J-^^^^^^^^^ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DATE DUE "^Hfiff-^i-m g^ aECjLi:80-Jf- 4m T /!^7rSH t-^96f Cornell University Ubrary E443 .W89 A review of Uncle "foilJl'SiiiSJliJiiii 1111191(1 3 1924 032 774 402 otin Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032774402 o A R,^^?^,W UNCLE TOM^S CABIN; OB, AN ESSAY ON SLAVERY. BY A. WOODWARD, M. D. OUTCIITKATI: PUBLISHED BY APPLEGATE & CO. 1853. / CORNELL UNIVERSITY Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, BY A. WOODWAED, k. D., In the Clerk's Offir.e of the District Court of the United States, for the District of Indiana. BTERBOTTFED AND PRINTED BT T. WRlOHTaon. Second st.. Cincinnati, PREFACE. For the last two years a " still small voice " has con- stantly -whispered to me, in private and in pubKc, at home and abroad, saying, write I It was in vain that I strove to quiet this inward monitor by pleading incapacity, poverty, want of time, &c.; he heeded not my excuses. I inquired what would become of my dependant family, should I relinquish the practice of my profession and en- gage in other pursuits? He answered, " Put thy trust in the Lord, and write!" I yielded not to his monitions, but continued with unabated ardor the practice of my profes- sion, until the latter part of autumn, 1852, when I was suddenly prostrated by disease, and forced to desist from the practice of medicine. I then commenced as soon as I was able, the preparation of a work, which I contem- plated bringing before the public at some future period, provided I should live. In accordance with the plan of the proposed work, an essay on African slavery was to close the volume. After I had finished about a hundred pages manuscript, in order, the question of African slavery in the United States suddenly thurst itself upon my mind with such force, that I foundit somewhat diflScult to inves- tigate any other subject. My mind at the time was enerva- IV PEKFAOE. ted by disease, and by no means well disciplined. Hence I could not control it. For this reason, I at once concluded to draw up a skeleton or outline of my essay on slavery; after which I contemplated resuming my work in regular order. It was about this time that my health rapidly declined, and I became so feeble that I could not sit at my table more than one or two hours in twenty-four. In this condition, by a slow process, I finished from chapter i, to the close of chapter xiii. The Introduction was written afterwards, to supply some obvious defects in that portion of the work alluded to. None need tell me that there are defects and imper- fections in the work. I am well aware of the fact, but could not remedy them without re-writing the whole, and that was impracticable under the circumstances. Critics need not trouble themselves about its defects as a literary pro- duction, as I lay no claim to merit on that ground. Having been actively engaged in the practice of an arduous and perplexing profession for the last twenty-five years, I am aware that my qualifications for authorship must be some- what defective. I was moreover forced to write, when my corporeal system was exhausted, and my mental powers oppressed by a complication of diseases. There are not many, I conceive, who will find any difficulty in clearly comprehending 1 he ideas I intended to convey ; if so, my object is accomplished. The work was written under disadvantageous circum- stances ; but such as it is, I cast it out on the great sea of public opinion to abide its fate. If good is accomplished thereby, I shall rejoice ; but if it is destined to sink into oblivion, I shall console myself with the reflection that I had no other object in writing, but the correction of error and the welfare of my fellow creatures. I may err, but I appeal to " the searcher of all hearts " for the purity of PEEFACE. V my motives and intentions. Whatever may be the effects of this work on the public mind ; light and truth were my aim, and the best interests of my fellow beings, my sole object. I appear before the public with reluctance, and am ex- ceedingly moi-tified that it has fallen to my lot to treat any portion of my fellow citizens with severity ; but I am nevertheless prepared to meet the sneers and frowns of those implicated. I shall offer no apology for the harsh language which will be occasionally found in thi? volume ; as a desperate disease requires an active remedy. If I could, however, have re-written the work, I would have changed, in some places, the phraseology. I have brought many and serious charges against the abolition faction in the United States, but those who are not guilty of the charges alleged, need not feel aggrieved thereby. My remarks, for the most part refer to what is called vltra-aholUionism. It is probable that I have occasion.'illy quoted the lan- guage of others, without marking the same as a quotation. If so, it was not intentional. I could not, in doubtful cases, refer to writers whose ideas I may have used, on account of ill health. In quoting from the Bible I relied almost entirely on my own memory; but I presume I am generally correct. I have now finished a task — by no means a pleasant one — and I have done it with a trembling hand, for the subject is a delicate one — a subject of intense interest, un- der the existing circumstances, to every American citizen. To me, the signs of the times appear to be ominous — ^to fore- bode evil 1 I sometimes fear that our political sun has passed the zenith — lowering clouds intercept his rays, and at times obscure his former brightness, majesty and glory. The ship of State is tossed by furious winds, and Vi PEEFACiC. threatened by boisterous waves — crocks and quicksands are on the right and left — an awful wreck awaits her, and can only be averted by vigilance, prudence, caution and circumspection on the part of her crew. Gbeehcastle, Ind., May, 1853. REYIEW OF UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; OB AN ESSAY ON SLAVERY. INTRODUCTION. SECTION I. Since the following chapters were prepared for the press, my attention was directed by a friend, to a letter published in a Northern paper, which detailed some shocking things, that the writer had seen and heard in the South ; and also some severe strictures on the institution of domestic slavery in the South- ern States, &c. I have in the following work, related an anecdote of a young lawyer, who being asked how he could stand up before the court, and with unblushing au- dacity state falsehoods ; he very promptly answered, "I was well paid; I received a large fee, and could therefore afford to lie." I infer from the class of let- ters referred to, that the writers are generally " well paid" for their services. It has long been a practice of abolition editors in the Northern States, when they were likely to run short of matter, to employ some worthy brother, to travel South, and manufacturearticlesfor their papers. 8 A EEVIEW OF UNOLE TOm's CABOT, Many of these articles are falsehoods ; and most of them, if not all, are exaggerations. No man who will consent to go south, and perform this dirty work, is capable of writing truth. And moreover, many of the letters published in abolition papers, purporting to have been written from some part of the South, were concocted by editors and others at home ; the writers never having traveled ii&j miles from their native villages. But some of them do travel South and write letters ; and it is of but little consequence what they see, or what they hear; they have engaged to write letters, and letters they must write : letters too, of a certain character ; and if they faU to find material in the South, it then devolves on them to manufacture it. They have engaged to furnish food for the depraved appetites of a certain class of readers in the North ; and furnish it they must, by some means. They truly, are an unlucky set of fellows, for I never yet heard of one of them, who was so fortunate as to find anything good or praiseworthy among Southern peo- ple. This is very strange indeed! ''They travel South with an understanding on the part of their em- ployer, and with an intention on their part, to mis- represent the South, and to excite prejudice in North- ern minds. How devoid of patriotism, truth and justice. The mischief done by these misrepresenta- tions is inconceivable. If every abolitionist North of Mason and Dixon's line, were separately and in- dividually asked, from whence he derived his opi- nions and prejudices in relation to Southern men, and Southern slaveiy, nine hundred and ninety-nine out of OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVKBY. 9 every thousand would answer, that they had learned all th^t they knew about slavery and slaveholders irom