1 a   
right of so much consequence to the     
world1 that1 where nature leaves it1 he 
incorporates it1 and gives it the force 
of a law2 so that in the sequel we can  
with propriety speak of it as a law1 as 
well as an institution4 ,to the believer
 in the ,bible1 this law is the end of  
argument4  ,it will have weight with    
some minds to state that this position  

is supported by the highest legal       
authority4 ,in his ,commentaries on the 
,laws of ,england1 ,blackstone quotes   
the primeval grant of ,god1 and then    
remarks1 ,this is the only true and     
solid foundation of man's dominion over 
external things1 whatever airy          
metaphysical notions may have been      
started by fanciful writers upon this   
subject4 ,the earth1 therefore1 and all 
things therein1 are the general property
 of all mankind1 exclusive of other     
beings1 from the immediate gift of the  
,creator4,a  ,it will enhance the force 
of this argument to remember that this  
universal right of property is one of   
what may be called a sacred trinity of  
paradisaical institutions4 ,these       
institutions are the ,sabbath1 appointed
 in regard for our relations to ,god as 
moral beings2 marriage1 ordained for our
 welfare as members of a successive     
race2 and the right of property1        
conferred to meet our necessities as    
dwellers on this material globe4 ,these 

three are the world's inheritance from  
lost ,eden4 ,they were received by the  
first father in behalf of all his       
posterity4 ,they were designed for all  
men as men4 ,it is demonstrable that    
they are indispensable1 that the world  
may become ,paradise ,regained4         
,property1 marriage1 and religion have  
been called the pillars of society2 and 
the first is of equal importance with   
the other two2 for all progress in      
domestic felicity and in religious      
culture depends on property1 and also on
 the equitable distribution or          
possession of property1 as one of its   
essential conditions4 ,property lies in 
the foundation of every happy home1     
however humble2 and property gilds the  
pinnacle of every consecrated temple4   
,the wise and impartial ,disposer1      
therefore1 makes the endowments of his  
creatures equal with their              
responsibilities3 to all those on whom  
he lays the obligations of religion and 
of the family state1 he gives the right 

of holding the property on which the    
dwelling and the sanctuary must be      
founded4 ,it is a sacred right1 a divine
 investiture1 bearing the date of the   
creation and the seal of the ,creator4  
,the blessing of this institution1 like 
that of the ,sabbath and of the family1 
has indeed been shattered by the fall of
 man2 but when ,god said to ,noah and   
his sons1 concerning the inferior       
creatures1 ,into your hand are they     
delivered2 even as the green herb have  
,i given you all things1 it was         
restablished and consecrated anew4 ,the 
,psalmist repeated the assurance to the 
world when he wrote1 ,thou madest him to
 have dominion over the works of thy    
hand2 thou hast put all things under his
 feet4  ,we now advance to the second   
part of our proposition4 ,men have no   
such right to hold property in men4     
,since the right is from ,god1 it       
follows immediately that they can hold  
in ownership1 by a divine title1 only   
what he has given4 ,but he has not given

 to men1 as men1 a right of ownership in
 men4 ,no one will contend for a moment 
that the universal grant above          
considered confers upon them mutual     
dominion1 or rightful property in their 
species4 ,the idea is not in the terms2 
it is nowhere in the ,bible2 it is not  
in nature2 it is repugnant to common    
sense2 it would resolve the race into   
the absurd and terrific relation of     
antagonists1 struggling1 each one for   
the mastery of his own estate in        
another1--,i1 for the possession of my  
right in you2 and you1 for yours in me4 
,nay1 the very act of entitling all men 
to hold property proves the exemption of
 all1 by the divine will1 from the      
condition of property4 ,the idea that a 
man can be an article of property and an
 owner of property by the same supreme  
warrant is contradictory and absurd4    
,we now have sure ground for objecting  
to the system of ,american slavery1 as  
such4 ,it is directly opposed to the    
original1 authoritative institution of  

,jehovah4 ,he gives men the right to    
hold property4 ,slavery strips them of  
the divine investiture4 ,he gives men   
dominion over inferior creatures4       
,slavery makes them share the subjection
 of the brute4 ,that slavery does this1 
the laws of the ,states in which it     
exists abundantly declare4 ,slaves are  
chattels1 estate personal4              
,slave-holders assembled in convention  
solemnly affirm in view of northern     
agitation of the subject1 that masters  
have the same right to their slaves     
which they have to any other property4  
,this asserted and exercised right is   
the vital principle and substance of the
 institution4 ,it is the central        
delusion and transgression2 and the     
evils of the system to white and black  
are its legitimate consequences4 ,the   
legal and the leading idea concerning   
slaves is that they are property3 of    
course1 the idea that they are men1     
invested with the rights of men1        
practically sinks2 and1 from the premise

 that they are property1 the conclusion 
is logical that they may be treated as  
property4 ,why should property1 contrary
 to the interests of the proprietor1 be 
exempt from sale1 receive instruction1  
give testimony in court1 hold estate1   
preserve family ties1 be loved as the   
owner loves himself1 in fine1 enjoy all 
or any of the inalienable rights of man8
 ,it is because they are held as        
property1 that slaves are sold2 because 
they are property1 families are torn    
asunder2 because they are property1     
instruction is denied them2 because they
 are property1 the law1 and the public  
sentiment that makes the law1 crush them
 as men4  ,we do not here call in       
question the mitigations with which     
,christian masters temper into mildness 
the hard working of an evil system4     
,those mitigations do not1 however1     
logically or morally defend slavery4    
,nay1 they condemn it2 for they are     
practical tributes to the fact that the 
laws of humanity1 not of property1 are  

binding in respect to the slaves4 ,hence
 they really show the inherent          
inconsistency of the idea1 and the      
unrighteousness of the system which     
regards men as property4                
,notwithstanding those mitigations1 the 
system itself1 like every wrong system1 
produces characteristic evils1 which can
 be prevented only by removing their    
cause1 the false doctrine that men can  
be rightfully held in ownership4 ,fallen
 as man is1 no prophet was needed to    
foretell at the first the dreadful facts
 that have been recorded in the bitter  
history of man's claim of property in   
man4 ,such a history must always be a   
scroll written within and without with  
lamentations and mourning and woe4 ,man 
is not a safe depositary of such power4 
,a human institution which subverts a   
divine institution1 and which carries   
with it the assumption of a divine      
prerogative in constituting a new       
species of property1 naturally saps the 
foundations of every other divine       

institution and law which stands in its 
way4 ,hence1 for example1 the fall of   
the domestic institution before that of 
slavery4  ,the inherent wrongfulness of 
,american slavery as a legal and social 
institution is therefore clearly        
demonstrated4 ,it formally abolishes by 
law and usage a divine institution4     
,hence1 in its practical operation1 it  
sets aside other divine institutions and
 laws4 ,consequently it stands in the   
same relations to the divine government 
with the abolition of the ,sabbath by   
infidel ,france1 and with the perversion
 of the family institution by the       
,mormon territory of ,utah4  ,here the  
fundamental argument from the ,bible    
rests4 ,but slavery justifies itself by 
the ,bible4 ,it becomes essential1      
therefore1 to examine the validness of  
this justification4  ,there are but two 
possible ways of avoiding the conclusion
 that has been reached4 ,to vindicate   
slavery it must be proved1 first1 that  
,god has abolished the original         

institution1 conferring on men          
universally the right to hold property2 
or1 secondly1 it must be proved1 that1  
while he has by special enactments taken
 away from a portion of mankind the     
right to hold property1 he has given to 
other men the right to hold the former  
as property4 ,further1 to justify       
,american slavery1 it must be shown that
 these special enactments include the   
,african race and the ,american ,states4
  ,in regard to the first point we      
simply remark1 it is morally impossible 
that ,god should permanently and        
generally abolish the original          
institution concerning property2        
because1 as in the case of its coevals1 
the ,sabbath and marriage1 the reason   
for it is permanent and unchangeable1   
and lex stat dum ratio manet1 the law   
stands while the reason remains4        
,moreover1 there is not a word of such  
repeal in the ,bible4 ,that institution1
 therefore1 is still a charter of rights
 for the children of men4 ,till it is   

assailed1 more need not be said4  ,as to
 the second point1 we believe that      
careful investigation will prove        
conclusively1 that no special enactments
 are now in force which arrest or modify
 the institutions of ,eden1 in regard to
 any state or any persons4 ,it will1    
then1 remain demonstrated1 that the     
legal system of slavery exists utterly  
without warrant of the ,holy            
,scriptures1 and in defiance of the     
authority of the ,creator4 ,the word of 
,god is throughout consistent4  ,it is  
here freely admitted1 that ,god can     
arrest the operation of general laws by 
special statutes4 ,he can take away from
 men the right to hold property which he
 has given1 and1 if he please1          
constitute them the property of other   
men4 ,it is1 in this respect1 as it is  
with life4 ,god can take what he gives4 
,if1 then1 he has given authority to    
individuals or to nations to hold others
 as property1 they may do so4 ,nay1     
more2 if their commission is imperative1

 they must do so4 ,but such an act of   
,god creates an exception to his own    
fundamental law1 and1 like all          
exceptions1 conveys its own             
restrictions1 and proves the rule4 ,it  
imposes no yoke1 save upon those        
appointed to subjugation4 ,it confers no
 authority1 save upon those specifically
 invested with it4 ,they are bound to   
keep absolutely within the prescribed   
terms1 and no others can innocently     
seize their delegated dominion4 ,outside
 of the excepted parties the universal  
law has sway unimpaired4 ,it is in this 
instance as it is in regard to marriage4
 ,god permitted the patriarchs to       
multiply their wives2 but monogamy is   
now a sacred institution for the world4 
,so the supreme ,disposer can make a    
slave1 or a nation of slaves2 and the   
world shall be even the more solemnly   
bound by the original institutes        
concerning property4 ,it follows1       
without a chasm in the argument1 or a   
doubtful step1 that1 when persons or    

,states reduce men to the condition of  
chattels1 without divine authorization1 
they are guilty of subverting a divine  
institution2 and1 since it is the       
prerogative of ,god to determine what   
shall be property1 they are chargeable  
with a presumptuous usurpation of divine
 prerogative1 in making property1 so far
 as human force and law can do it1 of   
those whom ,jehovah has created in his  
own image1 and invested with all the    
original rights of men4  ,the soundness 
of the principle contained in these     
remarks1 both in law and in biblical    
interpretation1 will not be questioned4 
,in the light of it1 let us examine     
briefly the justifications of slavery as
 derived from the ,bible4 ,happily the  
principle itself saves the labor of     
minute and protracted criticism4  ,we   
first consider the curse pronounced upon
 ,canaan by ,noah4 ,admitting all that  
is necessary to the support of slavery1 
namely1 that that curse constituted the 
descendants of ,canaan the property of  

some other tribe or people1 upon whom it
 conferred the right of holding them as 
property1 yet even so this passage does 
not justify but condemns ,american      
slavery2 for that curse does not touch  
the ,african race3 they are not         
descendants of ,canaan2,b and it gives  
no rights to ,american ,states4 ,in     
later times the ,canaanites were devoted
 to destruction for their sins4 ,the    
,hebrews were the agents appointed by   
,jehovah to this work of retribution4   
,it was not1 however1 accomplished in   
their entire extermination4 ,in the case
 of the ,gibeonites it was formally     
commuted to servitude1 and other nations
 occupying the promised land were made  
tributary4 ,thus the curse upon ,canaan 
was fulfilled by authorized executioners
 of divine justice4  ,what light does   
the whole history now throw upon        
slavery8 ,it is plain the curse was a   
judicial act of ,god concerning ,canaan4
 ,it follows that conquest with         
extermination or servitude was a        

judgment of ,god1 which he appointed his
 chosen people to execute4 ,it follows  
further1 that those1 who1 without his   
commission1 reduce to bondage men who   
are not descendants of ,canaan1 do      
inflict a curse on those whom he has not
 cursed2 and thus virtually assume his  
most awful prerogative as the ,judge of 
guilty nations4  ,we then inquire       
whether the ,states of the ,south have  
received warrant for enslaving any      
portion of mankind4 ,has ,god given them
 the ,african race as property8 ,where  
is the commission8 ,the argument fails  
to justify modern slavery for the same  
reason identically that it fails to     
justify offensive war and conquest4 ,god
 has not given the right--has neither   
proclaimed the curse1 nor commissioned  
the agent of the curse4 ,christian      
,states in ,america seize it1 and lay it
 upon those whom he has not cursed4 ,the
 passage of his word which has been     
considered affords them no sanction4    
,we proceed to another passage4 ,it is  

supposed by many to be an               
incontrovertible defence of modern      
slavery1 that the ,hebrews were         
authorized to buy bondmen and bondmaids 
of the heathen round about them4 ,let us
 candidly examine this defence4  ,why   
were the ,hebrews authorized by ,god in 
express terms to buy servants1 and      
possess them as their money8 ,evidently 
because they did not otherwise have this
 authority4 ,human beings1 as we have   
seen1 were not given in the grant of    
property4 ,they do not1 therefore1 fall 
within the scope of the general laws of 
property4 ,if they had so fallen1 the   
special statutes1 by which the ,hebrews 
purchased them1 would have been as      
gratuitous as special enactments for    
buying animals1 trees1 and minerals4 ,of
 all nations they only have possessed   
this right2 for they only received it by
 special bestowment4 ,the rest of       
mankind have ever been prohibited from  
assuming it by fundamental laws4 ,if    
ever there was a case in which the      

exception proves the rule1 that case is 
before us2 and therefore a chasm yawns  
between the premise and the conclusion  
defensive of slavery1 which no exegesis 
and no logic can bridge over4  ,to      
illustrate the strength of this         
argument1 let the fact be observed1     
that1 if it could be set aside1 it would
 follow1 by parity of reasoning1 that   
the clergy of our country1 regardless of
 fundamental laws1 have right to take   
possession of a tenth part of the       
estates and incomes of their            
fellow-citizens1 because the ,levites in
 this manner received their inheritance 
among their brethren4 ,it is plain1     
however1 that1 as in regard to other    
interests no less important than liberty
 or slavery1 so also in regard to       
slavery itself1 the special laws of the 
,old ,testament are no longer in force2 
whence it follows that the vital        
doctrine of the system1 masters have the
 same right to their slaves which they  
have to any other property1 is totally  

erroneous4 ,the institution which claims
 solid foundation here is built on      
nothing4  ,we cannot forbear to adduce  
an instance of unexceptionable testimony
 to the validity of this reasoning4 ,in 
one or two famous articles on slavery   
and abolitionism1 the ,princeton        
,repertory adopts it1 with another      
application1 and says1 ,so far as       
polygamy and divorce were permitted     
under the old dispensation they were    
lawful1 and became so by that           
permission2 and they ceased to be lawful
 when that permission was withdrawn1 and
 a new law given4 ,that ,christ did give
 a new law is abundantly evident4 ,in   
the same manner1 'so far as' slavery    
'was permitted under the old            
dispensation it was lawful1 and became  
so by that permission2 and it ceased to 
be lawful when that permission was      
withdrawn1 and a new law given4' ,it is 
true1 however1 only in a qualified      
sense1 that ,christ gave a new law      
concerning polygamy and divorce4 ,his   

law restored the original institution of
 marriage1 as in ,eden2 and this was new
 to the ,jews1 because there had been   
departure from it4 ,in like manner the  
,new ,testament1 if not the very words  
of ,christ1 now gives a new law         
concerning slavery in the same sense2   
that is1 as will appear1 in the sequel1 
the ,christian precepts restore the     
original institution concerning property
 as well as concerning marriage4 ,the   
laws which allowed polygamy and slavery1
 and therefore the right1 passed away   
together4  ,here we leave the ,old      
,testament4 ,no other passages need     
examination2 for all consist with these 
positions4 ,so far as that sacred volume
 gives light1 the world are bound by the
 laws and have equal right to the full  
blessings of three divine institutions1 
whose foundations were laid in          
,paradise1 and whose complete and       
glorious proportions will encompass the 
universal1 millennial felicity4  ,the   
defence of slavery from the ,new        

,testament now demands brief notice4 ,we
 desire to allow it full force1 while we
 ask the reader's candid judgment of the
 conclusion4  ,of course1 the ,new      
,testament sanctions now what it        
sanctioned in the days of its authors4  
,that must have been ,roman1 not        
,hebrew1 slavery2 for they lived and    
wrote to men under ,roman law4 ,besides1
 there is reason to believe1 as ,kitto  
states1 that the ,jews at that time held
 no slaves4 ,in point of historic truth1
 it appears that the ,mosaic law1       
finding slavery in existence1           
practically operated as a system of     
gradual emancipation for its extinction4
 ,there is no evidence that ,christ ever
 came in contact with slavery4 ,this    
sufficiently explains why he did not    
give a new law concerning it in specific
 terms4 ,the occasion did not arise1 as 
it did arise in regard to polygamy and  
divorce1 with which he did come in      
contact4 ,furthermore1 there was no need
 of new law1 other than was actually    

given4  ,the argument from the ,new     
,testament for the rightfulness of      
slavery is twofold1 being built on the  
instructions given to masters and       
servants4 ,it fails on both sides4      
,for1 first1 the precepts addressed to  
servants convey no authority to national
 rulers or to private individuals to set
 aside the institution of ,jehovah by   
reducing men to the condition of slaves4
 ,these precepts simply enjoin the      
conduct which ,christianity required in 
their actual situation4 ,they do not    
vindicate the law and usage by which    
they were held as property4 ,this is    
abundantly evident in the texts         
themselves1 and more emphatically1 when 
they are compared with the parallel     
cases4  ,christ promulgated these rules4
 ,i say unto you that ye resist not     
evil2 but whosoever shall smite thee on 
thy right cheek1 turn to him the other  
also4 ,and if any man will sue thee at  
the law and take away thy coat1 let him 
have thy cloak also4 ,does this empower 

