OCR Text |
Show 18 PORTRAITURE OF SLAVERY. rewarded, and accompanied by temperance and economy is, with but casual exceptions, to every individual blci: sed with health, an infallible source of competence and wealth. As our all. wise Creator has fitted our organization, individually, to the acquirement of the means of s~tbsistencc, without depending on the labor and generostty of each other, th.ere can b~ no doubt but he designed that each should retam and enJOY the products of his own hands, without molestation. It is certain that the labor of a slave is o~ more value than the expense of his daily pcrsonaltlecesstttes, or he could not be sold ( notwithstanding the risk of premature death,) for 4oo or 900 dollars. ., ~-h~ excellence of the great fundamental precept of chnstmmty, u Wlzatsoever ye would tlmt men slwuld do tmto. you, _do _ye ~en so unto tlzem," is acknowledged and ad~1rcd, tt IS beheved, by every mrmber of the human fJ.mt_ly, of wh~t~vcr name or nation, that makes any pretensiOn to rehgmn or moral rectitude. And it most assuredly involves this precept also, which is still easier to obey, and cannot be dispensed with in the positive axioms of natural justice;-Whatsocver yc would that men should 110t do unto you, do ye not ~ven ~o unto them. '~'ill any P?Ssc:ssor of slaves or otller.mdi~Idual, _voluntarily consign lu!"self to hard labour durmg hfe? \\'Ill he submit to the wtll and tempt:r of another man, and surrender at his feet the wl•ole of the products of his toil? Unconditional slave;y is contrary to the precepts _o_f reli~ion, n~oral justic~, and the ab~tract, ~atural and po~Ittcal nghts of man. It IS a black, accumulatmg, tlzreatemng-thundercloud, in our moral horizon, the sudden explosion of which, might produce dangerous and fatal consequences. I am hence constrained to perfor~ the melancholy task of recording my dissent from the sentiments of tho_se, who, from the purest motives, and most laudable plulanth.ropy, request the universal, simultaneous, and uncondzttonat emancipation, of a numerous body of meek .reople, now groaning under the grievous yoke and goadmg lash of brutal unrcwarded servitude in these United. S~tes, "tl~e wo,·lcl's best hope." Yet r' do not mean to mtnnate that equal justice should not, or can- PORTRAITURE OF SLAVERY, 19 not be rendered to them. If guided by discretion, it may be administered to them with the highest advantage, and most perfect safety, to both parties. African servitude might, at the outset, be rendered so tolerable and reasonable, thut the present appellation or slavery' which s?unds. so disco~dant, in connexion with the cheering mustc of !tberty, m1ght be exchanged for some title, attended with a less chilling and base note.-Let Masters, without hesitation, become Patrons, Guardians, li'riends, Civil Govcnzors.-Let Slaves be converted into tenants and indented servants, (or laborers) bound, jbr the present, by the lamentable crisis of existing circumstanccs.-ln compliance with the loud and imperatiVe denmnds of jus~ tice and humanity' and the injunctions or policy and self interest, let their toil be carefully and justly proportioned to tl1eir bodily strength, and rewarded by a sufficiency of comfortable nourishment, clothing, and shelter. And, particularly in cases of correct behaviour and diligence, let a reasonable sum be paid, monthly or annually, to those who have discretion to make a proper use of it, or allotted and reserved for the education and eventual benefit of their children. Let them be effectually protected from the destructive ravages 9f distilled spirits. Let them not be bought and sold as beasts of the harness, without their consent; unless guilty of criminal conduct;--~md Jet this be decided by the Jaws of the country. Nor for all the silver in the mines of Potosi, let nn ounce of iron be riM vetted upon their 11eclcs, ·wrists, or ancles ~· for he who fashioned these sections of their bodies, never clPsigned them fOr such barbarous purposcs ! Let the "resounding laslz, "* and the ~wage arts of torture and cruelty be laid aside. The adoption of a discipline, founded on justice and reciprocal equity, will render these unnecessary. It is a very important fhct, in human nature, that men, in all conditions, perform their duty with far greater alacrity and pleasure, when prompted by the exhilarating anticipation of rtw:.u-d and advantage, than by coercion, and thr paralyzing menace of penalties and pain.t *Horner. t The ingenious nnd benevolent 1\lr. J.l\I'Leod, teacher of a respectable seminary in the city o[ \Vashington1 has assured the aulhor. |