the publication of abolitionists : not one in a thousand among^them having ever seen a southern slave or his master. "Truth is stranger than fic- tion ;" and it is also becoming more rare. No won- der people are misled, when the country is flooded i with abolition papers and Uncle Tom's Cabin. No one can read such publications without being misled by them, unless he is, or has been, a resident of a slave State. It is thus that materials are famished for abolition papers and such publications as Uncle Tom's Cabin ; and it is thus that the public mind is poisoned, public morals vitiated, and honest but ignorant men led to say and do many things, which must, sooner or later, result in deplorable conse- quences, imless something can be brought to bear on the public mind that wiU counteract the evU. " The writer hopes, through the blessing of God, that the following pages wiU prove an efl&cient antidote. Southern people have their faults ; they err in many things: and far be it from me, under such circumstances, to become their apologist. It is not as a defender of the South I appear before the public, but in defense of my country, North and South. "We are all brethren; we are aU citizens of the same heaven-favored country ; and how residents of one part of it can spend their lives in vilifying, traducing, and misrepresenting those of another portion of it, is, to me, unaccountable. It is strange, indeed ! I entreat my countrymen to reflect soberly on these things ; and in the name of all that 10 A REVIEW OF 0NCLE TOM's CABIN, is sacred I entreat you, my abolition friends, to pause a while, in your mad career, and review the whole ground. It may be that some of you may yet see the error of your course. I cannot give you all up. I trust in God that you are not all given over to "hardness of heart and reprobacy of mind." A word to the reader. Pass on — hear me through — never mind my harsh expressions and uncouth lan- guage. Truth is not very palatable, to any of us, at all times. Crack the nut ; it may be that you will find a kernel within that wiU. reward you for your trouble. False impressions have been made, and continue to be made by the writers alluded to above ; sectional hatred is engendered, North and South ; and if this incessant warfare continues, it will, at no very distant day, produce a dissolution of this Union. This result is inevitable if the present state of things continues. Has the agitation and discussion of the question of Airican slavery, in the free States, resulted in any good, or is it ever likely to result in any ? I flatter myself that I have clearly shown, in the following pages, that hitherto its consequences have been evil and only evil, and that nothing but evil can grow out of it in future. I think that I have adduced histori- Pcal facts which clearly and indisputably prove that northern agitation has served but to rivet the chains of slavery ; that it has retarded emancipation ; that it has augmented the evils and hardships of slavery that it has inflicted injury on both masters and ser- vants ; that it has engendered sectional hatred which l^dangers the peace, prosperity, and perpetuity of the OE AN ESSAY ON 8LAVEBT. 11 Union, Why, then, mil abolitionists persist in a course so inconsistent ; so contrary to reason ; so op- posed to truth, righteousness, and justice.? They need not teU me that slayery is an evil ; that slavery is a curse; that slavery is a hardship, and that it ought to be extinguished. I admit it; but this is not the question. On this head I have no contro- versy with them. The question is, whether their course of procedure is ever likely to remove or mitigate the evils of slavery. Are we prepared, in our efforts to remove the evils of slavery, to incur the risk of subjecting ourselves to calamities infinitely worse that African slavery itself? Or rather, is there the remotest probability, supposing the plans and schemes of abolitionists should be carried out, the Union dissolved, and the country plunged into civil war, that slavery would thereby be abolished in the southern States ? These are the questions at issue between the aboli- tion party and the writer ; and these are among the prominent questions discussed in the following pages. It is true that I have hastUy glanced at slavery in all its bearings, but it was the fell spirit of abolitionism which first attracted my attention, and induced me to investigate the subject. It was its revolutionary designs and tendencies, its contempt of all law, hu- man and Divine, that first impressed my mind with the necessity of prompt and efficient action on the part of the friends of our country. It was the un- paralleled circulation of Uncle Tom's Cabin that aroused my fears, and excited in my mind apprehen- sions of danger. If such productions as Uncle 12 A EEVBEW OF UHCLE TOM's CABIN, Tom's Cabin are to give tone to public sentimSnt in the North, then assuredly are we in danger. Should Mrs. Stowe's vile aspersion of southern character, and her loose, reckless and wicked misrepresentations of the institution of slavery in the southern States ever become accredited in the northern section of the Union I fear the consequence. I sometimes survey the condition of my country vnth consternation and dismay, and tremble in prospect of what may yet occur. History records the rise and fall of nations. We read of revolutions, butcheries, and blood. We have flattered ourselves that our beloved country for ages to come, and probably forever, is destined to es- cape these calamities. But, O God ! how mortifying the reflection that there are now, in our midst, reli- gious fanatics and political demagogues, who for a little paltry gain or notoriety would plunge us into all these evils ! I have repeatedly, in the following pages charged the abolition faction with revolutionary designs and tendencies. Some may doubt the truth and justice of the charge ; but I beg such persons to recoUect that abolition writers and orators have, times without number, avowed an intention to overthrow this gov- ernment ; but it matters not what their avowed de- signs and intentions are, for their lawless and sedi- tious com-se leads directly to that result. If they ever succeed in carrying out their plans and schemes we know that revolution and disunion will be the consequence. It was remarked by Mr. Frelinghuy- sen, of New Tork, on a certain occasion, that " abo- litionists are seeking to destroy ovir happy Union." OE AN ESSAY ON SLATEET. 13 Chancellor Walworth says, "They are contemplating a violation of the rights of property secured by the Constitution, and pursuing measures which must lead to civU war. The union of these States is based on what has been called the slavery compromise ; and the Union would have never taken place, had not the right to hold slave property been secured to the slave states, by a provision in the Federal Constitution. Had not the free states relinquished all right to interfere with slavery in the slave states, no union of the slave and free states could ever have taken place. The right to hold slave property, and to manage, control, and dis- pose of that property in their own way; and at their own discretion, was secured to the slave states by a solemn contract between the slave and non-slavehold- ing states, and that contract binds every individual in this nation, North and South. Slave property then, is held under the protection of the supreme law of the nation, and any citizen invading the rights of the South, is guilty of a civil trespass. Hence, all inter- ference with slavery by northern men, is a violation of the spirit, if not of the letter of that constitiitional compact, which binds these states together. Any at- tempt by northern men, either direct or indirect, to dispossess the South of her slave property, or in any way to endanger or injuriously to afiect their interests therein, is a violation of the supreme law of the na- tion. It is an act of bad faith — of gross injustice, and none but bigoted corrupt fanatics, and low politi- cal demagogues, would be guilty of so base an act. It is clear then, that the slave states never wiU 14 A EKVIKW OF UNCUS TOM's CABIN, yield to the requisitions of abolitiomsts, and should that fection ever become the dominant party in the free states, dissolution of the Union will be a neces- sary consequence. Intelligent men, who will persist in a course of conduct so unjust, so illegal, with a perfect knowledge of the probable consequences ; are to all LQtents and purposes, as truly traitors to their country, as was Benedict Arnold ; and as such, they should be viewed and treated. Mark my words, reader, I say, intelligent men, for nine out of every ten among those who have been