,states to legalize fraud and violence8 
,does it transmute all the evil which   
,jesus' disciples have endured into     
righteousness of those who have         
inflicted the evil8 ,does it wash the   
crimsoned hands of persecutors in       
innocency8 ,does it justify the wilful  
smiter8 ,all men know better4 ,no one   
contends for such exposition4 ,yet it is
 indispensable to the interpretation    
which finds a justification of slavery  
in precepts which enjoin obedience on   
slaves4 ,that obedience is required on  
other grounds4  ,another example4 ,the  
,new ,testament explicitly commands     
citizens to submit to the civil power4  
,does this sanctify the tyranny of a    
,nero or a ,nicholas8 ,in the enjoined  
submission of subjects1 has the despot1 
or the state1 full license for edicts   
and acts of oppression and iniquity8    
,yet they are logically compelled to    
admit this1 and thus1 in theory at      
least1 banish freedom from the whole    
earth1 who find in commands addressed to

 servants power conferred on legislators
 and masters to make them slaves2 that  
is1 to hold them as property4 ,instead  
of this1 the rights and obligations of  
rulers1 and of those who claim to be    
owners of their fellow men1 are defined 
in a very different class of            
instructions4  ,secondly1 the           
instructions addressed to masters forbid
 the exercise of the right which is     
assumed in slavery4 ,to make this clear1
 we observe1 primarily1 there is no     
passage in the ,new ,testament which    
institutes the relation of men held in  
ownership by men4 ,there is no direct   
reference to the civil laws which       
constituted this relation4 ,they are    
passed by silently1 as are the laws that
 established idolatry1 and kindled the  
fires of persecution4 ,their existence  
is tacitly acknowledged in the use of   
the terms which designate masters and   
servants2 and that is all4 ,hence those 
who find here an apology for slavery are
 obliged to refer to secular history for

 the facts and definitions on which     
their argument rests4 ,accordingly1 no  
passage in the ,new ,testament would be 
void of meaning1 though slavery should  
cease4 ,in this respect the             
,constitution of the ,united ,states    
resembles the sacred books2 for not one 
word of that instrument1 interpreted on 
just principles as the palladium of     
liberty1 needs to be obliterated in the 
abolition of slavery4 ,furthermore1 and 
this covers our position1 the ,new      
,testament1 disregarding the ,roman law1
 refers masters exclusively to the law  
of ,god as their rule for the treatment 
of servants4 ,a single citation1 with   
which all passages agree1 is sufficient 
to show this4 ,masters1 give unto your  
servants that which is just and equal1  
knowing that ye also have a ,master in  
heaven4 ,now1 as none can find in such  
precepts a right to destroy ,god's      
primary institution concerning the      
family1 no more can they find in them a 
right to destroy his primary and        

universal institution concerning        
property4 ,stronger than this1 the      
conclusion is inevitable1 that the very 
precepts which are relied upon to       
support ,american slavery do condemn and
 destroy it2 for the law of ,god1 by    
which they bind masters1 ordaining from 
,eden what is just and equal between    
men1 abolishes the fundamental and      
central law of the system4,c  ,it is    
argued1 indeed1 that slavery is right1  
because masters1 as well as fathers and 
rulers1 may require obedience4 ,the     
argument fails utterly2 for there is at 
the foundation no analogy in the cases4 
,the family and the ,state are divine   
institutions1 having sanction in the    
,bible2 but slavery subverts a divine   
institution4 ,fathers and rulers1 as    
such1 have duties and rights suitable to
 the relations they sustain by the will 
of ,god4 ,masters1 as such1 have no     
rights2 for their relation1 as holding  
property in men1 is contrary to his     
will4 ,their duty1 to which they are    

bound by the solemn consideration that  
he is their ,master1 is practically to  
restore to their servants the rights    
which he confers upon all2 for nothing  
less than this can be just and equal in 
his sight4  ,this view discloses the    
harmony of the whole ,bible concerning  
slavery2 and1 in the light of the two   
,testaments1 the institution stands as a
 legalized violation of the positive    
will of ,jehovah4  ,we now condense the 
whole argument into its briefest form1  
in the following syllogisms4  ,the      
entire right of men to hold property is 
given by the ,creator4 ,he gives to     
,american ,states and citizens no right 
to hold property in men4 ,therefore they
 have no such right4  ,again4 ,an       
institution is sinful1 which1 without   
divine warrant1 holds property in men1  
thus assuming a divine prerogative1 and 
subverting a divine institution4        
,american slavery does this4 ,therefore 
it is a sinful institution4  ,the       
purpose of this tract now introduces a  

new series of topics4 ,the argument     
demands its application2 and the        
exigencies of the times present         
momentous questions1 which it must      
answer4  ,hitherto we have spoken of the
 system of slavery4 ,we come now to     
persons connected with it4 ,because the 
system is sinful1 the question          
immediately occurs1 who are chargeable  
with the sin2 for there is no sin       
without sinners4 ,the answer is obvious4
 ,they are chargeable who founded it1   
and all who wilfully implicate          
themselves with it4 ,practically1 they  
are always chargeable who adopt it as   
their own in theory and practice1 who   
support it in the ,state1 consecrate it 
in the ,church1 and labor for its       
extension4 ,they are chargeable1 for    
they bring heresy into creeds1          
unrighteousness into legislation1 and   
crime into popular usage4 ,if they are  
masters1 they stand in the same moral   
relations with persecutors and          
tyrannical rulers1 guilty for all       

personal injuries they inflict under    
color of unjust laws2 and1 whether      
masters or not1 they are guilty for     
exerting their influence to sustain laws
 which set aside the authority of ,god1 
and withhold the rights he has given4   
,such men are accountable to ,god and to
 society for deliberate1 organised1     
aggressive iniquity4 ,the organic sin of
 the ,state is their sin1 the sin of    
each in his own measure2 for they are   
the individuals who determine the acts  
and the character of the slave-holding  
,state as such4  ,but are there no      
exceptions among slave-holders8 ,we     
trust there are many4 ,there is a plain 
distinction between wicked laws and the 
personal acts of men who live under     
those laws4 ,some may approve them1 and 
use or abuse them to the injury of their
 fellow men4 ,others may disapprove     
them1 and refuse1 by means of them1 to  
do or justify a wrong4 ,christians may  
become in a legal sense owners of       
slaves1 while they heartily deprecate   

the system of oppression1 while they are
 ready to unite with good men in        
feasible and wise measures for its      
removal1 and while they obey the        
,christian precepts towards their       
servants1 rendering unto them what is   
just and equal to men and brethren in   
,christ4 ,such ,christians and such men 
do not hold slaves in the sense which   
,god forbids2 and they cannot be charged
 with the wickedness of laws by which   
they1 as well as the slaves1 are        
oppressed4 ,on their estates a higher   
law than that of slavery has sway4 ,to  
them their slaves1 though legally       
property1 are morally and actually men4 
,the ,bible sustains their position4    
,they are the ,philemons to whom ,paul  
gives fellowship1 and ,onesimus returns1
 not as a slave1 but a brother beloved4 
,in the trials of their situation they  
should receive the cordial sympathy of  
,christians everywhere4 ,it is1 indeed1 
to their sound convictions and their    
political influence the world must look1

 in part at least1 for the ultimate1    
peaceful extinction of ,american        
slavery4 ,without them1 what would the  
,south become8 ,with the ,scriptures in 
our hand we earnestly say to them1      
,throw the weight of your influence     
against unrighteous laws1 fulfil to     
servants the law of ,god1 and you shall 
have the sympathy and confidence of good
 men everywhere4 ,nay1 more2 you1 with  
their help1 and they with your help1    
will confine the spreading curse1 till1 
with ,god's blessing1 it shall cease2   
and ,christian and civilized man shall  
have no more communion with it4  ,these 
discriminations answer certain          
ecclesiastical questions1 which have    
occasioned much perplexity and discord4 
,when properly applied1 they take away  
whatever support a wicked institution   
has found by leaning upon the ,church2  
at the same time they award to          
consistent ,christians what is due to   
them by the religion of ,jesus4 ,if it  
shall be said1 there will be practical  

difficulty in applying these            
discriminations1 it is sufficient to    
answer1 it will be less than the        
difficulty of disregarding them4  ,the  
question now arises1 what can be done   
for the restriction and ultimate        
extinction of slavery as it is2 for1    
since it is sinful1 ,christianity and   
patriotism declare it should be         
restrained and abolished4  ,first4 ,the 
extension of slavery can and should be  
prevented by the ,federal ,government4  
,the ,scriptures have shown us1 that the
 people in their sovereignty have not   
the right to create a slave ,state or a 
slave4 ,of course1 the legislators and  
presidents2 who receive in trust the    
power which emanates from the people1   
have no such right4 ,if the             
,constitution assumed to confer this    
power1 it would be the first national   
duly to amend that instrument in this   
particular4 ,there is no power on earth 
competent to set aside either of the    
,creator's original institutions for    

man4 ,but1 according to the sound and   
established principle of strict         
construction1 the ,constitution as it is
 does not create slavery1 or even       
acknowledge its existence1 except by    
inference4 ,hence there is no legal     
objection to the measure which religion 
herself ordains4 ,the religious and the 
political obligations of all citizens   
and all legislators coincide to protect1
 under the jurisdiction of ,congress1   
the right of every man to be exempt from
 the condition of property1 and to enjoy
 the property which he honestly earns4  
,thus the question concerning slavery   
and the territories is morally settled  
by divine authority2 and to this no real
 objection can be made1 except by that  
great interest1 whose existence is      
inherently unrighteous and irreligious4 
,secondly4 ,in the slave ,states1       
legislation should restore to the       
enslaved population the primitive rights
 which ,god has given to all men1       
establishing for them1 on humane and    

,christian principles1 such relations as
 are suitable to their condition of     
poverty1 ignorance1 and dependence1 and 
are adapted to secure at once their     
improvement and the general welfare4    
,this is the logical conclusion to be   
derived from the premises4 ,as the      
central wrong of slavery consists in    
making men articles of property by law1 
the rectification is to lift from them  
by law the curse of the false and       
irreligious doctrine1 that they can be  
rightfully held as property4 ,thus the  
axe is laid to the root of the tree4    
,this is also the conclusion to which we
 are forced by other moral principles   
bearing on the case4 ,for men to receive
 services of men is right4 ,accordingly1
 the ,new ,testament allows masters to  
receive services of those who are slaves
 in the sense of human law2 but at the  
same time the sacred book requires      
masters1 with all who employ labor1 to  
make the recompenses which are just and 
equal towards men2 for slavery is not   

right2 and legislators1 on their        
responsibility to the ,ruler of nations1
 are bound to adjust the laws in harmony
 with the first principles of individual
 and moral obligation4  ,furthermore1   
this is the only practical conclusion4  
,by inevitable necessity1 the slaves1 as
 a body1 must remain on the soil of     
their bondage4 ,only exceptional cases  
of removal can occur4 ,they are the     
laborers of the ,south2 and no ,state   
will1 or can1 or is bound1 to remove its
 laborers4 ,it is simply bound to       
protect and treat them with ,christian  
equity and kindness4 ,banishment of them
 would be injustice and cruelty1        
violating perhaps no less than restoring
 divine rights4 ,moreover1 no           
practicable means of removing them have 
ever been seriously proposed2 and1 till 
they shall be1 the point needs no       
discussion4  ,but the question may be   
raised1 ,are the slaves to endure their 
present wrongs until the laws shall be  
thus renewed1 or perhaps forever8 ,we   

reply1 in showing how slave-holders can 
cease from guilty connection with       
slavery2 we have also shown how the     
situation of the slaves becomes one of  
practical righteousness1 before the laws
 can be readjusted2 and for this great  
obligation of the body politic1         
sufficient time most be allowed4 ,moral 
principles do not exact natural         
impossibilities4 ,the elevation of      
oppressed millions can be accomplished  
only in harmony with great natural and  
social1 as well as ethical laws1 which  
the wisdom of ,god has ordained4  ,it   
remains therefore1 that1 for a period of
 which no man can see the end1 the      
slaves must1 in most cases1 dwell within
 the present boundaries2 but it is      
incumbent on the citizens and           
legislators of the ,south to institute  
immediate measures for restoring to them
 the inviolable rights of men4 ,so long 
as they continue1 by the necessities of 
the case1 in the relation of servants   
and laborers1 masters should deal with  

them according to the rules of humane   
and ,christian equity1 paying to them in
 suitable ways their just earnings1     
holding sacred their family ties1 and   
securing to them the privileges of      
education and religion4 ,meanwhile1 the 
legislatures of the several ,states1 by 
wise enactments1 should coperate with   
masters in training their servile       
population for the position which the   
,creator designed for men4  ,when these 
things shall come to pass1 a            
consideration1 in which many good men   
have sought relief in regard to slavery1
 will have multiplied force4 ,the       
providential wisdom of ,god1 in bringing
 millions of the children of ,africa    
from a land of pagan darkness and       
violence to a land of freedom and       
,christianity1 will shine with new      
lustre1 when they shall receive from    
,american hands1 together with true     
religion1 every divine right1 and shall 
thus be qualified and enabled to convey 
to the dark habitations of their fathers

 the infinite blessings of enlightened  
liberty and of the gospel of eternal    
salvation4  ,these things are           
practicable4 ,so long as righteousness  
exalteth a nation1 a great1 free1 and   
,christian people can do what they      
should do2 and thus only can they       
secure1 under the divine blessing1 their
 own highest prosperity and glory4 ,to  
prove this would be simply to repeat the
 familiar facts which exhibit the       
legitimate effects of slavery on general
 intelligence1 enterprise1 and virtue4  
,but what shall produce the true and    
wide spread public sentiment1 which is  
indispensable to usher in so radical a  
change in the laws and institutions of  
proud and powerful ,states8 ,truth must 
accomplish this great work--,,the       
,,truth that our ,creator does not place
 those who bear his image in bondage to 
their fellow men as property1 but       
invests them with a common and          
inviolable right of dominion over       
inferior things4 ,the vivid light which 

this truth sheds on the social relations
 of men has been extinguished at the    
,south2 and it has been dimmed at the   
,north4 ,in every right way and in every
 place1 therefore1 it should be made to 
shine again unobscured4 ,expounders     
should bring it forth from the ,holy    
,oracles2 for ,jehovah has hallowed it  
there1 and made it equal in authority   
with the ,sabbath4 ,the press should    
publish it2 for it is the function of   
the press to convey unceasingly to the  
public mind whatever will establish and 
crown the public integrity and welfare4 
,all men should seal it in their hearts2
 for it is the divine rule and bond of  
brotherhood in the universal dominion4  
,it surrounds them with protected       
families1 and builds their safe         
firesides and their altars of worship4  
,the question arises here1 can general  
agreement be expected in regard to this 
primary truth1 and measures which       
legitimately proceed from it8 ,it is to 
be supposed there are men in whose      

hearts there is no fear of ,god or love 
of their fellow beings4 ,with such men  
these views may be powerless2 but for   
men of ,christian principle1 we are     
confident they show a common foundation 
for united sentiments and efforts4      
,there is now a general1 practical1     
vital consent that government and       
society should respect the divine       
institutions of the family and the      
,sabbath4 ,beneath all superficial      
strifes and irrelevant issues1 there is 
the same sure ground for a living and   
earnest agreement1 that government and  
society should respect the equal and    
coeval institution of the right of      
property4  ,christian and conservative  
men can unite in the proposed measures  
and the truth which appoints them2 for  
they desire to preserve only what is    
right4 ,christian and progressive men   
can unite in them2 for they desire to   
abolish only what is wrong4 ,politics   
can approve them2 for they are          
constitutional and patriotic4           

,philanthropy can be satisfied with     
them2 for they promise all that in the  
nature of the case can be promised for  
the early relief of the slaves4         
,religion sanctions them2 for they      
restore her own institutions4 ,good men 
of the ,south can unite in them with    
those of the ,north2 for they have equal
 authority ,north and ,south4 ,they     
proffer only that moral aid which great 
communities1 sharing common interests   
and responsibilities1 should render and 
receive with intimate and cordial       
confidence4 ,they honor the sovereignty 
of proud and jealous ,states2 for each  
of them1 exercising the power which     
springs from its own people in its own  
way1 will discharge its political       
obligations to all within its           
boundaries4  ,a few years or even months
 of combined efforts will suffice to    
convey this truth with vital energy to  
millions of minds and hearts4 ,in due   
time it will manifest its efficacy in   
the public sentiment and public policy4 

,we trust in its power4 ,it is          
invincible2 it will be victorious2 for  
it is from ,god4 ,its absence from the  
popular and legislative mind well       
explains many of the evils that have    
been precipitated upon the nation4 ,its 
future prevalence1 under divine mercy1  
will arrest the progress of events which
 would be1 as we judge1 not remedy1 but 
retributive destruction1 on account of  
slavery4  ,this leads us to the final   
question4 ,are the principles and       
measures advocated in this tract or     
their equivalents1 with the contemplated
 result1 essential to the welfare of our
 country8 ,we are compelled to believe  
so4  ,we present1 for the consideration 
of citizens and statesmen1 this fact4   
,in harmony with that law of fitness    
which pervades the ,creator's works1 all
 men are constituted with a nature      
corresponding with the dominion they    
have received4 ,they feel that they have
 a right to hold property1 and should   
not be held as property4 ,slaves feel   

this4 ,masters often show that they feel
 it4 ,they who make laws for slavery1   
,north and ,south1 show that they feel  
it4 ,the little property which slaves   
are often allowed to possess1 so far    
from furnishing apology for slavery1 is 
an unwitting tribute to the living      
principle that destroys the system4     
,here is a philosophical demonstration  
that slavery cannot stand in perpetuity4
 ,this vital element in human nature1 to
 which a divine institution itself is   
but an index1 is subterranean fire      
beneath the pyramid of oppression4      
,though long crushed and silent1 it will
 not always sleep4 ,do men expect to    
control forever1 by law and force1 that 
sense of rights which burns             
inextinguishable in every human breast1 
which ,god himself kindled in ,eden8 ,as
 well pile rocks on volcanoes to        
suppress earthquakes4                   
,vital in every part1     ,it can but by
 annihilating die4  ,in this light1 it  
is no prediction to say1 if slavery     

survives to consummate its own results  
it will destroy our country4  ,the great
 political and religious problem of the 
slave-holding ,states1 on which their   
welfare really depends1 is not1 how     
shall we extend slavery8 but1 how shall 
we lay legal foundation for the rights  
of our servile population as men8       
,unless it shall be anticipated and     
prevented1 by restoring to them the     
dominion which the ,creator bestowed1 a 
day is as sure to come on natural       
principles as the sun to rise1 when the 
masses of human property will assert for
 themselves the indestructible rights of
 their being4 ,generations may not see  
it2 but woe betides the ,states         
implicated in this oppression1 when that
 day shall dawn2 and the longer it      
tarries the greater the woe4  ,to our   
mind1 the statesmen are infatuated who  
do not in their policy regard this      
universal sense of rights4 ,it is this  
which is now making so bitter conflict  
on the prairies of ,kansas4 ,it will    

always make conflict1 till slavery      
expires4  ,in connection with the       
general welfare1 there is another       
consideration1 which we solemnly urge   
upon every man who respects the ,bible4 
,it is the displeasure of ,god for      
slavery4 ,he gave the rights which it   
denies2 and he will assuredly vindicate 
his own institutions4 ,it would         
contradict his word and history1 which  
is but the story of his providence1 to  
suppose that he will perpetually allow  
myriads of men1 in this land of light1  
to hold as property other myriads and   
even millions of their fellow men and   
fellow ,christians1 whom he has endowed1
 as bearing his own image1 with equal   
rights4 ,with ,jefferson we have reason 
to tremble for our country1 when we     
behold her support of slavery and       
remember that ,god is just4 ,france     
abolished the ,sabbath2 and thrones have
 gone down in blood4 ,america may       
abolish another divine institution2 and 
for this her proud ,states may be       

convulsed4 ,the previous topic shows1   
indeed1 that ,god has so constituted the
 social elements of this world1 that a  
great wrong1 like slavery1 ultimately   
provides for its own retribution4 ,the  
oppressor himself treasures up the vials
 of wrath for ,him who taketh vengeance4
  ,in view of all the considerations    
which have now passed before our minds1 
is it too much to believe1 that the     
diffusion of kindly and scriptural      
sentiments1 with the blessing of heaven 
producing general agreement in          
principles and measures1 must be the    
means of our country's salvation from   
the guilt and perils of slavery8 ,if it 
is not extended1 misguided1 infatuated  
men may1 indeed1 threaten to dissolve   
the ,union4 ,still we fear that         
extension most2 for religion teaches us 
to fear ,god more than man4 ,it allows  
us but this alternative1 to keep his    
commandments1 and trust that he will    
make the wrath of man to praise him4 ,we
 hold that national righteousness in his

 sight1 first pure1 then peaceable1 is  
better and safer than union and slavery 
with his frown4 ,let justice be done1   
and the heavens will not fall4          
,whatever purposes ,god may conceal in  
the cloudy future1 present duties are   
ours4 ,he seals them in his word4       
,notwithstanding all the heats and      
perversions of parties and interests1 we
 trust there will yet be a single voice 
of our nation's good men4 ,citizens will
 speak the truth1 legislators will enact
 the truth1 churches will hallow the    
truth1 vital to civilization and        
,christianity1 that1 by ,jehovah's will1
 man is not the property of man4 ,then1 
under the benediction of our ,father in 
heaven1 all his children in mutual      
protection and benevolence will enjoy   
their property1 their homes1 and their  
,sabbath2 and he will more richly bless 
the land of the free and the just4      
,,friendly ,,letters  ,,to  ,a          
,,christian ,,slaveholder4  ,,by  ,,rev4
 ,a4 ,c4 ,,baldwin4     ,,letter ,i4    

