OCR Text |
Show 118 duty, so plainly taught him to take into his own hands the work which a superior power had begun, to spare no effort, no expense, for binding to him by new ties those who were to throw off theit· former chains, that we know not how to account for his conduct, but by supposing that his unhappy position as a slaveholder had robbed him of his reason, as well as blunted his moral sense. In this country no power but that of the slaveholding States can remove the evil, and none of us arc anxious to take the office from their hands. They alone can do it safely. They alone can determine and apply the true and sure means of emancipation. That such means exist I cannot doubt; for emancipation has already been carried tbmugh successli..Jly in other countries; and even were there no precedent, I should be sure, that, under God's benevolent and righteous government, there could uot be a necessity for holding human beings in p~ rpe tual bondage. This faith, however, is not universal. 1\iany, when they hear of the evils of slavery, say, "It is bad, but remediless. There are no means of relief." They say, in a despairing tone,'' Give us your plan;" and justify their indifference to emancipation, by what they call its hopelessness. This state of mind has induced me to offer a few remarks on the means of remaving slavery; not that 1 suppose, that an individual so distant can do the work ta which the whole intel- 119 lect and benevolence of the South should be summoned, but that I may suggest a few principles, which I think would insure a happy result to the bene volent enterprise, and that .I may remove the incredulity of which l have complained. What, then, is to be do11e for the removal of slavery? In the first place, the slaveholders should solemnly disclaim the right of property in human beings. The great principle, that man cannot belong to man, should be distinctly, solemnly recognised. T he slave should be acknowledged as a partaker of a common nature, as having the essential righ ts of humanity. This great truth lies at the foundation of every wise plan for his relief. The cordial admission of it would bive a consciousness of dignity, of grandeur, to eflorts for emancipation. There is, indeed, a grandeur in the idea of raising more than two millions of human beings to the enjoyment of human rights, to the blessings of Christian civilization, to the means of indefinite improvement. The slavcholding States are called to a nobler work of benemlence than is committed to any other communities. They should comprehend its dignity. This they cannot do, till the slave is truly, sincerely, with the mind and heart, recognised as a Man, till he ceases to be reuardcd as Property. 0 It may be asked, whether, in calling the slaveholding States to abolish property in the slave, I |