seduced into the aboli- tion net, are objects of pity, and not of contempt or indignation. Poor souls, they are ignorant ; it is, I suppose, tiieir misfortune and not their fault. In order that I may be clearly understood, I will reiterate the foregoing argument. Before the adop- tion of the Federal constitution, the states were to a great extent sovereign and independent, and of course were in a condition to settle terms on which to form a more perfect union. The North and the South, otherwise, the slave-holding and the non-slaveholding states met in convention to settle those terms. The North in convention conceded to the South the right to hold slave property ; and the sole right of making all laws necessary for the regulation of slavery. It was thus, we see, by a solenan contract or argeement, that the South acquired exclusive right to control do- mestic slavery within her borders. What right then, have the citizens of free states, to intermeddle with it ? They have none, as long as the Federal Consti- tation is the supreme law of the land. The union of these states is based on that instrument, and whenever OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVERY. 15 we cease faithfully to observe its provisions, the Union must necessarily cease to exist. All interference then on the part of the North, endangering the rights or injuriously affecting the intei'ests of the South in slave property, is a violation of the supreme law of the nation. Ineed not say more ; the argument must be clear to eveiy one ; and I think the duty of all concerned equally clear. Ralfe, referring to the adoption of the Federal Constitution, says, "It was no easy task" to reconcile the local interests and discordant prepossessions of diflerent sections of the United States, but it was accomplished by acts of concession." Madison says, " Mutual deference and concession were absolutely necessaiy," and that the Southern Statqs never would have entered the Union, vrithout concession as to slave property. And Governor Eandolph informs us, " That the Southern States conceived tlieir pro- perty in slaves to be secured by this arrangement ?" We are also informed by Patrick Henry, Chief Jus- tice Tiglman, ChanceUor Kent, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, Justice Shaw, Chief Justice Parker, Edward Everett and others, that no union of these states ever could have taken place, had not the right to hold slave property, and the sole right to control that property been conceded to the southern States. And, Edward Everett, moreover, tells us that the northern States " deemed it a point of the highest policy, to enter with the slave states into the present Union." The reader will observe, that a majority of the au- thorities referred to, are northern men of the highest distinction. 16 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, I remarked in the preceding pages, that whoever invades the rights of the South in her slave property, violates the law of the land, and is guUty of a civil trespass; and I will now prove from the sacred record, that in opposing the civil laws of their coun- tiy, they violate the laws of God, and consequently are guUty of a moral trespass. The primitive church of Christ was, under all circumstances, and at all times, subordinate to the civil authorities. They never stopped to inquire whether the laws were good or bad, just or unjust; their business was to obey the laws and not to find fault with them. Christ and his apostles enjoined on their followers unreserved obedience and submission to the civil au- thorities. I need not here quote the language of our Saviour; it must be familiar to every Bible reader. I will, however, quote the remarks of St. Paul and St. Peter, on this topic. The former says, " Let every soul be subject to the higher powers." Whosoever therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God ; and they that resist shaU receive to them- selves damnation." He instructs Bishop Titus to put his flock "in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, and to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work." " To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing meekness unto all men." St. Peter says, "Submit yourselves to every ordi- nance of men for the Lord's sake ; whether to the king as supreme ; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers." There is neither precept nor precedent in the Bible, which will countenance opposition to the OE AN ESSAY ON 8LAVEET. 1^ laws of our country. Ko, not one word in the sa- cred volume, that can be thus construed. Opposi- tion and resistance to the civil authorities, is one of the many corruptions which have crept into the church of Christ. Men " have become wise above what is written ;" and truly as our Saviour said unto the ancient scribes and pharisees, they shall receive the greater damnation." "What a marked . contrast between Christ and lais apostles, and the apostles of modern refqrm, alias abolitionists. How dare they professing Cliristianity to fly in the face of the laws of their country ? How dare they resist the execution of those laws ? How dares Mrs. Stowe inculcate disobedience and open re- sistance to her country's laws ? Great God ! shall our country ever be freed from the dark and damnable deeds of religious fanatics ? Shall our country eyer be freed from the curse of curses, religious ultraism, bigotry, and delusion ? Let those who profess to be the followers of the. meek and lowly Jesus — those who profess to take the Bible as then." guide, cease from their unwarrantable and seditious opposition to the laws of their country ; or otherwise let them re- nounce the Bible, lay aside their Christian ^arb, and appear before ns in their true colors, that we may know who they are, what they are, whom they serve, and under what standard they are fighting. Throw oif your masks, gentlemen ; don't try to deceive us any longer; some of us understand you, and we intend to expose you, and hold you up to the publip gaze, as long as the good Lord will vouchsafe to us health and strength sufficient to sit in our seats, and 18 A EBVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, hold a pen in our hands. Tour conduct is a reproach to the Christian name, a stigma on the Christian cha- racter. SECTION 11. There are nearly four millions of slaves in the United States ; and the question now presents itself to every free bom American citizen ; what are we to do with them? The abolition party demand their immediate emancipation. Is it practicable, safe, or proper ? What would be the consequences ? What would be the consequence of turning loose upon our- selves four millions of human beings, to prowl about like wild beasts without restraint, or control, and com- mit depredations on the white population? Four millions of human beings without property or cha- racter, and utterly devoid of all sense of honor and shame, or any other restraining motive or influence whatever ! And they too, under the ban of a preju- dice, as firm, as fixed as the laws which govern the material universe. In that event, is it not probable ; is it not almost certain, that there would be either a general massacre of the slaves, or otherwise that the white population would be forced to abandon the soil ? Will any one pretend to deny that either entire ex- tinction of the African race would be likely to result from universal emancipation, supposing the manu- mitted slaves should remaiQ in our midst, or that otherwise the consequences would be disastrous to the white population? None, I presume. What OE AH ESSAY ON SLAVERY. 