,,introduction4--,,southern ,,courtesy  
,,and ,,hospitality4--,,characteristics 
,,of ,,the ,,south ,,and ,,north4--,,no 
,,essential ,,difference ,,at           
,,heart4--,,they ,,should ,,understand  
,,each ,,other ,,better4--,a ,,free     
,,interchange ,,of ,,sentiment          
,,desirable4--,,sincere ,,patriotism    
,,and ,,piety ,,common ,,to             
,,both4--,,these ,,an ,,effectual       
,,safeguard ,,to ,,our ,,union ,,and    
,,good-,,fellowship4   ,,my ,,dear      
,,christian ,,brother1--,i embrace the  
first moment at my command since leaving
 your pleasant home1 to express the     
gratification afforded me by my recent  
visit to the ,sunny ,south4 ,the kind   
hospitality and polite attentions shown 
me by yourself and other ,christian     
friends1 during my recent interesting   
sojourn with you1 will ever be          
gratefully remembered4 ,i had previously
 heard by the hearing of the ear of the 
open1 frank warm-heartedness and        
generous impulses of southern people1   

but now ,i can fully appreciate them4   
,the lessons taught us by experience1   
whether they be pleasant or painful1 are
 the most profitable1 and are most      
deeply engraven upon the memory4 ,if    
there are any persons who think or speak
 lightly of the reputed complaisance and
 ,christian courtesy of those who live  
south of ,mason and ,dixon's line1 ,i   
have only to say to them1--go and make  
the acquaintance of those families which
 give the tone and character to society 
there1 and enjoy the hospitalities which
 they almost force upon you with so much
 politeness and delicacy as to make you 
feel that by sharing them you are       
conferring rather than receiving a      
favor1 and your skepticism on this point
 will be happily and effectually        
removed4  ,you will not understand me1  
my dear sir1 as implying that our       
southern brethren have really more heart
 than we at the ,north1 although there  
seems to be prim facie evidence in your 
favor2 at least1 so far as polite and   

generous attention to strangers is      
concerned4 ,in this last particular1 you
 are constantly teaching us important   
lessons4 ,still1 ,i contend that the    
,northerner has as large and generous a 
soul1 when you get at it1 as anybody4   
,we have hearts which beat warm and     
true1 but our cautious habits and       
constitutional temperament 7phlegmatic  
sometimes7 conceal them from view2      
whereas you carry yours throbbing with  
generous emotions in your hands1 exposed
 to the gaze of everybody4 ,the         
,southron is artless and impulsive1 as  
well as noble2 the ,northerner is no    
less noble1 but having been taught more 
frequently the doctrine of expediency   
than his southern brother1 he stops and 
calculates when1 and in what            
circumstances1 it is best to exhibit his
 whole character4 ,in both cases1 the   
pure gold is there2 but in the former it
 lies upon the surface or in the        
alluvial1 while in the latter it is     
often imbedded deep in the              

quartz-rock2--it requires some labor to 
get it out1 but the ultimate yield is   
most rich and abundant4  ,it is very    
desirable that a greater degree of      
social intercourse be kept up between   
the ,north and ,south4 ,we are brethren 
of one great family1 and there is no    
good reason why this family should not  
be a united and happy one4 ,to a        
considerable extent it is so4 ,it is    
true we do not all think alike on every 
subject1 and some of these subjects are 
of vast importance1 and intimately      
connected with our prosperity and       
happiness4 ,we need to understand each  
other better1 and to this end there     
should be more intimacy1 and a frequent 
and free interchange of views2--not for 
strife and debate1 but for mutual       
edification and enlightenment4 ,there   
was probably never a family of brothers1
 however strong their love for each     
other1 whose views of domestic policy   
were exactly alike2 but there need be no
 lack of fraternal confidence and       

harmony for all that4 ,there are certain
 great fundamental principles which     
underlie every thing else1 and form the 
basis of the family compact4 ,these     
principles are filial reverence1        
fraternal affection1 love for home1 and 
a watchful jealousy of aught that can in
 the least interfere with the happiness 
or reputation of their beloved family   
circle4 ,falling back upon these        
principles to preserve good-will and    
harmony1 they are not in the least      
afraid to discuss those topics on which 
there is an honest difference of        
opinion2 on the contrary1 they take     
pleasure in doing so1 for the result is 
a strengthening of the ties which bind  
them to each other1 and a modification  
and partial blending of opinions that   
seemed antagonistic4  ,thus it should be
 in our great political and religious   
brotherhood4 ,the ,north and ,south have
 each their peculiar views of what      
pertains to their own interests1 and the
 interests of the great family of the   

,republic4 ,but do not let us stand at a
 distance and look at each other with an
 eye of jealousy because of these       
differences4 ,surely we can meet as     
fellow-citizens1 and discuss matters of 
common interest1 and the interests of   
common humanity1 without losing our     
temper or engendering any ill feeling or
 family discord4  ,it is affirmed by    
some1 that there are certain subjects1  
at least one1 of so peculiar and        
delicate a nature as to forbid          
discussion1 lest the result should be   
heart-burnings1 alienation1 and perhaps 
disunion in our happy fraternity4 ,i    
cannot for a moment admit the sentiment4
 ,it is an ungenerous reflection upon   
the courtesy1 ,christian candor1 piety1 
and good-sense1 both of the ,north and  
,south4 ,i hold that good citizens and  
good ,christians can1 if they will1     
discuss any subject without giving the  
least occasion for offence1 or          
endangering that compact which so       
happily binds us together4 ,as it is in 

the family circle1 there are certain    
great principles most dear to us all1 on
 which we can fall back1 and which1 if  
we are true to ourselves and to them1   
will prove efficient safeguards to our  
temper and good-fellowship4 ,the first  
of these is ,patriotism4 ,we have a     
common country1 and we love it1 and we  
love each other for our country's sake4 
,we are children of a common mother1    
whose kind arms have encircled us1 and  
whose bosom has nourished us bounteously
 and with impartiality1 and ,god forbid1
 that1 as wayward1 ungrateful children1 
we should wring her maternal heart with 
anguish by our unfraternal conduct      
toward each other4 ,we shall not do     
it1--either at the ,north or at the     
,south4 ,we are true patriots1 and in   
our very differences1 love of country   
comes in as an important element to     
shape and modify our opinions2 and while
 we may be adopting different theories1 
we are conscientiously seeking the same 
end1 namely1 the greatest good of our   

beloved country4  ,the second is piety4 
,we love our country well1 but we love  
our ,saviour more1 and for his sake we  
will love and treat each other as       
brethren1 and not fall out by the way   
because we may not see through the same 
optic-glasses4 ,we will cheerfully hear 
what each has to say on whatever        
pertains to ,christian morals and       
practice4 ,there are thousands of       
sincere1 warm-hearted ,christians1 whose
 love to ,christ raises them            
immeasurably above sectionalism and     
prejudice1 and who daily inquire1 what  
is truth8 and what is duty8 and they    
entertain that charity which suffereth  
long and is kind2 is not easily         
provoked1 thinketh no evil1 rejoiceth   
not in iniquity1 but rejoiceth in the   
truth2 beareth all things1 believeth all
 things1 hopeth all things1 endureth all
 things2 and never faileth4 ,when this  
love is in exercise1 ,christian brethren
 may open their hearts freely to each   
other on any subject1 whether it be for 

doctrine1 or reproof1 or for instruction
 in righteousness4  ,whatever may be    
true of others1 ,i hope that you and ,i 
will be able to demonstrate to the      
world1 that1 although one of us lives at
 the ,north and the other at the ,south1
 yet we can communicate with each other 
unreservedly on an almost interdicted   
topic1 with mutual kind feelings1 if not
 to edification4  ,respectfully and     
fraternally1  ,yours1 c4     ,,letter   
,,ii4  ,a ,,difficult ,,and ,,delicate  
,,subject ,,proposed4--,,agitation ,,of 
,,it ,,unavoidable4--,,christians       
,,north ,,and ,,south ,,should ,,give   
,,the ,,discussion ,,of ,,it ,a ,,right 
,,direction4--,,we ,,are ,,all          
,,interested ,,in ,,the                 
,,issue4--,,northern ,,disclaimers4     
,,my ,,dear ,,christian ,,brother1--,in 
my last ,i intimated that ,i hoped you  
and ,i1 by our correspondence1 would be 
able to furnish the world a practical   
illustration of good-nature and kind    
feeling in the discussion of a subject  

that has been a fruitful source of      
trouble and unchristian invective4 ,you 
have already anticipated my theme--it is
 ,,domestic ,,slavery4 ,it must be      
confessed that this is the most         
difficult and delicate of all topics to 
be agitated by a ,northerner and a      
,southerner1 and yet ,i have the fullest
 confidence that neither of us will give
 or take offence4 ,i need offer you no  
apology for calling your attention to   
this subject at the present time4 ,not  
only is it a theme of vast importance in
 itself1 involving1 either directly or  
indirectly1 interests most dear to you  
and to me1 and to every one who has at  
heart the welfare of his country and his
 race1 but it is a subject that must be 
discussed1--there is no avoiding it1    
however much you or ,i or other         
individuals may desire it4 ,it has come 
before the public mind in such a manner 
as peremptorily to demand the attention 
of every ,christian and every patriot4  
,whether we approve or deprecate the    

peculiar causes that have made this     
topic so prominent in our country1 both 
,north and ,south1 we have to take      
things as they are1 and turn them to the
 best possible account4 ,politicians and
 demagogues are all discussing ,american
 slavery1 and will continue to do so for
 the purpose of forwarding their own    
favorite schemes2 and any attempt to    
silence them would be as futile as an   
effort to arrest the gulf-stream in its 
course4 ,it remains only for brethren1  
both at the ,south and ,north1 to take  
up the subject as we find it brought to 
our hands in the inscrutable providence 
of ,god1 and1 under the guidance of his 
,spirit1 given in answer to our prayers1
 take a truly ,christian view of some of
 its leading features1 and then inquire1
 ,what is duty8 ,i think you will not   
claim1 with some of your southern       
friends1 that slavery is a subject with 
which we at the ,north have nothing to  
do4 ,as patriots1 we have something to  
do with every thing that affects the    

interests of our common country2 and as 
,christians1 we sustain responsibilities
 which we cannot shake off toward all   
our brethren of the human family1       
whether it be at the ,north or          
,south--whether they be bound or free4  
,have we not all one ,father8 ,hath not 
one ,god created us8 ,we are many       
members1 but one body1 and whether one  
member suffer all the members suffer    
with it2 or one member be honored1 all  
the members rejoice with it4  ,your     
candor will not impute to me any unkind 
or improper motive in entering upon this
 discussion2 and you will permit me1 in 
the outset1 to enter a few disclaimers1 
in order that you may be the better able
 to appreciate what ,i have to say4  ,in
 the first place1 it is not my design to
 throw down the glove for the purpose of
 enlisting you1 or any of your friends1 
in a controversy2 this would be an      
unpleasant and profitless undertaking4  
,nor is it to advocate the doctrine1    
that sustaining the legal relation of   

master to a slave for a longer or       
shorter time is in all possible cases   
sin4 ,i will admit that there may be    
circumstances in which the relation may 
subsist without any moral delinquency   
whatever2 as1 for instance1 persons may 
become slaveholders in the eye of the   
law without their own consent1 as by    
heirship2 they sometimes become so      
voluntarily to befriend a               
fellow-creature in distress1 to prevent 
his being sold away from his wife and   
family2 persons sometimes purchase      
slaves for the sole purpose of          
emancipating them4 ,in these1 and other 
circumstances which might be mentioned1 
no reasonable man either ,north or      
,south would ever think of pronouncing  
the relation a sinful one4  ,nor is it  
my design to question the               
conscientiousness or piety of all       
slaveholders at the ,south1 both among  
the laity and clergy4 ,whoever makes the
 sweeping assertion1 that no slaveholder
 can be a child of ,god1 gives fearful  

evidence that he himself is deficient in
 that charity which hopeth all things4  
,there is an obvious distinction between
 those who hold slaves for merely       
selfish purposes and regard them as     
chattels1 and those who repudiate this  
system1 and regard them as men having in
 common with themselves human rights1   
and would gladly emancipate them were   
there not legal obstacles1 and could    
they do it consistently with their      
welfare1 temporal and eternal4  ,nor is 
it my purpose to advocate immediate1    
universal1 unconditional emancipation   
without regard to circumstances4 ,this  
doctrine is not held by the great mass  
of northern ,christians4 ,there are1 no 
doubt1 some cases where immediate       
emancipation would inflict sad          
calamities1 both upon the slaves        
themselves and the community4 ,the      
opinions of northern men have often been
 misunderstood and misrepresented on    
this subject4 ,the ground that calm1    
reflecting opponents of slavery take1   

is1 that slaveholders should at once    
cease in their own minds to regard their
 slaves as chattels to be bought and    
sold and worked for mere profit1 and    
that they should take immediate measures
 for the full emancipation of every one1
 as soon as may be consistent with his  
greatest good1 and that of the community
 in which he lives4  ,this1 it is true1 
is virtually immediate emancipation2 for
 it is at once giving up the chattel    
principle1 and no longer regarding      
servants as property to be bought and   
sold4 ,it is to act on the ,christian   
principle of impartial love1 doing to   
them and with them1 as1 in a change of  
circumstances1 we would have them do to 
and with us4 ,this does immediately     
abolish1 as it should do1 the main thing
 in slavery1 and brings those who are   
now bondmen into the common brotherhood 
of human beings1 to be treated1 not as  
chattels and brutes1 but on ,christian  
principles1 according to the exigencies 
of their condition as ignorant1         

degraded1 and dependent human beings1   
endowed1 however1 by their ,creator with
 certain inalienable rights1 among which
 are life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of  
happiness1 which rights should be       
acknowledged1 and with the least        
possible delay be granted4  ,nor is it  
my design to reproach my southern       
brethren as being to blame for the      
origin of slavery in these ,united      
,states4 ,slavery was introduced into   
this country by our fathers1 who have   
long been sleeping in their graves1 and 
the ,north1 if they did not as          
extensively1 yet did as truly1 and in   
many cases did as heartily1 participate 
in it1 as the ,south2 so that1 in       
respect to the origin of ,american      
slavery1 we have not a word to say1 nor 
a stone to cast4 ,and besides1 our      
mother country must come in and share   
with our fathers to no small extent in  
the wrong of introducing domestic       
slavery to these colonies4 ,happily1 as 
we think1 slavery was virtually         

abolished at the ,north by our ancestors
 of a preceding generation2 but for     
their act we are entitled to no credit4 
,your ancestors omitted to do this2 but 
for their omission you are deserving of 
no blame4 ,we would never forget1 that  
slavery was entailed upon our southern  
brethren1 and for this entailment they  
are no more responsible than for the    
blood that circulates in their veins4   
,if you will be so kind as to keep these
 disclaimers in mind1 ,i think you will 
better understand and appreciate what ,i
 shall hereafter say on the subject4    
,with the kindest wishes for you and    
yours1 ,i remain1 in the best of bonds1 
,,your ,,christian ,,brother4           
,,letter ,,iii4  ,,the ,,real           
,,subject4--,,not ,,to ,,be ,,confounded
 ,,with ,,ancient ,,servitude4--,,nor   
,,to ,,be ,,judged ,,of ,,by ,,isolated 
,,cases4--,,northern ,,men ,,competent  
,,as ,,others ,,to ,,determine ,,its    
,,true ,,character4--,,slavery ,,ignores
 ,,our ,,declaration ,,of               

