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Show 292 LIBERTY AND SLAVERY. party, on the condition and prosperity of the world. Otherwise it might easily have been shown that every civilized portion of the globe would feel the shock. This point has been very happily, though briefly, illustrn.tcd by Governor Hammond, in his "Letters on Slavery." Nor has it formed any part of our purpose, in the fol. lowing section, to discuss the influence of American slavery on the future destiny and civilization of Africa. This sffbject has been ably discussed by various writers; and especially by an accomplished divine, the Rev. William N . Pendleton, in a discourse published in tho "Virginia Colonizationist,, for September, 1854. § VI. Elevation of the Blacks by Southern slavery. The abolitionists, with the most singular unanimity, perseveringly assert that Southern slavery degrades its subjects "into brutes." This assertion fills us with amazement. If it were possible, we would suppose, in a judgment of charity, that its authors knew nothing of the history of Africa or of the condition of our slaves. But snch ignorance is not possible. On the other hand, we find it equally impossible to believe that so many men and women-the very lights of abolitionism-could 1:nowingly utter so palpable a falsehood. Thus we are forced to the conclnsion, that tbc authors of this charge arc so completely carried away by a blind hatred of slavery, that they do not care to AROUMBNT FROM TilE P UDLIC GOOD. 293 keep their words within the sacred bounds of eternal truth. This seems to be the simple, melancholy fact. The great question with them seems to be, not what is true or what is false, but what will most speedily effect the destruction of Southern slavery. AI1y thing that seems to answer this purpose is blindly and furiously wielded by them. The Edinburgh Review, in a high-wrought eulogy on an American authoress, says that she assails slavery with arrows "poi· soned by truth." ITer words, it is true, are dipped in flaming poison; bnt that poison is not tr·uth. The truth is never poison. The native African could not be degraded. Of the fifty millions of inhabitants of the continent of Africa, it is estimated that forty mil. lions were slaves. The master had the power of life and death over the slave; and, in fact, his slaves were often fed, and killed, and eaten, just as we do with oxen nncl sheep in this country. Nay, the bind and fore·qnarters of men, women, and children, might th ere be seen hung on the shambles and exposed for sale! Their women wcr·c beasts of burden; and, when young, they wer·e regarded as a g r·cat delicacy by the palate of theiL· pampered mastcr·s. A warrior would sometimes take a score of young females along 2:.i"* |