19 then shall we do ? The slaves are among us ; they must be governed and provided for, and is it not our duty in making provisions for them, to act with refer- ence to the general welfare of all concerned — ^white and black? Is there an intelligent man in this nation, who has reflected on the subject, that really believes that the condition of the African race in the United States, would be bettered or improved in any respect, by immediate emancipation ? I have clearly shown in the following pages that it would not. Facts prove the contrary. Yes, stubborn undeniable facts, that none but a knave or a fool will gainsay. We know that improvidence, idleness, vagrancy, and crime, are the fruits of emancipation ; not only in the United States, but also in the West Indies. We have already stated on good English authority, (Lord Brougham), that the West India free negroes, are rapidly retrograding into their original barbarism and brutality ; and the London Times quite recently as- serted, that the British emancipation experiment was a failure ; that the negro would not work ; that his freedom was little better than that of a brute ; that the island was going to tlie dogs, and the negroes would have to be removed, &c. Have we any reason to believe, that a difierent result would foUow emancipation in the United States? No, we have none, for it is a notorious fact, that free negroes are everywhere idle and vicious in this coimtry, and that crime among them is ten-fold more common than it is among Southern slaves. "*" We hear a great deal about emancipation — ^the freedom of the African race — ^free negroes, &c. It is 20 A REVIEW OF TJNCLE TOM's OABIN, all sheer nonsense. Strictly speaking, there is not a free negro in the limits of the United States ! There never has been, and there never will be. The white and the black races have never co-existed under the same government, on equal footing, and never can. Their liberty is only nominal ! " It is all a lie and a cheat !" Is the negro free any where in the Northern States ? No, he is not. There is no sympathy be- tween the two races. Northern people loathe and despise free negroes. They cannot bear the sight or smell of them. The negro then is not free anywhere in the Northern States. Not only the prejudices, but also the laws of the free states proclaim it impossible : and the prejudices of the whites against the African race is stronger in the free states, than it is in the slave states. Every free state in this Union is dis- posed to cast them oS as a nuisance. They cannot bear their presence. Their very color renders them odious; and ^his aversion to the African race, is daily becoming stronger and stronger in every free state in this union. Nothing can counteract it — ^noth- ing can overcome it. It is in the very nature of things impossible. No, no! Negro novels piled mountain high in every street and alley, in every city and village in this Union, will accomplish nothing for the poor despised African. "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard, his spots," then may ye who are accustomed to loathe, shun, and cast off the African race, receive them to your kind embraces. It is true that abolitionists affect to have a great deal of sympathy for them while they are slaves in the South, but they have none for the ignorant de- OH AH ES^AY ON SLAVEET. 21- grad«d, half scarved, ill clad, free negroes in the North. No wonder, "for their Southern sympathy costs them nothing, but Northern sympathy might empty their purses. Show me the abolitionist who is willing to meet the free negro on terms of equality. No man can point to one — no, not one. The African is neglected, scorned, and trodden under foot every where; by abolitionists and every one else. This prejudice is invincible, irremediable. The poor African is hopelessly and irretrievably doomed to scorn, contempt and degradation while in the midst of the white race. Is the African allowed the ordi- nary privileges of the white man any where in aU the liberty loving North ? Show me - the spot ! Where is it? Show me the state — show me the neighborhood — ^the man — ^the woman among all the white race in all the North, who is willing to allow the despised African, the ordinary privileges of white men. Ah! you cannot do it. Shame! shame! Hold ! cease, — ^for God's sake cease your hypocritical cant about Southern slavery. No ! no ! there is not a state in all this union where they enjoy the privi- leges of white men. There is not — there never has been — and there never will be ! They are no where equal parties in an action at law. They are no where credible witnesses against white men. They are no where allowed the right of suffrage ; or if the law allows it, they are not suffered to avail themselves of it. They are no where admitted as judge, juror, or counsellor. They arc no where eligible to any office of profit, trust, or honor. Their children are no where admitted into the same school-room with the 22 A EKVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, whites. They are no where protected, encouraged, and rewarded in all the North. They are victims of injustice, scorned and despised in every free state in this confederacy. And abolitionists are as far from making equals of them, or associating with them, as any one else. The city of Baltimore presents the largest and most intelligent mass of free negroes found in the United States. These in an appeal to the citizens of Baltimore, and through them to the people of the United States, say, " we reside among you, and yet are strangers, — natives, yet not citizens — surrounded by the freest people and the most republican institu- tions in the world, and yet we enjoy none of the im- munities of freedom. As long as we remain among you, we shall be a distinct race — an extraneous mass of men irrecoverably excluded from your institutions. Though we are not slaves — we are not free." Judge Blackford, speaking of free negroes, says, " They are of no service here, (in the free states,) to the community or themselves. They live in a coun- try, the favorite abode of liberty, without the enjoy- ment of her rights." Dr. Miller says, " if liberated and left amonw the whites, they would be a constant source of corruption annoyance and danger. They could never be trusted as faithfiil citizens." There is at last no sympathy between the two races, except in the slave states. There, for the most part, we find kind feelings and strong attachments between the slaves and the families in which they re- side. I must, however, refer the reader to other parts OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVBET. 23 of this Tolume for additional remarks on the subjects discussed in the preceding pages, — ^more particularly to chapters, 4, 5, 6, 7. But I would ask, in the name of aJl that is sacred, what advantage, what bene- fit under these circumstances is conferred on the Southern slaves by emancipation ? I know from per- sonal observation, that Southern slaves are better fed, better clothed, and better housed than are free ne- groes, either North or South; in short, they are better paid for their labor. The South is the only part of the United States, where ministers of the gospel are successful in Christianizing the African race — the only part of the United States where there is anything like good order, good morals, or Christianity among them. The only place at last, on this continent, where the African is cared for and provided for, and where there is any thing like sympathy, kindness or fellow-feeling between the two races. It would be weU for the people of- the United States to inquire into the origin of this slavery agita- tion. It is of foreign origin ! It was our old enemy England, that first sowed broadcast the seeds of dis- sension in our midst. Abolitionism in this country first originated in, and has been sustained by, foreign interference, and religious fanaticism. It is the last hope of European monarchies to destroy our republic. The fact is notorious, and is susceptible of proof, that the abolition excitement was first set on foot in this country by British influence. There has been a constant effort in England, to array the North agaiast the South. We have the best of reasons for believ- ing, that her original object was the severance of this 24 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOm's CABIN, Union. One English journal says, " Tne people of England will never rest, till slavery is terminated in the United States ;" and another says, " Slavery can only be reached through the Federal Constitution." That is, slavery can only be reached, by destroying our present form of government, and dissolving our Union. The English are well aware, that they can- not reach slavery in this country, except by dissolving our Union and involving us in civil war ; in which war, of course, they expect to take an active part. In the name of God, are we prepared for all this? Have wo ever counted the cost ? I hope I shall be pardoned for using strong language, when I-aUude to this subject. It is enough. Who that loves his country, can keep cool, while reflecting on these things ? Is it not almost enough to make a Christian swear ? No my friends we wiU not swear about it ; but I entreat you to keep your eyes upon that old rascal, John Bull. He needs watching, and his Northern aUies in the United States, are as vile scamps as he is. I might quote from English journals, and English statesmen, to show what her feelings, views, and intentions have been in relation to this country • but I forbear at present. "We know that her unwarrant- able interference with the civil institutions of our country, did not originate in any sympathy that she felt for the oppressed African in our midst. The idea is ridiculous. The whole history of the English gov- ernment proves the contrary. Talk about the English government sympathizing with the oppressed of other nations. It is nonsense — a ridiculous inconsistency. OB AN ESSAY ON StATEBT. 