,,independence4--,,is ,,inconsistent    
,,with ,,our ,,constitution4   ,,my     
,,dear ,,friend ,,and ,,brother1--,i    
propose in this and subsequent letters  
to take a brief1 candid view of some of 
the prominent characteristics of        
,american slavery4 ,i speak of          
servitude1 not as it existed in         
patriarchal times1 for that is          
essentially a distinct matter4 ,while it
 had some things in common with         
,american slavery1 there was so much    
that was dissimilar in the relation of  
master and servant1 that analogy is in a
 great measure destroyed4  ,neither do  
,i speak of slavery as ,i saw it        
developed on your plantation1 and on    
those of your immediate neighbors4 ,when
 ,i went to the ,south1 ,i confess ,i   
went with strong prepossessions1        
7prejudices if you choose so to call    
them17 against the peculiar institution4
 ,i regarded it an evil1 and only an    
evil4 ,but while my general views of the
 legitimate workings of the system      

remain unchanged1 candor compels me to  
admit1 that1 if all slaves were as well 
cared for1 as kindly treated1 as well   
instructed1 and were they all as        
contented and happy as yours2 and1      
especially1 were there no evils incident
 to the system greater than ,i saw with 
you1 ,i would simply divest slavery of  
its odious name1 and it would virtually 
be slavery no longer4 ,the plantations  
at the ,south would then1 perhaps1 with 
some propriety he denominated           
communities of intelligent1 happy1      
,christian peasants4 ,and yet it is     
slavery1 as it really takes away        
inalienable rights4 ,would to ,god that 
slavery as it exists with you were a    
fair illustration of the system4 ,but   
alas6 it is not4 ,perhaps you may say   
that it is impossible for a northern man
 to speak of slavery so as to do the    
subject justice4 ,you may indeed know   
more and better than we do about the    
state and condition of the slaves4 ,but 
in some respects1 where great principles

 are involved1 we at the ,north are more
 competent than you1 for our judgment is
 less liable to be biased by            
self-interest2 and in my remarks ,i     
shall confine myself chiefly to those   
points on which a northern man is at    
least as well qualified to speak as a   
slaveholder4  ,what1 then1 are some of  
the prominent characteristics of        
,american slavery as a system8  ,,first1
 ,slavery ignores and repudiates the    
foundation-stone on which rests our     
renowned ,declaration of ,independence4 
,that document1 for more than three     
fourths of a century1 has been the boast
 and glory of ,america4 ,it is the      
platform on which our noble ancestors   
planted their feet1 with a consciousness
 that they stood on the eternal         
principles of truth and justice4 ,to    
maintain these principles1 relying on   
,god for aid1 they pledged to each other
 their lives1 their fortunes1 and their 
sacred honor4 ,our fathers knew that    
they were right1 and1 to carry out the  

principles embodied in this             
,declaration1 many of them cheerfully   
poured out their heart's blood to defend
 the unalienable rights of humanity4    
,now let us turn our attention to the   
foundation paragraph of this memorable  
,declaration2--,i do not mean in that   
general way in which it is often read1  
but minutely and particularly2--let us  
calmly look at it in its full import1   
and not shrink back and avert our eyes  
on account of a foreboding that we shall
 be led to conclusions which we would be
 glad to avoid4  ,we hold these truths  
to be self-evident2--that all men are   
created equal2 that they are endowed by 
their ,creator with certain unalienable 
rights2 that among these are life1      
liberty1 and the pursuit of happiness4  
,these significant words are inscribed  
upon the scroll of our nation's history1
 and there they will remain till time   
shall be no longer4 ,they need no       
glossary or explanation4 ,he who runs   
may read them1 and he who reads can     

understand them4 ,the sentiment they    
embody it is impossible to mistake2 it  
stands out in bold relief1 like the sun 
in the heavens4 ,it is1 that every man  
has received1 from a higher than earthly
 power1 a charter1 which secures to him 
the unalienable right of life1 liberty1 
and the pursuit of happiness4 ,it is    
impossible for the most ultra advocate  
of human rights to paraphrase these     
words1 or give them a rendering so as to
 make them support his dogmas more      
strongly than they now do4 ,on the      
contrary1 he would only weaken their    
force by the attempt4  ,now1 my dear    
brother1 ,i would candidly1 seriously   
ask you--,i would ask all your southern 
friends--,i would ask everybody1 ,can   
the sentiment of that ,declaration be   
consistent with ,american slavery8 ,are 
not slaves men8 ,do color and           
degradation change a creature of ,god   
from a human being to a soulless brute8 
,no2 our southern brethren would as     
indignantly repudiate this infidel view 

as we at the ,north4 ,now if a slave is 
a man1 he has received from his ,creator
 an unalienable right to liberty if he  
chooses to avail himself of it1 or else 
the first principle laid down in our    
revered ,declaration of ,independence1  
so far from being self evident1 is in   
fact untrue1 and ought at once to be    
taken from its honored position in the  
archives of these ,united ,states1 and  
consigned to the heaps of rubbish of the
 dark ages4  ,but does the slave enjoy  
this liberty8 or is it within his reach8
 ,it will not be pretended4 ,the very   
name by which his class is designated   
forbids it4 ,the term free slave is a   
solecism4 ,his liberty consists in the  
freedom to do as he is told to do1 or   
suffer punishment for his disobedience1 
and he can pursue happiness only in     
accordance with the will of his master4 
,there is the same incongruity between  
slavery and that clause in our          
constitution which stipulates that no   
person shall be deprived of life1       

liberty1 or property1 without due       
process of law4 ,now1 my brother1 does  
it not require considerable ingenuity   
and special pleading to avoid           
conclusions to which unbiased common    
sense would arrive in an instant1 in the
 application of these declared rights to
 persons held as slaves8 ,i am not going
 to inflict upon you a dissertation1 or 
a series of syllogisms on this hackneyed
 subject1 but ,i beg that you and your  
friends will calmly look again at what1 
,i doubt not1 you have seen before1--the
 palpable incongruity between the system
 of holding persons perpetually in      
slavery without their consent1 and those
 declared1 self-evident1 heaven         
bestowed1 unalienable rights professedly
 secured to all men in these ,united    
,states by our glorious constitution4   
,said that great statesman and patriot1 
,henry ,clay3 ,we present to the world  
the sorry spectacle of a nation that    
worships ,slavery as a household        
goddess1 after having constituted       

,liberty the presiding divinity over    
church and state4  ,surely something    
must be out of joint here4 ,i have      
looked again and again at this matter1  
,i think with perfect candor1 and ,i    
have tried to the utmost of my ability  
to reconcile these apparent             
inconsistencies1 but ,i cannot do it4   
,can you8  ,believe me1 as ever1 your   
sincere friend and  ,,christian         
,,brother4     ,,letter ,,iv4  ,,slavery
 ,,transforms ,,men ,,to                
,,chattels4--,,southern                 
,,laws4--,,slave-,,auctions4--,,men     
,,placed ,,on ,a ,,level ,,with         
,,brutes4--,,no ,,redress ,,for         
,,wrongs4--,,ignorance ,,perpetuated    
,,by ,,law4   ,,my ,,dear ,,christian   
,,friend1--,a second characteristic of  
,american slavery is1 ,it regards human 
beings1 declared to be in the image of  
,god1 as chattels1--things or articles  
of merchandise4 ,slaves1 say the laws of
 ,south ,carolina and ,georgia1 shall be
 deemed1 sold1 taken1 reputed1 and      

adjudged in law to be chattels personal 
in the hands of their owners and        
possessors1 and their executors1        
administrators and assigns1 to all      
intents1 constructions1 and purposes    
whatsoever4,d ,a slave1 says the code of
 ,louisiana1 is one who is in the power 
of his master1 to whom he belongs4 ,the 
master may sell him1 dispose of his     
person1 his industry1 and his labor2 he 
can do nothing1 possess nothing1 nor    
acquire any thing1 but what must belong 
to his master4,e  ,thus1 rational1      
immortal beings1 children of our common 
,father in heaven1 are taken from the   
exalted scale in which ,god placed them1
 and degraded to that of the brute      
creation4 ,they are1 as you know1       
advertised1 mortgaged1 attached1        
inherited1 leased1 bought1 and sold like
 horses and cattle4 ,like them they are 
brought to the auction block1 and like  
them subjected to a rigid examination as
 to their age1 and soundness of wind1   
chest1 and limb4 ,said a gentleman to   

me3 ,when ,i was at----1 ,i visited the 
slave mart2 and as ,i saw one and       
another and another of my fellow-beings 
brought forward to the block1 and rudely
 exposed and minutely examined1 in order
 to ascertain their marketable value in 
dollars and cents1 and then struck off  
to the highest bidder1 amid the gibes   
and jeers of the vulgar1 my heart was   
nigh unto bursting1 and ,i was obliged  
to turn away my eyes and weep1          
exclaiming1 ,o ,god6 can it be6 thy     
children6 my brothers and sisters of    
humanity1--perhaps my fellow-heirs of   
heaven1--precious souls for whom the    
,saviour died1 whose names may be       
written in the ,book of ,life1 and over 
whose repentance angels may have        
rejoiced6 ,can it be8  ,for myself1 ,i  
never witnessed any such scenes1 and    
heaven grant ,i never may4 ,it is       
enough1 and too much for me to know1    
that they exist4 ,i allude to them in   
this connection1 not to awaken and pain 
your sensibilities1 but simply to       

illustrate the fact1 that ,american     
slavery sanctions them1 and by its      
operation brings down the noblest work  
of ,god to a level of the beasts that   
perish4 ,as far as it can do so1 it     
dehumanizes man1 and treats him as a    
thing without a soul4 ,it may be        
remarked1 however1 in passing1 ,a man's 
a man1 for a' that4  ,i might speak in  
this connection of the obstacles which  
are thrown in the way of the slave's    
obtaining redress for his wrongs should 
he unfortunately get into the hands of a
 cruel and unreasonable master1 being   
forbidden to defend himself1 and not    
allowed the testimony of his brethren to
 be given in his behalf2 but there are  
other features of this system which more
 urgently demand our attention4         
,neither will ,i dwell upon the         
ignorance and mental degradation which  
are an essential part of the system4    
,you need not be informed1 that1 in ten 
,states1 knowledge is kept from the     
slave by legal enactments1--that        

teaching him to read is regarded a      
crime1 to be severely punished by the   
judges4 ,i was happy to find that you   
and a great many others totally         
disregard that law1 and1 in spite of    
legislators and penal statutes1 you     
teach your slaves to read1 and in some  
cases to write4 ,for this crime1 ,i     
doubt not but heaven1 at least1 will    
forgive you4 ,i shall allude to this    
latter topic again in a future letter4  
,most truly and affectionately1 yours1  
etc4     ,,letter ,v4  ,,domestic       
,,life4--,,the ,,marriage               
,,relation4--,,domestic ,,happiness ,a  
,,relic ,,of ,,paradise4--,,its         
,,endearments4--,,its ,,value4--,,the   
,,barbarism ,,of ,,invading ,,the       
,,domestic ,,sanctuary4--,,an           
,,illustration4   ,,my ,,dear           
,,brother1--,i come now1 in the third   
place1 to speak of slavery as it is     
related to the endearments and duties of
 domestic life4 ,on this subject my     
heart is full4 ,i am almost afraid to   

speak1 lest ,i say what ,i ought not2   
and yet ,i cannot keep silence4 ,i can1 
in a good measure1 sympathize with      
,elihu when he said1--      ,for ,i am  
full of words1      ,the spirit within  
me doth constrain me1      ,behold ,i am
 as wine which hath no vent1      ,i am 
ready to burst like new bottles1      ,i
 will speak that ,i may breathe more    
freely1      ,i will open my lips and   
reply4,f  ,we now approach a topic more 
intimately connected with the present   
and future happiness of the human race  
than almost any other4 ,man was not     
completely blest1 even in ,eden1 until  
,god instituted the marriage relation4  
,his ,creator gave him a companion to   
participate in his joys1 binding them   
together by ties which no human power   
might sunder4 ,paradise was lost by sin1
 but as our first parents were exiled   
thence1 ,god in infinite kindness       
permitted them to take one of its       
purest1 sweetest sources of joy with    
them to this world of sorrows4          

,domestic happiness6 thou only bliss    
,of ,paradise that has survived the     
fall6  ,you1 my dear brother1 are a     
husband and father1 and can appreciate  
my meaning1 when ,i speak of the        
richness1 the tenderness1 the depth1 of 
connubial and paternal love2 how it     
lights up this dark world with          
smiles1--how it stimulates us to manly  
exertion1--how it lightens the burdens  
of human life1 and enables us cheerfully
 to sustain its ills1 while it almost   
restores to us ,eden itself4 ,to        
understand what is meant by the term    
domestic happiness1 it is necessary for 
you and me only to look at the circles  
around our own firesides1 and listen to 
the musical accents of the loved ones   
who dwell there1 as they pronounce the  
words husband1 father1 mother1 brother1 
sister1 and exchange with them kind     
looks and the affectionate embrace4     
,what earthly joys can be compared with 
those of home8 ,what would tempt us to  
part with them8 ,all the gold in        

,california and ,australia would be     
spurned in contempt1 if offered in      
exchange4 ,what should we say1 and what 
should we do1 were any power on earth to
 interfere with our fireside delights1  
and attempt to wrest them from us8      
,suppose ,providence had cast our lot   
under a despotic government1 which we   
will suppose to be for the most part    
kind and paternal1 but having this      
peculiarity1--every now and then1       
finding its finances embarrassed1 it    
should be in the habit of selling some  
of its subjects to a foreign power to   
strengthen its exchequer1 and should    
arbitrarily select its victims from this
 family and that2--how should you feel  
were the doomed family your own8 ,what  
would have been your emotions this      
morning1 had some one come to your room 
and told you that that bright-eyed boy1 
,willie1 who last night sat upon your   
knee and amused you with his innocent   
prattle1 showed you his toys1 examined  
your pockets1 played with your hair and 

features1 and finally clasped his little
 arms around your neck and impressed the
 good-night kiss upon your lips1 had    
been seized by an officer1 and sold from
 your sight forever to you know not     
whom1 and to be carried you know not    
whither8 ,nay1 more2--suppose that while
 he was yet speaking1 there came also   
another with the tidings that the same  
fate had befallen your first-born1--your
 daughter1 just budding into            
womanhood1--the affectionate1 joyous1   
light-hearted ,kate1 whose voice to your
 ear is sweeter than the music of       
flowing waters1 whose feet are swifter  
than those of the light gazelle1 as with
 open arms she bounds to meet you on    
your return from a temporary absence1 to
 welcome you home with a tear of joy in 
her eye and a kiss upon her lips1--that 
she too had been by the officials of the
 government clandestinely abducted from 
your dwelling1 and sold1 literally sold1
 for a valuation put upon her person in 
dollars and cents1 to a hopeless        

captivity1 to spend her days in         
unrequited toil1 or1 not unlikely1 in   
ministering to the caprices and brutal  
passions of a stranger8  ,and while he  
was yet speaking1 and as your wife1 half
 frantic with grief and terror1 was     
entwining her arms around you1 and you  
were striving to ease your bursting     
heart1 to crown the whole1 suppose      
another official and his posse had      
entered your apartment1 and by force of 
arms had torn her from your embrace1 and
 with thongs upon her hands1 and a      
bandage over her mouth1 hurried her away
 to greet your sight no more8 ,what a   
scene6 ,there go in one direction the   
children of your body1 bone of your     
bone1 and flesh of your flesh1 to an    
unknown but fearful destiny6 ,in another
 is ruthlessly borne the object dearer  
to you than all the world beside1--one  
whom you had solemnly sworn to love1    
cherish1 and protect until death1--the  
light of your dwelling1--the mother of  
your children1--the mutual sharer of all

 your joys and sorrows1--the richest and
 most precious treasure heaven ever gave
 you6--there she goes in an agony of wo1
 to toil under a burning sun1 compelled 
to call another man her husband1 or1 it 
may be1 to grace her master's seraglio6 
,merciful ,god6 what meaneth this8 ,what
 horde of barbarians from the dark      
corners of the earth have found their   
way hither to lay waste all that is     
beautiful and lovely6 ,what fiend from  
the pit has been let loose to enter this
 little ,paradise to destroy and bear   
away all the good that was left of the  
primitive ,eden6  ,no ruthless band of  
barbarians from benighted lands have    
found their way to this ,christian      
domestic sanctuary1--no malignant spirit
 from below has been here to snatch the 
only type of ,heaven that escaped his   
grasp six thousand years ago4 ,think it 
not strange1 brother1 concerning this   
fiery trial as though some strange thing
 had happened to you4 ,this is only the 
legitimate working of the patriarchal   

system of government under which we     
live4 ,be calm1--this is all done       
according to law1 and with as much      
kindness as the circumstances will      
permit4 ,no stripes are inflicted1 and  
no more force is exerted than is        
absolutely necessary to secure the      
object1 and prevent a useless outcry2 no
 ill-will is entertained toward the     
victims of these outrages1--it is only  
because the finances of the government  
are low1 and must be replenished1 and   
this is the most convenient1 and perhaps
 at present the only practical1 way of  
raising the money6  ,now1 my brother1   
what should you and ,i think of living  
under a government where such things    
were permitted by the laws8 ,it would   
not reconcile us to the administration  
to be told1 that such proceedings as ,i 
have supposed are of rare occurrence1   
and that the general character of the   
government is kind1 that it dislikes    
exceedingly to sell its subjects1 and   
especially that it has a great          

repugnance to separating husbands and   
wives1 and breaking up of families1 and 
does it only when severely pressed by   
pecuniary necessity4 ,to your and my    
mind this would be altogether           
unsatisfactory2 it would not change our 
opinion of the system4 ,no matter if the
 heart-rending scene ,i have supposed   
were witnessed only once a year1 or once
 in ten years1--,i think we should      
loudly protest against a system which   
allowed the occurrence of it at all4    
,you will please1 my dear sir1 apply the
 foregoing illustration to the          
liabilities and actual workings of the  
slave system at the ,south1 just so far 
as it is applicable1 and no further4 ,if
 there are any points in which the      
analogy fails1 ,i will thank you to     
point them out to me in your next4      
,with much love and esteem1  ,i remain  
yours1 most truly4     ,,letter ,,vi4   
,,sacredness ,,of ,,the ,,marriage      
,,relation4--,,god ,,alone ,,can        
,,dissolve ,,it4--,,the ,,higher        

,,law4--,,slavery ,,sanctions ,,polygamy
 ,,and ,,adultery4--,,relation ,,of     
,,parents ,,to ,,their                  
,,children4--,,fearful ,,responsibility 
,,assumed4   ,,my ,,dear ,,christian    
,,brother1--,my objections to any system
 of government that interferes at will  
with the family relation1 and forcibly  
separates husbands and wives1 parents   
and children1 do not arise chiefly from 
the personal wrongs and bitter woes     
inflicted upon its victims4 ,a          
contemplation of these is calculated to 
affect our sensibilities1 and excite the
 tender sympathies of our nature2 but   
there is a more enlarged ,christian view
 which forces itself upon us4 ,if we    
could by some magic process allay the   
anguish of the stricken heart1 and heal 
its wounds when the strongest ties of   
nature are rent asunder1--could we even 
obliterate the susceptibilities of the  
soul1 destroy natural affection1 and    
render man more callous than the brutes1
 so that he could be torn from his home 

and kindred with less pain than         
they1--in a moral point of view the case
 would be altered but little4 ,as ,i    
have remarked in a previous letter1 the 
marriage relation was instituted by     
,god1 and he made it indissoluble4 ,what
 ,god hath joined together let not man  
put asunder1 is the language of holy    
writ2 and whoever1 for any cause which  
,god himself has not specified1 breaks  
up this relation1 encroaches upon ,god's
 prerogative1 and goes directly in face 
of his positive commands4 ,much has been
 said of late1 seriously1 sarcastically1
 and contemptuously1 about a higher law2
 but notwithstanding the improper use   
often made of that term1 there is an    
important sense in which you1 and ,i1   
and every ,christian recognize what that
 term implies4 ,if1 on any subject      
whatever1 human enactments do obviously 
conflict with the enactments of ,god1   
then ,god's law is the higher1 and must 
be obeyed4 ,to deny this is worse than  
infidelity4  ,now1 brother1 does not the

 system of slavery in the ,united       
,states tolerate1 and even authorize1   
the forcible rending asunder of the     
marriage tie8 ,are not husbands1 not    
seldom1 but often1 sold from their      
wives1 and wives from their husbands1   
and new matrimonial alliances formed by 
them1 with consent and encouragement of 
their masters8 ,thus is flagrant        
adultery sanctioned in nearly one half  
of the ,states of this ,christian       
,republic1 and in some cases the crime  
is almost1 if not quite1 forced upon the
 wretched perpetrators of it4 ,when     
,god's law is disregarded1 and an       
ordinance on which depends all we hold  
dear in social and ,christian life is   
trampled in the dust by an institution  
existing in the midst of us1 what shall 
we say8 ,if slavery were a question     
merely of expediency1 political economy1
 or even personal wrong and suffering1  
it would be easier to keep silence2 but 
when ,god is dishonored1 and gross sin  
sanctioned by law1 is it not the duty of

 his children1 ,north and ,south1 to    
enter their solemn1 earnest1 decided    
protestations8 ,you will agree with me1 
that no ,christian can or ought to      
acquiesce in what1 either directly or   
indirectly1 violates a positive divine  
precept2 and against what shall he      
remonstrate1 if not against a system    
that encourages polygamy and legalizes  
adultery8,g  ,there is another view in  
which the operation of the system of    
slavery2 in breaking up families1 has   
affected my mind powerfully and         
painfully4 ,parents sustain most        
important relations to their children1  
as well as to each other4 ,who can be so
 much interested in the temporal and    
eternal well-being of the child as those
 by whose instrumentality he had his    
existence8 ,who has so much influence   
over him1 or who could direct his feet  
in the way he should go1 so well8 ,god  
has imposed upon all parents most       
important duties1 which they may not    
neglect4 ,these duties are as truly     

incumbent on the slave-parent as on the 
master who sustains the same relation4  
,it may be1 indeed1 extensively true    
that he does not understand them1 and is
 in a great measure incompetent to      
discharge them2 and that often the child
 suffers nothing morally or             
intellectually by being removed from his
 influence4 ,but this results in a great
 measure from the hopeless ignorance in 
which the parent is involved4 ,there    
are1 however1 as you can bear witness1  
multitudes of exceptions4 ,in how many  
cases are slave-parents truly pious and 
intelligent1 and feel as much solicitude
 for the eternal interests of their     
children1 as you do for yours1 and pray 
with them as frequently and as          
fervently4 ,with how much pleasure did  
you and ,i listen to your ,jamie1 one   
time when we were taking an evening     
stroll past his cabin1 and overheard his
 family prayer4 ,with what simplicity   
and earnestness did he pour out his soul
 to ,god for the salvation of his dear  

children4 ,and do you not remember1 too1
 how with equal importunity he prayed   
,god to bless dear kind ,massa and      
,missus1 and dere precious children1 and
 also ,massa's friend1 and dat all may  
meet to praise ,jesus togedder in       
heaven1 and how we found it difficult to
 speak for a minute or two1 and how the 
big tear-drops stood in our eyes1 and we
 couldn't help it8  ,you told me there  
were a great many ,jamies at the ,south1
 and ,i have no doubt of it2 they love  
their little ones as well1 and who so   
competent to train them up for ,christ8 
,who will presume to step in between    
these parents and their children and    
say1 this family altar shall be broken  
down1 and those who have bowed around it
 shall be separated1 to meet no more    
till they meet at the judgment8 ,who    
will peril his own soul by taking those 
children away from such an influence1   
and for a pecuniary consideration cast  
them upon the wide world with none to   
instruct them1 and none to care or pray 

for them1 except their heart-broken     
parents whom they have left behind8 ,i  
would not do it1 neither would you1 for 
the wealth of the world2 and yet1 is it 
not often done8 ,in speaking of this    
subject1 one of the most eminent        
southern divines,h uses the following   
language3 ,slavery1 as it exists among  
us1 sets up between parents and their   
children an authority higher than the   
impulse of nature and the laws of ,god2 
breaks up the authority of the father   
over his own offspring1 and at pleasure 
separates the mother at a returnless    
distance from her child1 thus outraging 
all decency and justice4 ,i shall refer 
to the sentiments of this brother again4
  ,i remain as ever1  ,affectionately   
yours1 etc4     ,,letter ,,vii4  ,,the  
,,crowning ,,evil ,,of                  
,,slavery4--,,preciousness ,,of ,,the   
,,bible4--,,our ,,chart ,,and ,,compass 
,,on ,,life',s ,,voyage                 
,,indispensable4--,,oral ,,instructions 
,,insufficient4--,,dangers4--,,shipwreck