25 No part of the English government can be pointed out, in which there is not worse slavery in some form or other, than there is in the United States :— yes, worse, far worse, than negro-slaveiy in the Southern States. What says Southy, the English poet, of the great mass of the English poor ? He says that " they are deprived, in childhood, of all instruction, and en- joyment. They grow up without decency— without comfort — ^without hope — ^without morals, and without shame." The North British Keview expressed simi- lar sentiments. If I am correctly informed, negro slavery, itself, is not extinct in the British dominions. I am aware that they call it an apprenticeship, but it is slavery notwithstanding. Yes, it is involuntary slavery and nothing else. But yet she would have us believe that she feels an intense interest in African slavery, in the United States. How does it happen that she is so interested about slavery among us, but is deaf to the cry of her own enslaved and starving millions, in British India, and other parts of her dominions ? It is said that in 1838, five hundred thousand perished of famine, in a single district, in British India; and that too within the reach of English granaries locked up, and guarded by a mili- tary force 1 This is a fair sample of English benevo- lence; alias, English cupidity. And what says Allison the English historian of wretched Ireland ? Her history and her sufierings are familiar to eveiy one. He avows the opinion, in his History of Europe, " that it would be a real blessing to its in- habitants, in lieu of the destitution of freedom, to obtain the protection of slavery." And Murray the 26 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOMS. CABIN, English traveler says of the slaves of the United States, "if' they could forget that they are slaves, their condition is decidedly better than the great mass of European laborers." And what said Dr. Durbin a few years ago of the British nation ? He told us. that " the mass of the people were slaves, and the few were masters without the responsibility of masters." He proceeds to tell ns, that the condition of the slaves of the United States, is in every respect better than millions in Ireland and England. This is the testimony of a distinguished minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, (North,) whom, nobody win suspect of any undue partiality for Southern slave-holders. When we look at the " degradation, the slavery, the exile, the hunger, the toil, the filth and the nakedness," of the English poor , we are astonished at the brazen impudence of that cruel, godless, and hypocritical nation ! Nor are we less surprised, when we think of the ungodly crew of fools and fanatics in the United States, who are leagued, with that monster England to overthrow their own government ! I have said, and I boldly reiterate the assertion, that slavery exists in every, part of the British dominions, in a form far worse than negro slavery in the United States ! And I am able to cor- roborate the truth of the remark, by a volume of the most reliable testimony ; and much of that might be drawn from the admissions of English Journals, and English statesmen. I will quote a few more English authorities, and dismiss the subject. The British. Asiatic Journal says, "the whole of Hindos- tan, with the adjacent possessions, is one magnificent OB AH ESSAY ON SLAVEET. 27 plantation, peopled by more than one hundred mil- lions of slaves, belonging to a company of gentlemen in England, whose power is far more unlimited than any Southern planter over his slaves in the United States." And the same authority teUs us, ^-'that in Malabar, the islands of Ceylon, St. Helena and other places, the English government is a notorious slave- factor — a regular jobber in the purchase and sale of slaves ; and that this system is carried on and per- petuated by the purses and bayonet of the English government." Dr. Bowering affirms of the British subjects in India, " that the entire population of that empire are subjected to the most degrading servitude — a deeper degradation than any produced by Ameri- can slavery." The same writer declares "that a regular system of kidnapping is carried on by the English." The Duke of Wellington remarked in the House of Lords, that "slavery does exist in India- domestic slavery in particular." Sir Eobert Peel made the charge and offered the evidence, "that British merchants are even now deeply and exten- sively engaged in the slave trade;" and that the English government was, at the time he spoke, " en- gaged in a new system of English negro slavery, by the forcible capture of negroes in Africa, &c." We are told by the London Tunes of Feb. 20, 1863, " that British slavery is ten thousand times worse than negro slavery of the United States," and that the condition of those, whom he denominated British slaves, "is a scandal and a reproach, not only to the government, but to the owners of every description of property in England." This is strong language, 28 , A EEVIEW OF tnSOLB TOM's CABIN, and the reader will please recollect, that it is the testi- mony of a leading English Jonmal, so late as Tebru- ar7,1853. Here is an array of English testimony that cannot fail to convince every one that slavery exists to the present moment in the English dominions, in a form far more aggravated than African slavery in the United States. How is it then, that she has been, and is to the present time, making ceaseless and un- tiring efforts to exaggerate the sufferings and the disa- bilities of the African race in our midst, while there is so much suffering and oppression among her own subjects? Is it not an extraordinary circumstance, that a nation who has expended so much blood and treasure in invading the rights of others — a nation that to the present hour tolerates and legalizes slavery in its worst possible forms — or rather, in every possi- ble form ; should affect so much solicitude about its extinction in a foreign government ? In view of all these facts, is it not a humiliating circumstance ; or rather, is it not an outrageous insult to the American people, that Madam Stowe, after having basely caricatured, slandered and misrepresented her own country, to flatter and please the English people, and their Northern allies in the United States; should ■with, her ill-gotten gains fly across the ocean, to join the slanderers, denunciators and libelers of our be- loved country? The world can't produce another instance of such iosulting, arrogant, bare-faced kna- veiy and hypocrisy! A thousand reflections force themselves on my mind, and had I a voice as seven- fold thunder, and could I congregate around me in OE AN ESSAT ON SLAVEET. 29 one solid phalanx, every man, woman and cliild, on the North American portion of this continent; I wolild warn them of their danger. I would direct their attention to the history of nations wrecked, torn to pieces, and almost obliterated from the face of the earth by internal feuds and dissentions-^— by envy, jealousy and hatred ; and that not unfrequently in- stigated by foreign powers. I would point to the catalogue of crimes — the commotions, the dissen- tions, the tumults, the strife — ^the envy, the jeal- ousy, the hatred — ^the wars, the butcheries and bloodsheds, that have been incited by visionary, bigoted, fenatical religionists. I would inculcate the fear and love of God ; the love of our country, and the love of our neighbor as paramount virtues ; and meekness, gentleness and patience, as Christian graces of the first importance ; and resignation to the will of God, and obedience and submission to civil au- thorities, as the duty of all good citizens. And to the ladies I would say, return home ladies, and love your husbands, nurse your babies, attend to your household affairs ; and recollect, that nothing adorns your sex so much, as the ornament of a meek, a quiet spirit. I would also advise you to read your Bibles and other good books, and never again to read or write another novel. And, dear ladies, if you have hitherto worn either bloomers or breeches, lay them aside. I must return from this digression to the subject under discussion. 30 A BEVIEW OF UNOLB TOM's OABIN, SECTION III. It was said a few years ago, that one of the nobility of England openly declaxed, that the sovereigns of Europe had detemoined upon the destruction of the government of the United States; and that they expected to accomplish their infamous designs by involving us in "discord, disunion, anarchy and civil war." He is reported moreover to have said, that they expected to accomplish this, by flooding our country with their vicious refuse pauper population, amd by agitating the subject of slavery among us. Unfortunately for us, England in her nefarious de si^s upon our country, has always found too many allies, aiders and abettors, in our midst. I will not say, that Mrs. Stowe had designs upon the liberties of her country, when she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin ; but this I will say, that in writing that book, she performed an acceptable service for the enemies of her country, for which it seems, from recent demon- strations, they are profoundly thankful. Be it as it may, she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin; the work was republished in England, and we are credibly ii^ormed, that it has almost supplanted the Bible in that country. Travelers tell us, that nothing else is ta&ed about throughout the British dominions. They received it, I suppose, as a revelation from heaven— a revelation of higher authority than the Bible, for the reason, that it is of more recent origin, 'Well she is invited to England by the nation en masse; and if the Saviour of the world should perchance make his advent into the British Isles, on the day OE AN ESSAY OH SLAVEET. 31 that she lands in that country, I think it highly probable, that he would be forced a second time to tahe lodgings in a manger. He might -w^ander tihrough the country unnoticed and unknown, while the whole nation were draggling after Mrs. Stowe's petticoat. He might again be forced to exclaim, " the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" to rest. No Maxthas and Marys would be found in that reprobate country, to minister to him. If so, they would he found among the " lowly," and we understand that they have no part or lot in Mrs. Stowe's visit. No ! no ! she has made money enough by her " life among the lowly^'' and now she is pre- paring to take her stand among the aristocracy of England. We have had from time to time all sorts of isms and schisms in this world ; and Yankee ingenuity has fur- nished us, withal, with a great variety oi notions and notcMe things; among which, wooden nutmegs, wooden bacon hams, bom gun flints and wooden seeds of different kinds, are not the least remarkable. "We certainly have had isms enough to indulge the whims and caprices, and to suit the peculiar predilections, prejudices and prepossessions of all concerned; but it appears from present indications, that we are about to have a new ism forced upon us, whether we will or no. I allude to Uncle Tomism, which I beg leave to call Tomism, as it will sound rather more euphonious. It is rumored that this new sect, viz., the Tomites, have spread with great rapidity through the New England States 32 A EEVIEW OF tTNCLB TOm's CABIN, within the past year; and it is moreover reported, that they have many adherents in other parts of the Union. It mnst have been the rapid spread of Mor- monism that first suggested the idea to Mrs. Stowe, the founder of this sect; for like Jo. Smith, she has ftimished her adherents with a novel for their Bible ; and it is said that a Key to its mysteries is forthcom- ing. In order that nothing should be wanting for their enlightenment, edification and comfort, a dis- tinguished D. D. of a neighboring city, has ftimished them with an elaborate Commentary. The Key and Commentary I have not seen, but their Bible, viz., Uncle Tom's Cabin, I have read. However popular Tomism may be in America, it is said to be more so in England. It appears that this Woolyism, alias, Tomism, has spread with unparalleled rapidity throughout the British domains, and Mrs. Stowe has hastened to that country to instruct them in the doc- trines and mysteries of this New Eevelation. I would suggest to the English nation, that they suffer Mrs. Stowe to make her debut on the lord chancellor's woolsack. Black wool, of course, would be most appropriate on this occasion, and withal, most sig- nificant of her mission. However the English nation may shed their croco- dile tears over the woes and wrongs of the African race in our country; we know that they are a nation of murderers, thieves and robbers. Their religion is little else, but legalized hypocrisy. Justice and humanity never yet found a place in their moral code. It looks well in them to talk about oppression in other lands ; but so it is the world over. Men as vile as OB AN ESSAY ON SLAVMtT. 33 crime can make them, will arrogate to themselves the right to judge and censure others. The history of England for centuries past, is but a record of crime — of wars, hutcheries and bloodshed — ^rapine, injustice, oppression and inhumanity. But she will talk about negro slavery in the United States notwithstanding — and of liberty, and justice, and truth, and righteous- ness, and the rights of man ! " Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye." Perhaps, my English friends, while Mrs. Stowe is in your midst, you had as well suifer her to look around among your " lowly." Perchance she might find material for another novel. Ah ! that would be cruel indeed. "Well, it would — ^but then it might turn out a good speculation " among the lowly ;" and a Yankee is always ready for that. Well, seriously, my good friends across the water, you had better not trust this lady too far. We are aware that when you invited her to your country, it was no part of your design, that she should spend any portion of her time among your servants. Well, then, I would advise you as a iriend, not to trust Yankee cupidity too far. Watch the lady^tvell, otherwise she might yet make a little money by a " life" among your "lowly." But the English nation have had another object in view, in fanning this flame of discord among us, by keeping up the slavery agitation. It was to conceal their own dark and damnable deeds. It is the uni- versal practice of those who are guilty of criminal acts, to bring railing accusations against others, in order to divert public attention from themselves. So it has been with England. She has grown rich by S4 A EKVIEW OF UNCaJE TOM's CABIN, injustice and oppression. Hence, her attempt to divert the attention of the world from herself to her rival, the United States. We know that it is a coni- mon occurrence for persons to attempt to conceal their own crimes, by directing attention to the crimes of others— to justify themselves, by making the impres- sion, that others are just as bad as they are. It has often brought to mind an altercation I once witnessed between a couple of boys. One remarked to the other, that he was a thief. "I don't care," (replied the little urchin,) " if I am a tief; you are a tief too." So it has been with old mother England, she knew weU, that she was a " tief^'' but she did not care, provided she could make it appear that her daughter, the United States, was a " ll-wise God governs both men and devils, and the conse- quences of their acts, in accordance withthe strictest principles of righteousness, judgment and justice, we have no right to doubt. He, in his amazing conde- scension, illimitable goodness, and boundless mercy, has given us a revelation of his wUl, to regulate, govern, and control our actions ; and all that com- ports with our best interests, or that is essential for us to know concerning himself and his government of our world, is revealed in this Holy Volume; and if there are some things in the moral government of God, which we cannot comprehend, we have no right to cavil. " The Judge of all the earth will do right." If either masters or servants wish to know the will of God concerning slavery — if they would learn their respective relations and duties, as masters, and servants, I must refer them to the Bible. There they will find a revelation of the wiU of God in relation to slavery, clearly set forth. If we have any other authority, or guide, I am not aware of it. I know of none. It is true, that I have heard something about a higher law; but from whence it came, "to whom related, or by whom begot," I know not. It is enough for us to know, that it did -not cdme from God. Christians must take the Bible as their guide, and God as their master ; and if others thiiik that OB AN ESSAT ON SLAVKEY. 