 ,,almost ,,inevitable4--,,withheld     
,,from ,,the ,,slave4--,,shuts          
,,multitudes ,,out ,,of                 
,,heaven4--,,american ,,bible           
,,society4--,,testimony ,,of ,,general  
,,assembly4--,,of ,,synod ,,of          
,,kentucky4--,,of ,,dr4 ,,breckenridge4 
,,my ,,dear ,,brother1--,there is one   
feature of slavery1 fourthly1 which     
gives me more pain by far than any      
other1 and ,i may say more than all     
others put together1 and that is1 it    
imperils the immortal souls of millions 
of our fellow-beings by keeping from    
them the ,word of ,god4  ,next to the   
,saviour1 and the ,holy ,spirit1 the    
most precious gift ,god has bestowed on 
man is the ,bible4 ,this volume contains
 our only perfect rule of life1 and is  
our only guide to heaven4 ,it teaches us
 our character and our destiny2 it alone
 raises the curtain between time and    
eternity1 and dissipates the darkness   
that otherwise would forever enshroud   
the grave2 it reveals to us another     

state of being1 in which we shall be    
happy or miserable1 ages without end4   
,on this ,book alone do we depend for   
our knowledge of the way of salvation by
 ,christ4 ,it is here we read the story 
of the manger and the cross1 and the    
wonderful plan of redemption through    
atoning blood4 ,what could we do without
 the ,bible8 ,it is of infinitely       
greater value than houses and lands1    
silver and gold1 and every earthly good 
beside4 ,to take from us the ,bible1    
would be like blotting out the sun in   
the heavens1 and enveloping the universe
 in the gloom and darkness of eternal   
night4 ,take from me riches1 honors1    
pleasures1 comforts1 and even liberty   
itself2 and give me instead thereof     
poverty1 disgrace1 pains1 affliction1   
hunger1 cold1 nakedness1 and a dungeon2 
tear me from my friends1 bind me with   
chains1 scourge me with the lash1 brand 
my flesh with hot irons1 deprive me of  
every source of earthly good1 and       
inflict upon me every kind of bodily and

 mental anguish which the utmost        
refinement of cruelty can invent2--but  
give me my ,bible--leave me this        
precious treasure1 which is the gift of 
my heavenly ,father1 to teach me his    
will and guide me to himself4 ,torture  
and destroy my body1 if you will1 but   
,o6 give me facilities for saving my    
soul4 ,turn me not adrift on life's     
troubled ocean to seek alone a far      
distant shore1 exposed continually to   
storms1 breakers1 hidden reefs1         
whirlpools1 and shoals1 with nothing but
 a few verbal instructions to direct my 
way4 ,if ,i am to make this fearful     
voyage1 7and make it ,i must17 take not 
from me my chart and compass4 ,your     
verbal directions ,i shall be likely to 
forget when ,i most need them4 ,the     
polestar1 which you tell me may be my   
guide1 is often for a long time         
concealed by impenetrable clouds4 ,there
 are fearful maelstroms1 near the verge 
of whose deceptive and destructive      
circles my course lies1 and ere ,i am   

aware of it ,i shall have passed the    
fatal line1 from which no voyager       
returns4 ,between me and my desired     
haven there is a hell-gate1 where are   
sunken rocks and conflicting currents1  
and amid all these complicated dangers  
my frail bark will make shipwreck1      
without my chart and compass4 ,deprived 
of these1 ,i cannot keep my reckoning1  
,i cannot shape my course1 ,i cannot    
find my haven4  ,i need not tell you1 my
 dear brother1 that it is a part of the 
slaveholding policy to take from        
thousands and millions of immortal      
beings in our nominally ,christian land1
 this precious chart and compass1--the  
,bible1 the only safe guide to heaven4  
,i have often heard you speak of it1 and
 deplore it4 ,those severe laws which   
forbid teaching the slave to read1 do   
virtually take from him the ,bible1--his
 directory to the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,you 
may1 indeed1 give him oral instruction1 
and in many instances1 no doubt1 they   
are blessed to his conversion2 but how  

utterly inadequate are they to his      
spiritual wants1 how imperfect are they 
at best1 and in how many thousands of   
cases are even these entirely wanting4  
,every enlightened and intelligent      
,christian knows1 from his own          
experience1 how hard it is to enter the 
strait gate1 and to keep in the narrow  
way1 and how needful to him are all the 
helps within his reach1 and then he is  
but scarcely saved4 ,what hope is there1
 then1 for the poor slave1 who is       
deprived1 not only of most of the       
ordinary and extraordinary means of     
grace which we enjoy1 but is forbidden  
the printed ,word of ,god8 ,is not a    
fearful responsibility incurred by those
 who1 for any reason1 stand between ,god
 and his children1 and intercept those  
messages of grace and mercy which are   
contained in the ,holy ,scriptures8     
,that noble institution1 the ,american  
,bible ,society1 is multiplying copies  
of the sacred ,word by thousands and    
hundreds of thousands1 and scattering   

them over the land and the world2 it    
hesitates not to thrust them into the   
hands of the followers of the false     
prophet1--the deluded followers of the  
man of sin1--the disciples of ,confucius
 and ,zoroaster1--the worshippers of    
,juggernaut and ,vishnoo1 and the       
degraded inhabitants of the ,south ,seas
 and ,caffraria2--it benevolently       
resolves to put a copy of the ,bible    
into the dwelling of every white family 
in these ,united ,states2 but it is     
obliged by law to pass by the cabin of  
the slave1 and leave more than three    
millions of immortal beings to find the 
road to heaven the best way they can4   
,my brother1 ,i cannot think of these   
things without the deepest grief1 and ,i
 know that you fully sympathize with me2
 but it is some consolation to believe  
that the great mass of evangelical      
,christians take the same views of the  
wrongs inflicted upon the slave that we 
do1 for it is to the ,christian         
sentiment of this country that we must  

look for the removal of them4  ,our     
brethren of the ,presbyterian church    
have borne their testimony most fully   
and pointedly against the evils of      
slavery which we have been considering4 
,you doubtless recollect the action of  
the ,general ,assembly on this subject  
in #ahah4 ,a committee was appointed1 to
 whom was referred certain resolutions  
on the subject of selling a slave1--a   
member of the church1--and which was    
directed to prepare a report to be      
adopted by the ,assembly1 expressing    
their opinion in general on the subject 
of slavery4 ,the report of this         
committee was unanimously adopted1 and  
ordered to be published4 ,it is1 in     
part1 as follows3--  ,the ,general      
,assembly of the ,presbyterian ,church1 
having taken into consideration the     
subject of slavery1 think proper to make
 known their sentiments upon it to the  
churches4  ,we consider the voluntary   
enslaving of the one part of the human  
race by another1 as a gross violation of

 the most precious and sacred rights of 
human nature2 as utterly inconsistent   
with the law of ,god1 which requires us 
to love our neighbors as ourselves2 and 
as totally irreconcilable with the      
spirit and principles of the gospel of  
,christ1 which enjoins that all things  
'whatsoever ye would that men should do 
to you1 do ye even so to them4' ,slavery
 creates a paradox in the moral system2 
it exhibits rational1 accountable1 and  
immortal beings in such circumstances as
 scarcely to leave them the power of    
moral action4 ,it exhibits them as      
dependent on the will of others1 whether
 they shall receive religious           
instruction2 whether they shall know and
 worship the true ,god2 whether they    
shall enjoy the ordinances of the       
gospel2 whether they shall perform the  
duties and cherish the endearments of   
husbands and wives1 parents and         
children1 neighbors and friends2 whether
 they shall preserve their chastity and 
purity1 or regard the dictates of       

justice and humanity4  ,such are some of
 the consequences of                    
slavery1--consequences1 not imaginary1  
but which connect themselves with its   
very existence4 ,the evils to which the 
slave is always exposed often take place
 in fact1 and in their very worst degree
 and form1 and where all of them do not 
take place1 as we rejoice to say that in
 many instances1 through the influence  
of the principles of humanity and       
religion on the minds of masters1 they  
do not1 still the slave is deprived of  
his natural right1 degraded as a human  
being1 and exposed to the danger of     
passing into the hands of a master who  
may inflict upon him all the hardships  
which inhumanity and avarice may        
suggest4  ,an ,address from the ,synod  
of ,kentucky1 in #ahce1 to the          
,presbyterians of that ,state1 is much  
more specific in its delineations of the
 evils of slavery1 and in its           
denunciations of the system1 and adopts 
language far more severe than many      

northern ,christians would think it     
expedient to use4 ,it presents a picture
 of its actual workings which could be  
drawn only by one who had seen the      
original4 ,if you have not read this    
address1 ,i beg that you will do so4 ,it
 is altogether a southern document4 ,i  
have room only for a short extract4     
,slavery is characterized as a          
demoralizing and cruel system1 which it 
would be an insult to ,god to imagine   
that he does not abhor2 a system which  
exhibits power without responsibility1  
toil without recompense1 life without   
liberty1 law without justice1 wrongs    
without redress1 infamy without crime1  
punishment without guilt1 and families  
without marriage2 a system which will   
not only make victims of the present    
unhappy generation1 inflicting upon them
 the degradation1 the contempt1 the     
lassitude1 and the anguish of hopeless  
oppression2 but which even aims at      
transmitting this heritage of injury and
 woe to their children and their        

children's children1 down to their      
latest posterity4 ,can any ,christian   
contemplate1 without trembling1 his own 
agency in the perpetuation of such a    
system8  ,coincident with the judgment  
of these two most respectable and       
revered ecclesiastical bodies is the    
testimony of one of the most prominent  
and honored sons of the southern church1
 the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,r4 ,l ,breckenridge4   
,says he3--  ,what then is slavery8 for 
the question relates to the action of   
certain principles of it1 and to its    
probable and proper results2 what is    
slavery as it exists among us8 ,we      
reply1 it is that condition enforced by 
the laws of one half of the ,states of  
this confederacy1 in which one portion  
of the community1 called masters1 are   
allowed such power over another portion 
called slaves1 as----  #a4 ,to deprive  
them of the entire earnings of their own
 labor1 except so much as is necessary  
to continue labor itself by continuing  
healthful existence3 thus committing    

clear robbery4  #b4 ,to reduce them to  
the necessity of universal concubinage1 
by denying to them the civil rights of  
marriage1 thus breaking up the dearest  
relations of life1 and encouraging      
universal prostitution4  #c4 ,to deprive
 them of the means and opportunities of 
moral and intellectual culture1 in many 
,states making it a high penal offence  
to teach them to read1 thus perpetuating
 whatever of evil there is that proceeds
 from ignorance4  #d4 ,to set up between
 parents and their children an authority
 higher than the impulse of nature and  
the laws of ,god1 which breaks up the   
authority of the father over his own    
offspring1 and at pleasure separates the
 mother at a returnless distance from   
her child1 thus abrogating the clearest 
laws of nature1 thus outraging all      
decency and justice1 and degrading and  
oppressing thousands upon thousands of  
beings1 created like themselves in the  
image of the most high ,god6 ,this is   
slavery as it is daily exhibited in     

every slave ,state4  ,yes1 such is the  
nature and character of an institution  
in this enlightened ,christian republic1
 claiming to be the freest nation on    
earth1 calling itself an asylum for the 
oppressed1 inviting the downtrodden     
subjects of all the despots of the old  
world to come to this happy land1 and   
place themselves under the protection of
 the ,american eagle1 and in this eyrie 
of the free taste and enjoy the sweets  
of liberty6  ,the views presented in the
 above extracts may be taken1 it is to  
be presumed1 as an exponent of the      
southern ,christian sentiment on        
domestic slavery4 ,there are1 indeed1   
exceptions4 ,it is painful to notice    
that within a few years some men of     
reputed piety and worth have been       
attempting to maintain that ,american   
slavery is a divine and patriarchal     
institution1 sanctioned by the          
,bible1--is necessary to the highest    
state of society1 and is to be          
perpetuated2 but ,i am happy to believe 

that the number of those who hold such  
views1 repudiating those of the         
,presbyterian church1 and at the same   
time call themselves disciples of ,him  
who said1 whatsoever ye would that men  
should do to you1 do ye even so to them1
 is comparatively small4  ,i close this 
long letter by subscribing myself1 as   
ever1  ,your affectionate  ,friend and  
,brother4     ,,letter ,,viii4  ,,three 
,,questions ,,suggested4--#a4 ,,must    
,,slavery ,,be ,,perpetual8--#b4 ,,does 
,,the ,,church ,,of ,,christ ,,sustain  
,,any ,,responsibility ,,in ,,this      
,,matter8--#c4 ,,what ,,shall ,,we ,,do8
   ,,my ,,dear ,,christian ,,friend1--,i
 fear ,i shall make myself tedious to   
you by dwelling so long upon this1 to   
me1 painful subject1--slavery4 ,i will1 
therefore1 in the present letter1 finish
 what ,i have to say for the present1   
hoping that our future correspondence   
may be on more grateful themes4  ,there 
are a few questions which are suggested 
to us by the brief view we have taken of

 this most important subject4 ,the first
 is1 ,must slavery1 with all its        
attendant evils1 be perpetuated8 ,must  
this blot rest upon our beloved country1
 and tarnish its escutcheon forever8 ,i 
am persuaded that the spontaneous answer
 from the ,christian heart of this      
nation is1 ,no6 ,it was never           
contemplated by ,washington nor         
,jefferson nor ,adams1 nor by the       
framers of our ,constitution1 nor by the
 great mass of noble patriots who       
perilled their all for the independence 
of their country1 that slavery was to be
 handed down to posterity4 ,if you will 
look at the writings of the leading     
public men of the last century1 you will
 find1 that1 almost without exception1  
they looked upon slavery in the ,united 
,states as a temporary evil1 to be      
removed as soon as circumstances would  
permit4 ,they regarded it not only a    
wrong inflicted upon the slave1 but an  
incubus upon the nation1 soon to pass   
away4  ,the great body of ,christians in

 our land have been looking forward to  
the time1 and praying for its arrival1  
when all the oppressed within our       
borders shall go free4 ,that the time   
will come when slavery shall cease in   
our land1 ,i as fully believe as ,i     
believe that there is a ,god who        
presides over and directs the destinies 
of men4 ,you and ,i may not live to see 
the day2 but it will come4  ,another    
question suggested is1 ,does the church 
of ,christ in this country sustain any  
responsibility in regard to slavery1 and
 has she any duty to discharge in       
relation to it8 ,by the church of       
,christ1 ,i mean the great mass of      
,christians of every name who love the  
,lord ,jesus in sincerity1 both ,north  
and ,south4  ,this question is easily   
answered4 ,there are no evils existing  
in the ,christian's field of labor--the 
world--in regard to which he has not    
some responsibility1 and for the removal
 of which he is not bound to do         
something4 ,as a general truth1 the     

nearer the evils come to our own        
firesides and bosoms1 the weightier     
those responsibilities become4 ,the     
hundreds of millions of heathens in     
foreign lands lying in sin and          
degradation appeal to our sympathy and  
efforts1 and that appeal we may not     
disregard4 ,but the heathen in our own  
land have on us much stronger claims1   
and our obligations to put forth efforts
 in their behalf are more imperious4    
,slavery is a great evil and sin1 which 
affects not only individuals1 but our   
country2 and1 both as ,christians and   
patriots1 we ought to be sensibly alive 
to every thing that affects our common  
weal4 ,you who live at the ,south1 it   
may be1 have more responsibility in this
 matter than we at the ,north2 but none 
of us can say1 because ,i am not        
personally implicated in inflicting     
wrongs upon the slave1 therefore ,i have
 nothing to do for their removal4       
,should this become the universal       
sentiment of the church1 ,satan's       

kingdom in our world would never come to
 an end1 and wickedness would prevail   
forever4 ,the spirit of ,christianity1  
although preminently mild1 gentle1      
patient1 and long-suffering1 is         
nevertheless1 in an important sense1    
aggressive4 ,it has ever claimed the    
right of interesting itself in the      
welfare of every human creature--to     
exert its influence to check the        
progress of sin in every form--to attack
 error in principle and in practice--to 
loose the bands of wickedness1--undo    
heavy burdens1--break every             
yoke1--deliver the poor and needy1--and 
to remember them that are in bonds as   
bound with them4 ,this1 by some1 may be 
called officiousness1 but we cannot help
 it2 it is a part of the ,christian's   
legitimate business to volunteer his    
influence and his services 7in every    
proper way7 in opposing wrong1 and to   
stand up and plead the cause of those   
who suffer it the world over4 ,he cannot
 refrain from doing so1 without proving 

himself false to his ,master and his    
,master's cause4  ,admitting1 then1 that
 all ,christians have some kind of      
responsibility and duty devolving on    
them1 a most important question comes   
up4 ,thirdly1 what shall they do8 ,there
 are certainly some things which it is  
perfectly evident we should not         
do1--though we should rebuke this and   
every sin1 we should not give vent to   
our hatred of the system in ebullitions 
of wrath1 invective1 and abuse toward   
slaveholders4 ,thus did not ,christ nor 
his apostles4 ,this is not in accordance
 with the ,christian spirit1 and could  
be productive only of evil4  ,neither   
should we endeavor to exert an influence
 over the slaves to make them restive   
and disobedient2 none but an enemy to   
the true interests1 both of the slave   
and his country1 would do that1 unless  
under some hallucination4  ,neither     
should we interfere politically with    
slavery beyond the boundaries of our own
 ,state1 in ,states where it now exists 

by the laws of the land4 ,i might go on 
indefinitely1 and specify what we should
 not do2 but this does not meet the     
case2--what shall we do8 ,it would be   
arrogance in me to attempt a full answer
 to a question that has engaged the     
attention of many abler heads and better
 hearts than mine1 but there are some   
things which have already been said by  
others1 that cannot be too frequently   
repeated4  ,in the first place1 we can  
commit this whole matter to ,god in     
humble1 earnest prayer4 ,here is        
something which we can all do1 ,north   
and ,south1 and in which we shall all be
 agreed4 ,however much we may differ in 
regard to the safety and expediency of  
other measures to moderate the condition
 of the slave and bring about his       
ultimate emancipation1 we are of one    
mind in regard to the safety and        
efficacy of prayer4 ,one effect of this 
will be to unite our own hearts more    
closely in sympathy and love4 ,there    
will be no danger of calling each other 

hard names1 bandying unchristian        
epithets1 and biting and devouring one  
another1 if we are in the habit of      
meeting daily at the throne of grace to 
pray for a cause in which we take a     
mutual interest4  ,by prayer we may hope
 to be enlightened more fully in regard 
to our duty4 ,if any man lack wisdom1   
and surely we all do on this subject1   
let him ask of ,god4  ,in answer to     
prayer1 we have reason to hope that ,god
 will open the eyes to teach the hearts 
of all slaveholders1 and lead them to do
 justly and love mercy1 and also that he
 will1 in his holy and wise ,providence1
 redress the wrongs of his oppressed    
children1 and prepare the way for their 
ultimate emancipation4  ,prayer is the  
,christian's first and last resort4 ,let
 us1 then1 my dear brother1 pray over   
this subject continuously1 and with an  
earnestness commensurate with its       
importance1 and then1 ,i doubt not1 we  
shall ourselves be more enlightened than
 we now are as to our future course4  ,a

 second duty1 hardly less obvious than  
prayer1 is to use all the influence we  
possess to prevent the extension of the 
domain of slavery4 ,to this end1 we     
should utter our voices long and loud in
 remonstrance against any such measure4 
,if we and our legislators may not      
politically interfere with slavery in   
,states where it now exists1 we may     
interfere to prevent it from exerting   
its baleful influence over territory now
 free4 ,we should do many things for the
 sake of peace and conciliation4 ,we    
have heretofore made concessions and    
compromises--perhaps too many--on this  
subject2 but here is where the people of
 ,god1 ,north and ,south1 should make a 
stand1 and declare before heaven and    
earth1 and with an emphasis which cannot
 be misunderstood1 that not another inch
 of our public domain shall be cursed   
with slavery for any consideration      
whatever1 if our influence can prevent  
it4 ,in our remonstrances1 we will be   
respectful1 but firm4 ,let our          

politicians know that all persons who   
are governed by ,christian principle1   
through the length and breadth of the   
land1 have taken their position1 and    
that the mountains shall be removed out 
of their places1 ere they will swerve   
from it1 and there will be but little   
danger of slave extension4  ,in the     
third place1 we should use every        
endeavor to disseminate the gospel of   
,christ1 and bring its principles to    
bear upon all classes of persons1 ,north
 and ,south4 ,if we can do this         
effectually1 it is all sufficient4 ,the 
,gospel1 if faithfully applied1 is a    
sure remedy for every social and moral  
evil that ever existed4 ,we at the      
,north should demonstrate to our        
slave-holding friends whom we wish to   
influence1 that we ourselves are        
governed by its spirit1 and actuated by 
its principle1 in all that we do in     
relation to this subject4 ,it is not    
ambition1 a lust for power1 sectional   
jealousy1 a spirit of censoriousness or 

ill-will1 that prompts us to what they  
have been in the habit of regarding as  
intermeddling with their affairs1 in    
which we have no concern1 but a spirit  
of love1--love not less to them than to 
their slaves4 ,and then1 in the temper  
of ,christ1 we will bring the ,gospel to
 bear on the slaveholder's conscience   
and sense of justice4 ,we will hold up  
and keep before his mind the great rule 
of life given by ,him who spake as never
 man spake1--,whatsoever ye would that  
men should do to you1 do you even so to 
them4 ,let this rule be once adopted and
 carried out1 and it is enough4 ,human  
beings would no more be sold as beasts  
in the market1 and driven to unrequited 
toil2 the minds of men would no longer  
be kept in ignorance2 the domestic      
circle would never again be invaded by  
the hand of sordid avarice separating   
husbands and wives1 parents and         
children1 doing savage violence to the  
noblest affections of our nature2 the   
,bible would be put into the hands of   

every slave1 and he would be taught to  
read it2 common schools and ,sabbath    
schools would be everywhere established 
and maintained1 as well for the slave as
 for the white child2 the master would  
regard those whom he now holds as       
property as his own brethren1 going with
 him to the same judgment1 and destined 
finally to dwell with him as his equals1
 in the same heaven1 and to wear as     
bright crowns and sing as rapturous a   
song as he4 ,he would immediately set   
himself about preparing his slaves for  
emancipation1 and for the enjoyment of  
those natural rights1 of which they have
 for so long a time been most unjustly  
deprived4 ,in short1 slavery1 as the    
term is now understood1 would cease     
instantly1 and a kind1 parental         
guardianship would take its place1 and  
every southern plantation would be      
transformed into a moral garden of      
beauty and happiness1 and universal and 
entire emancipation would follow with   
the least possible delay4 ,and1 finally1

 we should if possible bring the ,gospel
 to bear upon the great body politic1   
upon our presidents1 our governors1 our 
,national and ,state legislators4 ,it   
would seem that some of our lawmakers   
are much better acquainted with         
,blackstone and ,vattel1 than they are  
with the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 or they  
would not disgrace our statute-books    
with laws which ignore the higher laws  
of ,god4 ,we should often remind them   
that this is a ,christian1 and not a    
heathen or infidel republic2 and that   
every enactment1 not consistent with the
 gospel of ,christ and inalienable human
 rights1 does violence to the ,christian
 sentiment and ,christian conscience of 
the nation1 and must be repealed4 ,if   
they will not hear us1 we have only to  
appoint more faithful servants1 who will
 do as they are told4 ,we have no idea  
of uniting church and state1 but to     
infuse as much of the ,gospel into the  
state as possible is both a privilege   
and duty2 and when all our affairs and  

institutions1 public1 domestic1 and     
private1 are administered on gospel     
principles1 we shall become a free1     
prosperous1 and happy people1 and not   
till then4  ,and now1 may ,god bless    
you1 my dear brother1 and guide you1 and
 guide us all1 to pursue such a course  
in regard to the three and a half       
millions of slaves in our professedly   
free republic as will afford us the most
 satisfaction when we meet them as our  
equals at the judgment-seat of ,christ4 
,with high esteem and much affection1   
,i remain your ,christian brother1  ,a4 
,c4 ,,baldwin4     ,,an ,,essay1  ,,by  
,,rev4 ,,timothy ,,williston4    ,,is   
,,american ,,slavery ,,an ,,institution 
,,which ,,christianity      ,,sanctions1
 ,,and ,,will ,,perpetuate8 ,,and1 ,,in 
,,view        ,,of ,,this ,,subject1    
,,what ,,ought ,,american               
,,christians ,,to ,,do1 ,,and ,,refrain 
,,from ,,doing8      ,homo sum2 humani  
nihil a me alienum puto4--,,terence4    
,bear ye one another's burdens4--,,paul4

     ,,essay4   ,a great moral question 
is1 in this nineteenth century1 being   
tried before the church of ,christ1 and 
at the bar of public sentiment4 ,it is1 
,whether the system of servitude known  
as ,american slavery be a system whose  
perpetuity is compatible with pure      
,christianity8 ,whether1 with the ,bible
 in her hand1 the church may lawfully   
indorse1 participate in1 and help       
perpetuate1 this system8 ,or whether1 on
 the other hand1 the system be1 in its  
origin1 nature1 and workings1           
intrinsically evil2 a thing which1 if1  
like concubinage and polygamy1 ,god has 
indeed tolerated in his church1 he never
 approved of2 and which1 in the progress
 of a pure ,christianity1 must          
inevitably become extinct8 ,i feel      
assured that the latter of these        
propositions will1 without argument1    
command the assent of the mass of living
 ,christians4 ,but there are those in   
the church who array themselves on the  
other side4 ,while they would not       

justify the least inhumanity in the     
treatment of slaves1 they profess to    
believe that slavery itself has the     
approbation of ,jehovah1 and may with   
propriety be perpetuated in the church  
and the world4 ,at their hands ,i would 
respectfully solicit a patient hearing1 
while ,i proceed to assign several      
reasons for differing with them in      
opinion4  ,first4 ,slavery is a         
condition of society not founded in     
nature4 ,when ,god1 in his ,word1       
demands that children shall be in       
subordination to their parents1 and     
citizens to the constituted civil       
authorities1 we need no why and         
wherefore to enable us to see the       
reasonableness of these requirements4   
,we feel that they are no arbitrary     
enactments1 but indispensable to the    
best interests of families and of       
society1 and therefore founded in       
nature4 ,we are prepared1 too1 from     
their obvious necessity and utility1 to 
rank them among the permanent statutes  

of the ,divine ,legislator4 ,but can as 
much be said of slavery8 ,is there such 
an obvious fitness and utility in one   
man's being1 against his will1 owned and
 controlled by another1 as to prepare us
 to say that such an ownership is       
founded in the very constitution of     
things8 ,none will pretend that there   
is4 ,not only is slavery not founded in 
nature1 but1  ,second4 ,it is condemned 
by the very instincts of our moral      
constitution4 ,these instincts seem to  
whisper that all men are born free and  
equal2 equal1 not in intellect1 or in   
the petty distinctions of parentage1    
property1 or power2 but having1 as the  
creatures of one ,god1 an equal right to
 life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of      
happiness4 ,job's moral instincts taught
 him1 that the fact of all men's having 
one and the same ,creator gave his      
servants a right to contend with him1   
when wronged2 and that1 if he despised  
their cause1 he must answer it to his   
,god and theirs4 ,that men of all races 

and grades are essentially equal before 
,god2 that every man has a right to     
himself1 to the fruits of his toil1 and 
to the unmolested pursuit of happiness1 
in all lawful ways2 and hence1 that     
slavery1 as existing in these ,states1  
is a gigantic system of evil and        
wrong1--are truths which the moral sense
 of men is everywhere proclaiming with  
much emphasis and distinctness4 ,if it  
be not so1 what means this note of      
remonstrance1 long and loud1 that comes 
to our ears over the ,atlantic wave8    
,why else did a ,mohammedan prince1,i   
7to say nothing of what nearly all      
,christian governments have done17 put  
an end to slavery in his dominions      
before he died8 ,and how else shall we  
account for that moral earthquake which 
has for years been rocking this great   
republic to its very centre8 ,one cannot
 thoughtfully observe the signs of the  
times1--no1 nor the workings of his own 
heart1 methinks1--without perceiving    
that slavery is at war with the moral   

sense of mankind4 ,if there be any      
conscience that approves1 it must be a  
conscience perverted by wrong           
instruction1 or by a vicious practice4  
,and can that be a good institution1 and
 worthy of perpetuity1 which an         
unperverted conscience instinctively    
condemns8  ,third4 ,the bad character of
 slavery becomes yet more apparent1 if  
we consider the manner in which it has  
chiefly originated and been sustained4  
,did ,god institute the relation of     
master and slave1 as he did the conjugal
 and parental relations8 ,it is not     
pretended4 ,in what1 then1 did slavery  
have its beginning8 ,doubtless the first
 slaves were captives1 taken in war4 ,in
 primitive ages1 the victors in war were
 considered as having a right to do what
 they pleased with their captives2 and  
so it sometimes happened that they were 
put to death1 and sometimes that they   
were made to serve their captors as     
bondmen4 ,thus slavery was at first the 
incidental result of war4 ,but as time  

rolled on1 the love of power and of gain
 prompted men to make aggressions on    
their weaker neighbors1 for the very    
purpose of enslaving them2 and1         
eventually1 man-stealing and the        
slave-trade became familiar facts in the
 world's history4 ,upon these has       
slavery1 for centuries past1 depended   
mainly for its continuance4 ,and1       
although these feeders of slavery are   
now by ,christian nations branded as    
piracy and strictly vetoed1 they are far
 from being exterminated4 ,indeed1 it   
seems to be well understood1 that1 if   
all commerce in slaves1 foreign and     
domestic1 ceases1 slavery itself must   
soon become extinct4  ,now if           
man-stealing be an act which the ,word  
of ,god and the moral instincts of men  
do most pointedly condemn1--and ,i will 
attempt no demonstration of this        
here1--what shall we say of that which  
is its legitimate offspring and         
dependant8 ,far be it from me to affirm1
 that1 circumstanced as our southern    

brethren are1 it is just as criminal for
 them to hold slaves as it would be to  
go now to ,africa and forcibly seize    
them4 ,but1 in the spirit of love1 ,i   
would ask my slave-holding brother1 ,can
 that be a justifiable institution1 and 
deserving to be upheld1 which has so bad
 a parentage8 ,do men gather grapes of  
thorns8 ,who can bring a clean thing out
 of an unclean8  ,fourth4 ,there are1 in
 the ,scriptures1 many clear indications
 that slavery has not the approbation of
 ,god1 and hence has not the stamp of   
perpetuity upon it4 ,under this head1   
let us notice several distinct          
particulars4  #a4 ,had ,god regarded    
servitude as a good thing1 he would not1
 in authoritatively predicting its      
existence1 have said1 ,cursed be        
,canaan2 a servant of servants shall he 
be unto his brethren4 ,what ,god visits 
men with as a curse cannot be           
intrinsically good and beneficial4  #b4 
,the judgments with which ,god visited  
,egypt and her proud monarch1 for       

refusing to emancipate the ,israelites1 
and for essaying to recapture them1 when
 let go1 and the wages which he caused  
his people1 when released1 to receive   
for their hitherto unrequited tolls1    
clearly evince that he has no           
complacency in compulsory1 unrewarded   
servitude4  #c4 ,the same thing is      
indicated by the fact that ,god has1 by 
statute1 provided expressly for the     
protection and freedom of an escaped    
slave2 but not for the recovery of such 
a fugitive by his master4 ,thou shalt   
not deliver unto his master1 the servant
 which is escaped from his master unto  
thee3 he shall dwell with thee1 even    
among you in that place which he shall  
choose4444 ,thou shalt not oppress him4 
,now be it1 if you will1 that this      
statute had reference only to servants  
who should escape into the land of      
,israel from ,gentile masters2 does it  
not indicate a strong bias1 in the mind 
of ,god1 to the side of freedom1 rather 
than that of slavery8 ,and does it not  

establish the point1 that1 in ,god's    
estimation1 one man cannot rightfully be
 deemed the property of another man8    
,were it otherwise1 would not the ,jew  
have been required to restore a runaway 
to his pursuing master1 just as he was  
to restore any other lost thing which   
its owner should come in search of8 ,or1
 to say the least1 would not the        
,israelites have been allowed to reduce 
to servitude among themselves the       
escaped slave of a heathen master8 ,but 
how unlike all this are the actual      
requirements of the statute4 ,god's     
people must neither deliver up the      
fugitive nor enslave him themselves2 but
 allow him to dwell among them as a     
,,freeman1 just where it liketh him     
best4 ,and1 in this connection1 how     
significant a fact is it1 that the      
,bible nowhere empowers the master from 
whom a slave had escaped to pursue1     
seize1 and drag back to bondage that    
escaped slave4  #d4 ,that which         
constitutes the grand fountain of       

slavery1--the forcible1 stealthy seizure
 of a man1 for the purpose of holding or
 selling him as a slave1--was1 under the
 ,mosaic dispensation1 punishable with  
death2 and is1 in the ,new ,testament1  
named in connection with the most       
heinous crimes4 ,he that stealeth a man1
 and selleth him1 or if he be found in  
his hand1 he shall surely be put to     
death4 ,what could more forcibly exhibit
 ,god's disapprobation of one of the    
distinctive features of                 
slavery1--compulsion8 ,what more        
impressively show the value that he puts
 upon a man's personal                  
independence1--his right to himself8    
,now if ,god doomed that man to die a   
felon's death who should steal and sell 
a fellow man1 can it be that he would   
hold him guiltless who should buy the   
stolen man1 knowing him to have been    
stolen8 ,god's people were1 indeed1     
allowed to buy bondmen and bondmaids of 
the strangers that dwelt among them1 and
 of the surrounding heathen4 ,but were  

they ever allowed to buy persons whom   
they knew to have been unlawfully       
obtained1 and offered for sale in       
manifest opposition to their own wishes8
 ,if they were not1--and1 from the      
statute just referred to1 it seems      
certain that they were not1--does       
,american slavery derive countenance    
from that which was tolerated in the    
,jewish church and nation8 ,true1 the   
slaves now held as such among us were   
not themselves feloniously seized on a  
foreign soil1 torn away from kindred1   
homes1 and country1 and sold into       
hopeless bondage in a strange land2 but 
their sires and grandsires were4        
,man-stealing is confessedly the stock  
out of which has sprung1 and grown to   
its present dimensions1 the vast and    
overshadowing ,upas of ,american        
slavery2 and if the ,bible brands that  
stock as pestiferous1 must not the      
entire tree partake of the noxious      
influence8 ,again3 if1 as competent     
critics assert1 the popular sense of the

 word rendered men-stealers1 in #a ,tim4
 i4 #aj1 be those who deal in           
men--literally1 slave-traders1 then     
trafficking in slaves for mercenary ends
 is1 by ,paul1 ranked among vices the   
most abominable2 and ,american slavery  
is1 if possible1 more pointedly         
condemned by that passage than by the   
statute found in ,ex4 xxi4 #af4 ,for who
 does not know that trading in the      
persons of men has ever been1 and yet   
is1 a main pillar in the fabric of      
slavery8 ,indeed1 man-stealing and      
slave-trading are to slave-holding      
precisely what the business of the      
distiller and of the vendor is to the   
vice of intemperance4 ,there is1 in     
either case1 a trio of associated evils2
 and it is difficult to say which member
 of either trio is the most repulsive   
and harmful4  ,if1 now1 it be objected  
to this argument from the ,bible1 that  
the ,mosaic institutes expressly        
recognize such a thing as involuntary   
servitude1 and prescribe rules for its  