145 they can do better, let them try. Poor old Ham, I Bnppose, thought that he could do better ; and he de- serted the source of all mercy, goodness, truth, light and knowledge; and what was the consequence? Ignorance, barbarism, degradation and woe ; ending in the accursed slavery of his race. Accursed of God ! A curse entailed on sin — an individual curse — a national curse! Too often, a curse to him that serves, and him that rules ! God be merciful to the slave and bis master. The master, as well as the slave, is entitled to our sympathies, and not to our maledictions. Whether the mental powers of Shem and Ja- pheth, were originally superior to those of Ham, we know not. We know that the posterity of Shem and Japheth, are mentally superior to the pos- terity of Ham, at the present day. To me, it seems probable, that Ham came fi-om the hands of his Crea- tor, in every respect equal to Shem and Japheth; and that his mental and moral powers were debased by, sin, and they thus acquired a superiority over him. But, supposing that Ham was originally infe- rior to his more fortunate brothers, he had no right to complain. Suppose that the Divine Being gave Ham one talent, Japheth two, and Shem four ; he, in so doing, inflicted no wrong on Ham. To whom much is given, of the same much is required. In oi> der to secure the blessing of God, it was only neces- sary for Ham to improve what he had received. God required no more at his hands. But it is evi- dent, irom the manner in which he conducted himself toward his heaven favored and pious &ther, that he 146 A BKViKW OF xnscLB tom's csabin, ^as an egregioas sinner, and the curse of God fdl upon him, and his progeny-. "The curse causeless shall not come." ' When the Almighty in his providence suffers a punishment to fall on a man, or a race of men^ ho has a good and sufficient reason for it. If He hides his face, or withhold his blessings, we may search for the cause in our own hearts. " It is your iniqui- ties," (said the prophet), "that have separated you and your God." But to return to the sovereignty of God. He has the power. — He has the right. Bs; alone, is competent to decide what is best for us. " Hath not the potter power over the same lump of clay, to make one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor." Ho is under no obligation to any onej the best of us having forfeited all right, title, or claim to his mercy. "Whatever mercies or blessings we may receive at the hands of Divine Benificence, are unmerited ; undeserved on our part. The Divine Being is debtor to no one. There is no merit on our part, there can be none. God nevertheless has re- spect to character. Shem and Japbeth, acted in ac- cordance with Divine will, and He chose to confer on them certain favors and benefits. Ham incurred his displeasure, by violating his laws ; and He left his posterity to those temporal misfortunes, which must necessarily grow out of moral infirmities, and mental disabilities. I thihk I have clearly shown that African slavery originated in the inferiority of the African race ; and that the inferiority of the African race, originated in the violation of God's laws. Slavery is perpetuated OE AS ESSAY ON SLATEEY. 141 by the cause that brought it into existence. I have alluded in the preceding pages to the mental disabili- ties and the moral defects and inSrmities of the pos- terity of Ilam ; as subjecting them to degradation, and slavery. Physical conformation and color, tiz, the curly hair, the black skin, the flat nose, the broad flat foot, &c., have had no small share in subjecting the negro race to degradation and slavery. All other races of men shun and despise them on account of their physical peculiarities. This is the key to that universal prejudice against the African race, the world over. The negro race are then, slaves from necessity, viz., they are slaves because they are incapable of attaining to the rights and privileges of free men. And those rights and privileges they never can enjoy in the midst of the Anglo- Saxon race. "We have seen in the preceding pages, that slavery and all the evils and calamities appertaining thereto, were entailed on Ham's posterity, as a penalty for the wilful violation of God's laws ; and, I shall at- tempt to show before I bring this essay to a close, that in consequence of disobedience on the part of masters, as well as servants, that the evils and calami- ties of slavery faU not alone on him who serves, but also on him who rules. Therefore, the evils of sla- very can only be mitigated, or removed by obedience to the requisitions of Divine revelations, on the part of masters and servants. This is the only remedy. There is no other. Here is a great principle of God's moral government of the world, which we should never lose sight of. It is a principle of universal ap- 148 A EEviEw OF uNca^ tom's cabin, plication. All those evils that befal mankind in con- sequence of transgression, may be mitigated, or re- moved, or otherwise the penalty may be averted, by repentance and obedience to the requisitions of the Holy Bible CHAPTER IX. I shall now take a glance at slavery under the Mosaic dispensation. Whatever our views may be on the subject of slavery, if we have read our Bibles,' we know that it was tolerated and regulated by the Divine Being among the children of Israel ; no doubt for wise and beneficent purposes. I know that it is vain for us to attempt to elevate our minds to a clear comprehension of the moral government of God. There is much, I admit, that to us is incomprehen- sible. Finite beings, cannot fathom the Infinite mind of Jehovah. We can, however, if we wiU read our Bibles, learn the will of God concerning ourselves and our fellow creatures ; at least so far as our respec- tive duties are concerned. This may be learned irom the Old, as well as the New Testament Forms and ceremonies may change ; but the eternal principles of truth, righteousness and justice, change not. Prior to the Mosaic dispensation, we read that Abraham held servants, and that when Sarai treated her maid-servant unkindly, and she fled from her face, the angel of the Lord said unto her, " Return to thy mistress, and subject thyself under her hands." It is a notable fact, that when the law was delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai, he received from the hands of God Almighty the following words : " In it," (the 149 150 A EETIEW OF UNCUE TOM's CABIN, Sabbath,) "thou shalt not do any work ; thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant." It appears that the Hebrews under peculiar circumstances became servants; and they were released, or went free on the seventh year. If, however, they preferred to remain with their masters, they then became servants forever. The Hebrews were not suffered to enslave each other, except for a limited time; their servants were taken from the heathen nations around them. See Leviticus, 25th Chapter, from the 39th to the 55th verses inclusive. Mention is frequently made of servants throughout the Old Testament. Men women and children were held in bondage by patriarchs, prophets, kings, and others. Moses delivered various laws to the children of Israel, for the guidance and regulation of both masters and servants. The holding of slaves is nowhere denounced as sinful in the Old Testament; on the contrary, the Hebrews were permitted to buy slaves from the surrounding heathen nations. Mas- ters were commanded in the Old as well as in the New Testament, to treat servants with kindness and humanity. Inhumanity, cruelty, and oppression being every where forbidden in the Bible. Having briefly alluded to the revealed will of God under the old dispensation, we will now hastily glance at the position occupied by Christ and his apostles in relation to this institution, and at their instructions and admonitions to masters and servants. It is clearly and indisputably true that their course with reference to masters and servants, and the doc- trine which they taught, give no countenance to the OK AN ESSAY ON SLAVERY. 