regulation1 ,i answer3 true1 but the    
servitude thus recognized and regulated 
by statute was of a far milder type than
 that which is legalized in these       
,american ,states4 ,for1 #a4 ,it allowed
 the bondman a large amount of leisure1 
or time which he need not devote to his 
master's service2 #b4 ,it made it       
possible for him to accumulate a        
considerable amount of property2 #c4 ,it
 placed him on a perfect level with his 
master1 in regard to religious          
privileges2 #d4 ,it gave him his freedom
 whenever he should be so chastised as  
to result in permanent injury to his    
person3 thus operating as a powerful    
preventive of inhumanity in chastising2 
#e4 ,it respected the sanctity of the   
conjugal and parental relations1 when   
existing among bondmen1 and did not     
authorize a compulsory severing of      
family ties2 #f4 ,it made no provision  
for the sale of a servant by his ,jewish
 master1 nor for any such domestic      
commerce in the persons of men as is    

practised in the southern ,states of    
this ,union2 #g4 ,it provided for the   
periodical emancipation of all that were
 in bondage2 thus aiming a fatal blow at
 the very existence of servitude in the 
,hebrew commonwealth4 ,i may not1       
consistently with the necessary brevity 
of a tract designed for popular perusal1
 go into any demonstration of the facts 
above asserted4 ,for proof that they are
 facts1 let my readers studiously       
examine the ,mosaic books1 and the ,rev4
 ,a4 ,barnes's ,inquiry into the        
,scriptural ,views of ,slavery4 ,i see  
not how any candid and discriminating   
investigator can help being convinced   
that the servitude which was temporarily
 tolerated in the ,jewish church1 was1  
in numerous respects1 very unlike to    
that which exists among us1 and far less
 repulsive4  ,but suppose1 for          
argument's sake1 it had been just as    
repulsive a system as ours1 would the   
fact of its having been tolerated under 
the ,jewish economy prove it to be      

intrinsically good1 and worthy of being 
perpetuated8 ,then1 by parity of        
reasoning1 the good men of ancient times
 might safely have concluded that       
certain other practices were good and   
would endure1 which we know were not    
good1 and were not to last4 ,had the    
question been propounded in ,abraham's  
or in ,david's day1 whether polygamy and
 concubinage were approved of ,god1 and 
would be perpetuated in the church1 it  
is probable that even the saints of     
those periods would have responded      
affirmatively4 ,the fact that ,god had  
so long allowed his people to practise  
these things unrebuked1 might1 to them1 
have seemed sufficient proof that these 
practices were intrinsically proper1 and
 were to rank among the permanent       
fixtures of human society4 ,but were    
,abraham and ,david now on the earth1   
with what changed feelings would they   
regard the cast-off system of           
concubinage and a plurality of wives4   
,again3 suppose the conjecture had been 

hazarded1 three thousand years ago1 that
 woman1 from being a menial drudge1 or a
 mere medium of bestial indulgence1     
would one day occupy the dignified      
position to which ,christianity has     
actually lifted her1 would not          
incredulity have lurked in every heart1 
and found expression on every tongue8   
,now there are plain indications1 not   
only in the ,word1 but the providences  
of ,god1 that he never regarded slavery 
with complacency1 any more than he did  
polygamy1 concubinage1 or the serfdom of
 woman2 and that he never designed its  
perpetuity4 ,scrutinizing that ,word and
 those providences1 one needs no        
prophetic ken to enable him to predict  
with certainty1 that1 when ,christ's    
millennial reign is ushered in1         
contraband will be inscribed on slavery1
 as it already has been on some other   
evils that were once tolerated1 not only
 in society1 but in the church of ,god4 
,but ,i shall be reminded here1 that1   
when the apostles were disseminating    

,christianity in the ,roman empire1     
there prevailed throughout that empire a
 system of slavery more odious and      
oppressive than ours2 and yet that both 
slaveholders and slaves were converted  
and admitted to the church1 without its 
affecting the relation of master and    
slave2 that the ,new ,testament         
instructs the parties how to demean     
themselves in that relation1 but nowhere
 enjoins emancipation on the master1 or 
encourages absconding or non-submission 
in the slave2 in short1 that it nowhere 
expressly condemns slavery1 or intimates
 that its extermination was to be       
expected or desired4 ,in reply to this1 
,i would say1--  7#a47 ,to infer1       
because the ,new ,testament enjoins     
obedience on slaves1 and makes no direct
 attack on the institution of slavery1  
that it therefore sanctions the         
institution1 and would have it          
perpetuated1 is as much a non sequitur  
as to infer1 because ,god enjoins on men
 subjection to existing civil           

authorities1 whatever may be their      
character1 that he as much approves of a
 despotic as of a constitutional        
government1--of the government of       
,ferdinand of ,naples as of that of     
,victoria of ,england4 ,nor is it more  
difficult to comprehend why ,god has1 in
 the ,scriptures1 made no direct assault
 on slavery1 than it is to see why ,he  
has not directly assailed governmental  
despotisms1 or expressed any preference 
for one form of government over another4
 ,an obvious and far-seeing wisdom is   
discernible in this1 which it behooves  
us to admire1 and not unfrequently to   
imitate4 ,had the apostles or the       
,scriptures openly denounced all        
absolutism1 whether civil or domestic1  
it would have aroused unnecessary       
prejudice and opposition1 and diverted  
the attention of men from the grand     
object aimed at in giving the world a   
written and preached gospel4 ,god deemed
 it wiser to reach these evils through  
the slow but sure progress of certain   

great principles laid down in his ,word1
 than through the medium of specific    
prohibitions4  7#b47 ,the fact that the 
apostles received into the church       
converts who not only held slaves1 but  
held them under a slave-system that was 
awfully despotic1 was no indorsement on 
their part of that odious system1 nor   
even of the slightest inhumanity on the 
part of a master towards his slaves4 ,it
 does1 indeed1 prove that a man may be a
 ,christian1 without ceasing to be a    
slaveholder in form2 but not that a     
master may indulge in all the legal     
barbarities of the system1 and yet be a 
,christian4 ,merely to sustain the      
relation of a ,christian master for the 
good of the slave1 or from the necessity
 of the case1 is one thing1 while to    
advocate and defend this chattel system1
 and hold in bondage fellow human beings
 for personal and selfish ends1 is quite
 another thing4 ,nowhere do the         
,scriptures countenance1 or even wink   
at1 the least degree of inhumanity or   

injustice in the treatment of servants4 
,so far from this1 they expressly enjoin
 it on masters to give unto their       
servants that which is just and equal1  
all the law of disinterested love would 
require2 accompanying the injunction    
with the significant hint1 that they    
themselves have a ,master1 and that with
 him there is no respect of persons4    
7#c47 ,though the ,scriptures do not    
directly assail the system of slavery1  
they indirectly and obviously condemn   
it1 and that very abundantly4 ,slavery  
is indirectly and yet strongly rebuked  
in such passages of ,scripture as the   
following3 ,wo unto him that 444 useth  
his neighbor's service without wages4   
,is not this the fast that ,i have      
chosen1 444 to undo the heavy burdens1  
and to let the oppressed go free1 and   
that ye break every yoke8 ,what doth the
 ,lord require of thee1 but to do       
justly1 and to love mercy8 444 ,have we 
not all one ,father8 ,hath not one ,god 
created us8 444 ,and hath made of one   

blood all nations of men1 for to dwell  
on all the face of the earth2 444 that  
they should seek the ,lord4 444 ,god is 
no respecter of persons4 ,the people of 
the land have used oppression1 444      
therefore have ,i poured out mine       
indignation upon them4 444 ,thou shalt  
love thy neighbor as thyself4           
,therefore1 all things whatsoever ye    
would that men should do to you1 do ye  
even so to them4 ,it needs no unusual   
acuteness to see1 that1 were the spirit 
of these and kindred passages 7for      
numerous others of the sort might have  
been cited7 everywhere acted out1       
slavery would as readily vanish1 as do  
the icebergs of the ,north1 if perchance
 they float away into milder latitudes4 
,fifth4 ,to the four reasons already    
assigned for thinking that slavery has  
not ,god's approbation1 and ought not to
 be perpetuated1 ,i will add but one    
more1--its baleful effects4 7#a74 ,as it
 respects worldly thrift1 or pecuniary  
prosperity4 ,it is a fact1 that slavery 

exerts a depressing influence on the    
business welfare of any community where 
it prevails2 and that1 other things     
being equal1 slaveholding ,states can   
never compete with free ones in the item
 of financial prosperity4 ,a necessary  
brevity forbids my pointing out the     
causes of this fact2 but my readers     
will1 without my aid1 readily ascertain 
what they are4 ,suffice it to say1 it   
has become a settled maxim of political 
economy1 that there exists an antagonism
 between slavery and the highest        
business prosperity of any people that  
tolerates it2 and the southern ,states  
of this ,union furnish abundant         
confirmation of its truth4 7#b47 ,i will
 name but one other thing1--its baneful 
influence on character and morals4 ,that
 slavery tends to debase the character  
and morals of the slaves will scarcely  
be questioned4 ,apart from the ignorance
 naturally resulting from their         
condition1 that condition powerfully    
tends to render them sensual1 indolent1 

artful1 mendacious1 stealthful1 and     
revengeful4 ,but is the bad moral       
tendency of the institution limited to  
the bondmen8 ,exerts it no corrupting   
influence on the hearts1 the habits1 and
 morals of the masters8 ,is it not its  
legitimate tendency to foster in them   
such vices as indolence1 effeminacy1    
licentiousness1 covetousness1           
inhumanity1 haughtiness1 and a supreme  
regard for self8 ,of course1 ,i do not  
affirm that it uniformly produces these 
sad effects on the character of masters4
 ,so far from this1 there may doubtless 
be found slaveholders1 who1 in all that 
adorns and ennobles human character1    
will compare favorably with the very    
best men at the ,north4 ,i think it will
 be conceded1 however1 that the         
legitimate tendency is to evil1 and that
 the effects of slavery on the character
 of its sustainers are1 in the main1    
disastrous2 and that the depreciated    
state of morals prevailing where slavery
 exists is mainly attributable to this  

as its source4 ,i need not here enter   
into detail4 ,facts are too well known  
to make this necessary4  ,thus have we  
contemplated several distinct reasons   
for believing that slavery is no good   
thing1--has not the sanction of         
,jehovah1--and cannot with propriety be 
perpetuated4 ,its contrariety to        
nature1--its antagonism to the moral    
sense of mankind1--its disgraceful      
parentage and manner of support1--its   
condemnation by the ,bible1--and its    
disastrous influence on financial       
prosperity1 on character1 and on public 
morals1--all proclaim that slavery1 so  
far from being a good thing1 is a       
tremendous curse2 yea1 more1 that it is 
a stupendous wrong2 and hence1 that it  
should be tolerated in the church of    
,christ no longer than the best         
interests of all concerned may render   
necessary for a safe termination4  ,but 
it may be1 after all1 that ,i have      
failed to secure the assent of some of  
my southern brethren to the justness of 

the foregoing positions and inferences4 
,it may be that they still regard the   
system of bondage prevailing in their   
midst as in the main beneficial1        
defensible from the ,bible1 and1 with   
some modifications perhaps1 worthy of   
perpetuity4 ,well1 brethren1 suppose you
 do thus regard it2 and for argument's  
sake suppose1 too1 that you may possibly
 be right1--that slave-holding may be in
 itself the harmless thing which you    
deem it2 ought you not cheerfully to    
abandon it1 in obedience to a great     
,bible principle1--that of refraining   
from things which are in themselves     
lawful1 or which your conscience may not
 condemn1 out of regard to the          
conscience of aggrieved ,christian      
brethren1 or to the prejudices of those 
whose salvation you would not obstruct8 
,you are aware1 brethren1 that this     
magnanimous principle ,paul both        
inculcated and exemplified4 ,you are    
also aware that a large majority of the 
,christians now living regard your      

cherished institution as unjustifiable1 
and at variance with the spirit of      
,christianity2 and1 so regarding it1    
they long for its extinction1 and are   
grieved with you for cleaving to it so  
tenaciously1 and refusing to concert    
measures for its ultimate overthrow4    
,indeed1 they are more than grieved2    
they are profoundly agitated by the     
fresh developments of the iniquitous    
system which you are helping to uphold2 
and there seems no prospect1 while that 
system endures1 of their becoming       
tranquillized4 ,a tempest has sprung up 
and is raging in the church of          
,christ1--to say nothing of the         
civilized world1--which seems not likely
 to cease till its cause be removed2 and
 slavery is that cause4 ,now ,i put it  
to you1 brethren1 if here be not an     
opportunity of exemplifying1 on a broad 
scale1 the self-denying and noble       
principle which ,paul indicates in the  
words1 ,all things are lawful for me1   
but all things are not expedient2 ,eat  

not for his sake that shewed it1 and for
 conscience' sake3 444 conscience1 ,i   
say1 not thine own1 but of the other2   
,though ,i be free from all men1 yet    
have ,i made myself servant unto all1   
that ,i might gain the more4 ,have it1  
if you will1 that the brethren for whose
 sake you are asked to make this        
sacrifice are weak brethren1 and their  
consciences weak4 ,your obligation to   
make it is none the less on that        
account2 for the principle just adverted
 to contemplates cases of this very     
sort4 ,since the practice which grieves 
these weak brethren is one that you can 
probably abandon without wounding your  
own conscience1 are you at liberty to   
undervalue their conscience by          
persisting in that which grieves them8  
,but how much weightier does this       
argument become1 when it is remembered  
that the opposers of slavery1 besides   
being exceedingly numerous1 have1 many  
of them1 been eminent1--not merely for a
 conscientious piety1 but for talent1   

for research1 for scholarship1 for broad
 and comprehensive views of things2--and
 that the list embraces distinguished   
southern1 as well as northern men2 and  
men of celebrity in both church and     
state4 ,there have been found in the    
anti-slavery ranks1 presidents and noble
 men1 jurists and legislators1 statesmen
 and divines1 scholars and authors1     
poets and orators4 ,and1 still further  
to enhance the dignity of the cause1 it 
should be remembered that several       
,general ,assemblies of the             
,presbyterian ,church of the ,united    
,states1 together with numerous lesser  
ecclesiastical bodies1 have lifted up   
their voice in opposition to slavery1   
and proclaimed substantially the same   
views which this humble ,essay has aimed
 to exhibit4 ,now if1 as we have seen1 a
 deferential regard should be had to the
 conscience of aggrieved ,christian     
brethren1 even when they are few and    
feeble-minded1 how much more1 when the  
aggrieved ones are counted in hundreds  

of thousands8 when theirs is an         
intelligent piety and an enlightened    
conscience8 and when1 too1 their        
remonstrance is backed up by a public   
sentiment that is wellnigh unanimous    
through all christendom8  ,if now1 in   
spite of all these considerations1 ,i   
still have readers that say in their    
hearts1 slavery must be perpetuated1    
they will pardon me for lingering no    
longer in the hope of changing their    
views4 ,i would be indulged1 however1 in
 one parting interrogation4 ,has it     
never occurred to you1 brethren1 that   
yours is1 on some accounts1 a very      
unfavorable stand-point from which to   
form just and disinterested views of    
slavery2 and that your very position as 
slave-holders1 and your long familiarity
 with the system and its evils1 may have
 blinded you to the magnitude of those  
evils1 and to the great desirableness of
 their being removed8 ,may it not be    
that long use1 and self-interest1 and   
the love of power and ease1 have        

conspired to warp your judgment1 blunt  
your sensibilities1 and cause you to    
view slavery through a deceptive medium8
  ,having1 as ,i hope1 the cordial      
assent of the great mass of my readers1 
northern and southern1 to the foregoing 
argument against slavery and its        
perpetuity1 we are now prepared to      
advance to the last great division of   
our subject1 and to inquire3 ,what are  
the duties1 positive and negative1 which
 this subject imposes on ,american      
,christians8 ,what does it demand that  
we1 as ,christians1 should do1 and      
refrain from doing8 ,this question      
subdivides itself thus3 ,what ought we  
northern and professedly anti-slavery   
,christians to do1 and not do8 ,and1    
next1 ,what duties1 positive and        
negative1 does the question devolve on  
professing ,christians in the           
slave-holding ,states8  ,i4 ,we are to  
consider what we1 the northern and      
avowedly anti-slavery section of the    
,american church1 ought1 in view of this

 subject1 both to do1 and refrain from  
doing4 ,in reply to the question1 ,what 
ought we to do8 ,i would say1--  #a4 ,it
 is not only our right1 but duty1       
temperately and with ,christian courtesy
 to continue to discuss this great      
theme1 both orally and with the pen2 and
 especially to endeavor to bring the    
truth into contact with the mind and    
heart of our southern brethren1--if1    
peradventure1 we may thus persuade them 
soon to cease their connection with     
slavery4 ,freedom of discussion is one  
important safeguard of the public weal2 
and that must be regarded as a bad1     
untenable cause which will not bear the 
test of a full and free discussion      
before the world4 ,free inquiry1 too1   
has not only preceded all great         
reformations1 but has been an important 
instrument in bringing them about4 ,that
 great moral change known as the        
temperance reformation is but one       
example among many that might be        
adduced4 ,if slavery is ever to be      

numbered in history among the things    
that are past1 it will be by having     
,bible light and truth made to converge 
upon it1 through the lens of free public
 discussion4 ,hence1 believing as we do 
that ,american slavery is an enormous   
evil and a gigantic wrong1--a thing with
 which the church should cease to have  
connection as speedily as may be1--as   
,christians we may1 we must1 employ our 
tongues and our pens in behalf of the   
enslaved1 till our world shall cease to 
contain such a class of men4  #b4 ,we   
ought so to exercise the right of       
suffrage as to resist the extension of  
slavery beyond its present limits4 ,i   
say nothing here of the political       
question of ,state rights1 or of        
interfering with slavery in ,states     
where it now exists4 ,the question of   
authorizing by law the extension of     
slavery into new ,states and            
,territories1 or of admitting new       
,states with pro-slavery constitutions1 
is another and very different thing from

 that of disturbing the compact in      
relation to slavery entered into by the 
founders of this republic4 ,the         
concessions in relation to the slave    
interest which our fathers made by no   
means oblige us to make further         
concessions1 by consenting that slavery 
shall overstep her present geographical 
limits4 ,i know not what others may     
think2 but1 for one1 ,i feel            
constrained1 by a sense of duty to ,god 
and my country1 so to vote as to have my
 votes tell against the spread of       
slavery4 ,i must carry my ,christian    
principles of love and humanity to the  
ballot-box1 as well as elsewhere4       
,though long identified with one of the 
political parties1 ,i have of late felt 
myself bound1 as a voter1 to ignore the 
ancient party lines1 and even to ignore 
all other questions1 compared with the  
one great and absorbing one1 ,shall     
slavery be allowed to have more         
territory1 in which to breed and expand 
itself8 ,in my deliberate judgment1 all 

,christian patriots should1 so far as   
their votes can speak1 say to the system
 of bondage existing in our midst1      
,hitherto shalt thou come1 but no       
further1 and here shall thy proud waves 
be stayed4 ,this becomes now a moral and
 a religious duty4  #c4 ,in our visits  
to the throne of grace1 we ought1 with  
more frequency and fervor1 to remember  
them that are in bonds1 as bound with   
them4 ,assured that all hearts and      
events are at ,god's disposal1 that he  
abhors oppression1 and that prayer is   
the ,christian's mode of taking hold of 
,god's strength1 we must make full proof
 of this as a weapon with which to      
effect the subversion of slavery4 ,it   
may be that importunate1 persevering    
prayer will effect more in behalf of the
 enslaved than all other                
instrumentalities4 ,it is1 at least1    
quite certain that other means will     
prove inefficacious1 if this be not     
superadded4  ,but the question we are   
considering has a negative as well as   

positive side2 and we will next inquire1
 what we anti-slavery ,christians ought 
to refrain from doing4  #a4 ,we must    
not1 in our efforts to subvert slavery1 
indulge in an unchristian spirit1 or in 
language adapted needlessly to anger and
 alienate those whom it should be our   
aim to win4 ,a cause that is            
intrinsically good may be advocated in a
 bad spirit1 or with improper weapons2  
and such may have sometimes been the    
case with ours4 ,would that all men had 
ever borne it in mind1 that truth and   
love are the only weapons with which to 
wage a successful conflict with this or 
any other deep-seated moral evil4  #b4  
,we must not1 in our zeal for           
emancipation1 allow mere feeling or     
benevolent impulses partially to        
dethrone reason2 and thus disqualify    
ourselves for taking impartial views of 
the subject1 or for accurately          
discriminating between truth and error4 
,there may have been men in the         
anti-slavery ranks1 with whom sympathy  

was every thing1 and reason--and even   
the ,bible--comparatively nothing4 ,in  
obeying the injunction to remember them 
that are in bonds1 they may have        
neglected to remember any thing else4   
,slavery seemed to occupy their entire  
field of vision4 ,hence1 not fully      
informed in regard to the actual        
condition of things at the ,south1 they 
have erroneously supposed that the slave
 codes prevailing there were the        
standard by which to judge of the actual
 condition of the slaves1 and that all  
the ,southern church was actually       
practising the barbarities authorized by
 those codes4 ,as there was no just     
appreciation of the actual conduct of   
masters towards their servants1 so there
 was no allowance made for the          
circumstances which conspired to render 
them masters1 nor for the obstacles     
which stand in the way of their ceasing 
to be masters4 ,it must be admitted1    
that generally1 where unrighteous laws  
are suffered to exist1 the mass of the  

community will not be better than the   
laws2 but there are exceptions1--men who
 intend to give heed to a higher law4   
,so much for allowing an amiable but    
blind sympathy to usurp that throne     
which reason and revelation were        
designed conjointly to occupy4 ,it      
scarcely need be added1 that these      
ultraisms have done much to prejudice   
the anti-slavery cause1 and bring it1 in
 the eyes of some1 into unmerited       
contempt4 ,we must wipe away that       
reproach1 by so conducting our warfare  
with slavery as to evince that we are   
neither men of one idea1 nor men whose  
judgment is led captive by their        
sensibilities4  #c4 ,we must not1 in    
opposing slavery1 indorse the sentiment1
 that one cannot in any conceivable     
circumstances give credible evidence of 
piety1 and yet continue in form to hold 
slaves2 that being a master is1 in any  
and in all circumstances1 a             
disciplinable offence in the church2 or 
that it should1 without exception1      

constitute a barrier to                 
church-membership1 or to the communion  
of saints at ,christ's sacramental      
board4 ,while we believe that all the   
great principles of ,god's ,word go to  
subvert slavery1 and while we are       
constrained to regard the holding of    
slaves as diminishing the evidence of a 
man's piety1 and thus far alienating his
 claims to a good standing in the       
,christian church1 we may nevertheless  
make exceptions1 and not keep a man out 
of the church1 or discipline him when in
 it1 merely because he sustains         
temporarily the relation of master1 not 
for selfish ends1 but1 as in rare cases1
 for benevolent reasons4 ,but if a man  
defends the system1 and takes away from 
a fellow man inalienable human rights1  
then we may and should refuse him       
admission1 or subject him to discipline1
 as the case may be4 ,but1 obvious and  
important as is this distinction1 it is 
one which some anti-slavery men may have
 failed to make2 and that failure may   

have prejudiced or retarded the cause of
 emancipation4 ,a good cause suffers by 
having a single uncandid statement or   
untenable argument advanced in its      
support2 and the friends of the enslaved
 must afford their opponents no room for
 saying1 that their reasonings are      
illogical or anti-scriptural4  #d4 ,we  
must not1 in seeking the extinction of  
,american slavery1 so insist on its     
immediate abolition as to repudiate the 
responsibility which a master owes to   
this dependent and depressed class of   
his fellow beings2 but that that end be 
kept steadily in view1 to be            
accomplished as speedily as is          
consistent with the best good of the    
parties concerned4 ,the immediate and   
total extinction of southern slavery1 if
 not obviously impossible1 is of        
questionable expediency4 ,the upas of   
,american slavery has struck its roots  
so deep1 and shot its branches so far1  
and so interlaced itself with all       
surrounding objects1 that1 to have it   

instantaneously and unreservedly        
uprooted1 might prove1 in many cases1   
disastrous2 and1 at all events1 is not  
to be expected4 ,to say nothing of other
 obstacles to the immediate abolition of
 ,southern slavery1 the highest good of 
many of the slaves makes it inexpedient4
 ,some1 probably many of them1 need to  
pass through an educating process1--a   
kind of mental and moral                
apprenticeship1--in order to their      
profiting largely by the boon of        
emancipation4,j  ,,ii4 ,we are now to   
inquire1 lastly1 what duties1 positive  
and negative1 this great question       
devolves on those ,christians among whom
 ,american slavery has its seat1 or who 
are personally identified with it4      
,hoping1 brethren1 that the sentiments  
thus far advanced are your sentiments1  
,i shall have your further assent when  
,i say1  #a4 ,that the extinction1 at   
the earliest consistent date1 of the    
system of servitude existing among you1 
is a result at which you ought steadily 

and strenuously to aim4 ,and1 as you    
see1 we base this obligation of yours1  
not on the assumption of any sinfulness 
which you may sustain to slavery1 but on
 the acknowledged injustice and woes1   
past1 present1 and prospective1 of the  
system as a system1--its contrariety1 as
 a system1 to the fundamental principles
 of ,christianity4 ,did we regard you as
 necessarily sinners1 if in any sense   
you hold slaves1 then the least we could
 ask of you would be1 that with         
contrition of heart you should          
instantaneously cease to indulge in this
 sin1 for all sin should be immediately 
abandoned4 ,as it is1 we only ask1 that1
 just as fast as your slaves can be     
prepared for freedom1 and as the        
providence of ,god may put it in your   
power to liberate them1 you will do so4 
,we are not so unwise as to expect that 
the work of extinction can be           
accomplished in a day4 ,we know1 too1   
that you are not1 in your church        
capacity1 the constituted arbiters of   

the question as a question of ,state    
policy4 ,and1 so long as your           
legislatures and their constituencies   
are resolved on maintaining the system1 
perhaps you will be unable to effect as 
much as you desire in the way of        
promoting its overthrow4 ,and yet1      
brethren1 there is a way in which we    
think you can1 with entire safety and   
manifest propriety1 contribute largely  
and directly to the extinction of       
,american slavery4 ,would the entire    
,southern church cease all personal     
participation in slavery1 and throw her 
whole weight and influence into the     
scale of slavery's complete subversion1 
that consummation devoutly to be wished 
would soon ensue4 ,slave-holding1 no    
longer practised or justified by the    
church1 but discountenanced1 could not  
long retain its foothold in the ,state4 
,now if this be so1 our slaveholding    
brethren will confess that they are     
imperiously bound1 by motives of        
,christian duty1 to liberate their      

bondmen with all consistent speed4      
,meantime1 and as one important means of
 qualifying them for freedom1 you ought1
  #b4 ,to see to it that not only your  
own1 but all the bondmen among          
you1--your entire slave population1--are
 furnished with the ,bible1 and         
qualified to read and comprehend it2 and
 also with stated preaching4 ,they need 
a written and preached gospel1 were it  
only to fit them to exchange1 with      
advantage1 a state of vassalage for the 
dignity of freemen2 for all experience  
proves that the ,bible and the pulpit   
are of all instruments the best to      
qualify men safely to exercise the right
 of self-government4 ,but there is a    
servitude more dreadful by far than any 
domestic bondage that men have ever     
groaned under2 and your slaves need the 
,bible1 and the ,bible preached1 to     
prove ,god's instruments of breaking the
 chains imposed by ,satan1 and making   
them ,christ's freemen4 ,before ,god and
 in prospect of eternity1 the           

distinctions between the master and his 
slave dwindle into insignificance4      
,having souls that are alike impure and 
alike precious1 alike remembered by a   
dying ,saviour and alike in need of the 
regenerating change1 they stand alike in
 need of ,god's ,word1 written and      
preached1 as the ,spirit's instrument in
 renewing and sanctifying the soul4     
,hence the ,bible and preaching are as  
much the rightful inheritance of the    
slave as of the master4 ,we rejoice that
 these truths and the obligations       
resulting therefrom are1 to some extent1
 recognized by southern ,christians2 and
 that1 in spite of certain adverse      
statutes1 so much is being done there   
for the spiritual well-being of the     
slaves4 ,go on1 brethren1 in the good   
work of evangelizing your slave         
population2 in teaching them the art of 
reading and the rudiments of knowledge2 
in putting the ,bible into their hands1 
and affording them stated opportunities 
to read it1 and to hear it expounded by 

you and by ,christ's ministers4 ,go on1 
we say1 till there be not one southern  
slave1 who1 in point of religious       
privileges1 is not on a footing of      
equality with yourselves4 ,prosecuting  
this laudable work in the spirit of     
love1 you will probably encounter no    
serious opposition4 ,the adverse but    
dead statutes referred to will not1 we  
hope1 be galvanized into life1 in order 
to oppose you4  ,it only remains that we
 name a few things1 which we trust our  
,southern brethren will unite with us in
 saying that they should refrain from   
doing4 7#a47 ,you ought not to1 and we  
trust you will not1 betray impatience   
and irritation1 whenever we of the      
,north attempt to press the claims of   
the enslaved on your attention4 ,your   
doing this1--as you sometimes           
have1--seems to indicate1 that1 in your 
opinion1 we ,northern ,christians have  
no responsibility in regard to slavery  
and its evils2 and that when we discuss 
this theme we make ourselves busybodies 

in other men's matters4 ,to the justness
 of this opinion we cannot subscribe4   
,while we disclaim all right or         
intention to break our compact with you 
as ,states1 we feel that ,american      
slavery is a question of too great      
moment to ourselves and to unborn       
generations for us to have no concern   
with or responsibility for2 and as      
patriots1 as philanthropists1 as        
,christians1 we are constrained to do   
all that we rightfully may for the      
downfall of this hoary system of wrong  
and woe4 ,if any of you differ with us  
in opinion on this theme1 we trust you  
will allow us to discuss it to our      
heart's content2 and that you will      
listen to our reasonings with ,christian
 meekness and candor4 ,not to do so will
 be construed as an evidence of         
intrinsic weakness in your cause4 7#b47 
,you will freely admit1 we presume1 that
 certain practices are authorized by    
your slave laws1 in which you must not  
indulge even so long as by any necessity

 you hold slaves4 ,your slave codes1 for
 example1 do not recognize the sanctity 
of family ties and the domestic         
affections as existing among slaves2    
but1 as ,christian masters1 you must4   
,you doubtless believe1 as do we1 that  
the marriage relation1 with all its     
rights and immunities1 was as much      
designed for the negro as for the white 
man2 that he1 as truly as the other1 is 
entitled to cleave unto his wife1       
unexposed to the danger of man's putting
 asunder what ,god hath so closely      
joined1 that they are no more twain1 but
 one flesh4 ,you believe1 too1 that ,god
 united husband and wife thus           
indissolubly1 not simply that they might
 be a help and solace to each other in  
the toilsome pilgrimage of life1 but    
that the children with which ,god should
 bless them might grow up under their   
supervision1 and by them be qualified   
for a career of usefulness and honor4   
,thus you believe1 and believing thus1  
you will not1 we trust1 counteract      

,god's benevolent designs1 by           
countenancing1 in your own practice1 the
 separation of husbands and wives1 or of
 parents and their offspring4 ,we feel  
assured1 that1 whatever your laws may   
allow1 or non-professing masters around 
you may do1 you will never ignore the   
conjugal or parental rights of your     
servants1 or indulge in any thing       
adapted to mar their domestic enjoyment4
 ,were you to do so1 we confess we could
 not extend to you the right hand of    
fellowship as brethren in ,christ4 ,were
 a church-member of ours to practise    
thus1 we should regard him as amenable  
to discipline4 ,we should also regard it
 as disciplinable for a master to       
overwork1 or brutally chastise1 or but  
half feed and clothe his servants2 or to
 hold slaves for mere purposes of gain1 
or to traffic in them4 ,none of these   
inhumanities could we reconcile with the
 obligations of a ,christian profession2
 and we confidently hope that in these  
views you will heartily concur1 and that

 with them your practice will           
correspond4  ,christian brethren of the 
,north and the ,south6 ,the question we 
have been considering is one of vast    
moment4 ,upon the right disposition of  
it are suspended1 under ,god1 interests 
of immeasurable value1 and which stretch
 far out into the unseen future of our  
country and the world4 ,coming ages and 
unborn generations are to be affected2  
favorably or otherwise1 by the decision 
of this vexed question2 and1 brethren1  
unless ,i misjudge1 its right decision  
is1 to a very great extent1 lodged in   
our hands4 ,as decides the ,american    
church1 so1 methinks1 will decide the   
,american people4 ,and now1--may ,i     
confess it8--,i have dared to hope that 
the sentiments of this ,essay are not   
only sound1 but in unison with the views
 of the great mass of ,american         
,christians4 ,are we not agreed in this3
 that ,american slavery is a system of  
deep injustice and wrong1 not sanctioned
 by the ,word or the providence of ,god2

 fraught with incalculable mischief to  
the interests of both masters1 and      
slaves1 and to the social and religious 
well-being of our whole country2 a blot 
on the escutcheon both of the nation and
 of the church2 a weapon for scepticism 
to wield1 and an obstacle to the        
introduction of millennial glory2 and   
hence1 a system which ought speedily to 
terminate1 and which all good men should
 unitedly oppose and seek to subvert8   
,if we are thus agreed1 let us join     
hands as well as hearts1 and1 swerving  
neither to the extreme of passive       
indifference on the one hand nor to that
 of erratic fanaticism on the other1 in 
the majesty of principle let us move    
calmly onward1 a phalanx of ,christian  
philanthropists1 attempting naught but  
what they are assured ,god would have   
them attempt1 and employing only such   
means as are warranted by an enlightened
 conscience4 ,leaning prayerfully on    
,him who hears the sighing of the       
oppressed1 let us push vigorously       

forward1 and1 though the year of jubilee
 has not yet fully come1 be assured it  
will come1--that proud day1 when not    
only throughout all the land1 but       
throughout the civilized world1 liberty 
shall be proclaimed unto all the        
inhabitants thereof4 ,hasten its advent1
 ,o ,thou that hearest prayer1 and that 
delightest in mercy6 ,amen and ,amen4   
,,footnotes3  ,a ,an extended passage   
containing the extract may be found     
conveniently in ,chambers' ,cyclopdia of
 ,english ,literature1 vol4 #b1 p4 #bdf4
  ,b ,genesis1 #ajth ,chapter4 ,vide1   
,kitto's ,cyclopdia1 for views in this  
connection4  ,c ,col4 #d3a2 ,ye masters1
 give unto your servants that which is  
just and equal4 ,that is1 act towards   
them on the principles of justice and   
equity4 ,justice requires that all their
 rights1 as men1 as husbands1 and as    
parents1 should be regarded4 ,and these 
rights are not to be determined by the  
civil law1 but by the law of ,god4444   
,but ,god concedes nothing to the master

 beyond what the law of love allows4    
,paul requires for servants not only    
what is strictly just1 but ,greek3 tn   
isotta4 ,what is that8 ,literally1 it is
 equality4 ,this is not only its        
signification1 but its meaning4         
,servants are to be treated by their    
masters on the principles of equality4  
,not that they are to be equal with     
their masters in authority or station or
 circumstances2 but that they are to be 
treated as having1 as men1 as husbands1 
and as parents1 equal rights with their 
masters4 ,it is just as great a sin to  
deprive a servant of the just recompense
 for his labor1 or to keep him in       
ignorance1 or to take from him his wife 
or child1 as it is to act thus towards a
 free man4 ,this is the equality which  
the law of ,god demands1 and on this    
principle the final judgment is to be   
administered4 ,christ will punish the   
master for defrauding the servant as    
severely as he will punish the servant  
for robbing his master4 ,the same       

penalty will be inflicted for the       
violation of the conjugal or parental   
rights of the one as of the other4 ,for1
 as the apostle adds1 there is no       
respect of persons with him4 ,at his bar
 the question will be1 ,what was done8  
not ,who did it8 ,paul carries this so  
far as to apply the principle not only  
to the acts1 but to the temper of       
masters4 ,they are not only to act      
towards their servants on the principles
 of justice and equity1 but are to avoid
 threatening4 ,this includes all        
manifestation of contempt and ill       
temper1 or undue severity4 ,all this is 
enforced by the consideration that      
masters have a ,master in heaven1 to    
whom they are responsible for their     
treatment of their servants4444         
,believers will act in conformity with  
the ,gospel in this4 ,and the result of 
such obedience1 if it could become      
general1 would be1 that first the evils 
of slavery1 and then slavery itself1    
would pass away naturally1 and as       

healthfully as children cease to be     
minors4  ,prof4 ,hodge's ,commentary4   
,d ,see #b ,brevard's ,digest1 #bbi2    
,prince's ,digest1 #ddf4  ,e ,civil     
,code1 ,art4 #ce4  ,f ,job ch4 #cb1 v4  
#ag-bj1 ,barnes's translation4  ,g ,it  
is sometimes said that the crime of     
adultery is neither perpetrated nor     
encouraged by the breaking up of        
slave-families1 because1 generally1 the 
connections formed are not truly        
marriage1 not being solemnized according
 to forms of law1 and hence the marriage
 obligation cannot be violated4  ,it may
 be replied1 if this be so1 it presents 
slavery in a worse light still1 for it  
encourages and perpetuates a state of   
universal concubinage4 ,but it is not   
so4 ,when a slave takes a companion1 and
 they consent and engage to live        
together as husband and wife until      
death1 and they thus declare their      
intentions before others1 whether any   
legal form is gone through or not1 they 
are as truly no more twain but one flesh

 as were ,adam and ,eve4 ,it has been   
thus decided by our courts in regard to 
white persons4  ,h ,rev4 ,r4 ,i4        
,breckenridge1 ,d4 ,d4  ,i ,mehemet     
,ali4  ,j ,the publishers understand the
 writer to mean1 that the working of    
them without wages1--the withholding    
that which is just and equal1--should be
 immediately and universally abandoned1 
and that emancipation should be granted 
as speedily as the slaves can be        
prepared to use and enjoy their freedom4
 ,the right should be acknowledged1 and 
the needful means for its security      
immediately used4 ,the writer does not  
say1 that holding men in bondage is not 
generally sinful1 nor that all sin      
should not be immediately repented of   
and forsaken1 but only that there may be
 exceptions where for a time1 and under 
very peculiar circumstances1 it may not 
be sinful1 and cannot consistently with 
the greatest good be abandoned1 without 
some previous means of preparation4