151 ■wild and visionary views of the faction, known in tho United States by the name of abolitionists. I cannot, however, stop here to draw fully the contrast, bat it will be found in other parts of this work. Christ came to preach the gospel, and not aboli- tionism. Christ came to preach peace, and not to foment sti'ife. He and his apostles taught servants to love and obey their masters, to serve them freely and cheerfiiUy, and not to run away from them. No 1 No! They never incited servants to murder their masters, nor to mm-mur at their service ; nor yet to steal all they could get, and then leave them. But thffl-e are those among us who have been guilty of all these things; and yet, notwithstanding, they have the audacity to tell us, at least those who have not embraced the views of Tom Paine, that they are Christians. The more consistent ones, I believe, are open infidels. Our Saviour said nothing that could be construed into a condemnation of the institution of slavery ; nor yet did he invest his apostles with any authority to interfere with it. It was no part of their commission. Our Saviour preached the gospel of peace and glad tidinors to the bond and the free, to masters and ser- vants, to the poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind. He intermeddled not with the civil institutions of the day. On the contrary, he inculcated, both by precept and example, submission to the ruling authorities. His apostles followed in his footsteps, for they like- wise enjoined on their followers, to be subject to the higher powers — ^to those in authority. They too, preached the gospel to the bond and the free, mastera 152 A EEVIEW OF UNOLE TOM's CABIN, and servants ; and gathered them together in the same fold, as brethren beloved— the sheep of one common shepherd, the servants of one common master — mem- bers of the same church — partakers of the same jojs. But they did not in a solitary instance denounce the holding of slaves as sinful ; nor yet enjoin it on mas- ters to release their slaves. They carefully instructed both masters and servants in their relative duties, as masters and servants ; and otherwise left the institu- tion of slaveiy as they found it. How unlike the great apostles of modem reform! Many will no doubt be ready to ask, if slavery is an evil, why did not Christ and his apostles strike directly at its root, and eradicate it from the face of the earth ? Others may impiously ask if it is an evU, why did the Almighty permit it, or why does he tolerate it ? The latter in- terrogatory is fully considered in the preceding Chap- ter ; but I will for obvious reasons make a few addi- tional remarks in reply. I again beg such persons to recollect that we are but finite beings, and cannot, therefore, ftiUy comprehend the Infinite Mind ; and that God is moreover the Supreme Ruler of the uni- verse, and that to Him belongs the right to govern and dispose of the work of his own hands, as he, in his infinite wisdom, sees fit and proper. We may observe His dealings with man, but we cannot in all cases say why he acts thus ; nor have we any right to ask him, why hast thou done thus ? Slavery is a consequence of sin, and God, in his providence, Bufiered it to fall on the posterity of Ham as a just and righteous judgment — as a punishment suitable and proper — as a punishment proportioned to the OE AS ESSAY ON SLAVEET. 153 magnitude of the crime. The Divine Being, no doubt, intended that the signal punishment inflicted on Ham's posterity, should be a warning to aU future generations, in all future time, to warn them of the danger of violating his commands, and deter them from the commission of crime. God, no doubt, willed that it should continue xmtil the crime was adequately punished, and fixture generations warned of the dansrer of violating his laws : and his own honor vindicated. We have reason to believe that God moreover willed, that in his own good time, this evil, as well as all other evils should be eradicated ; and that the sons and daughters of Adam should enjoy universal freedom ; and that " righteousness should cover the earth, as the waters cover the great deep." But God willed to bring about this result, not only in his own time, but in his own way. By his own appointed means as revealed in his Holy Word ; and that we as co-workei-s with him, in the accomplish- ment of his designs, shoxdd be guided by his revealed will. So far as we deviate from the revealed will of God in the use of means, we sin against him, and are destined to disappointment. The Holy Scriptures justify the conchision, that in the process of time, the Almighty disposer of events, will root out all evil from the face of the earth. " Every plant," (says Jesus Christ,) "that my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted up." But there are many evils so interwoven with the institutions of society, that they can only be rooted out by the general spread of the benign and purifying influences of the Gospel. Much has been said and written about slavery as 154 A B EVIEVV OF tmCLB TOM's CABIN, an evil — a curse — a misfortune, &c. It is admitted on all hands that slavery is an evil ; but it would be weU for those who undertake to propose remedies for it, first to ascertain wherein the evil consists ; or in other words, what are the circumstances which give rise to it. It is essential to the success in medical practice, that the physician correctly understands the disease which he proposes to treat. I hav« shown in the preceding Chapter that slavery originated in sin ; or otherwise, that Ham entailed it on his posterity Jby violating the laws of God. The evils of slavery, to the present day, originate in the same cause, viz, a violation of God's commands ; a failure on the part of masters and servants to comply with the requisi- tions of the Holy Bible. It is disobedience to God's commands, that makes slavery an evil and a curse. The curse of slavery originates in the disobedience of slaves, and the cruelty of masters. " Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters — ^masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal." Here, in a sentence of twenty words, the Apostle Paul prescribes a remedy for the evils of slavery, a remedy too, that has never failed — ^a remedy that will remove the curse of slavery ; and under some circumstances, make it a blessing to both masters and servants. A compliance on the part of masters and servants with the requisitions of God's word, will disarm slavery of all its evils and terrors. It will bring peace and consolation to masters and servants. Herein is manifest, the wisdom and good- ness of God. When the gospel was first promulgated slavery existed in the world, in a form, no doubt, OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVKET. 155 which made it a sore evil — a grievous cui-se. The cries of the oppressed had come up before the throne of Ood. He was mrived with compassion for masters and servants. Go, said He, to his beloved son, to yonder world, and remove the curse of slavery. Instruct servants to love and obey their masters, to serve them freely and cheerfully — without murmming or repining — and to be content with, their lot. In- struct masters to give unto their servants that which is just and equal. To never loose sight, in the treat- ment of their slaves, of the great principles of love, justice and humanity. Jesus Christ and his apostles went forth to preach the gospel of peace and glad tidings. Their object was to confer the largest possible amount of happi- ness on the bond and free, that they were capable of enjoying under the circumstances. The gospel con- templated the present happiness of the human race, &s well as their future interests. It had no design of detracting anything from the happiness of masters or servants ; on the contrary, it contemplated the augmentation of the happiness of all who should be brought under its influence. Slavery existed. Mas- ters were cruel and oppressive, and slaves were diso- bedient. This condition of slavery made it a sore evil — a grievous calamity, to both masters and ser- vants. The duty of the apostles was clear. It was to remove those evils as far as practicable. It was to instruct masters and servants in their relative duties ; weU knowing, that obedience on their part, would remove the evils of slavery, and make both masters and servants better and happier. Having done this, 166 A EBTIEW OF jmCISE TOM's CABIN, they could do no more. Any other course would have entailed misery on masters and servants ; or otherwise -would have deprived them of all access to both servants and masters. The apostles adopted and carried out the only practicable and effective means within their reach, of ameliorating the condition of servants. Go, ye ministers of Jesus Christ, and follow in their footsteps. And ye apostles of modem reform, from whence did ye derive your authority to speak evil of rulers ? To oppose the execution of the laws of your country ? to foment strife ? to sow the seeds of discontent and rebellion among the slaves, and thereby incite masters to acts of cruelty and oppression ? " Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites." We may speculate, wrangle, and contend about slavery in the United States for centuries to come, without bringing relief to the slave; for after all, there is but one course which can ensure relief to the ser- vant, the master, and the nation — but one course by which we can bring about universal emancipation, and secure at the same time the peace, happiness and prosperity of the Union ; and that is obedience on the part of ministers of the gospel, masters and ser- vants, to the requisitions of God's word. Let minis- ters of the gospel imitate the example of Jesus Christ and his apostles; let masters and servants strictly observe what is enjoined on them in the New Testa- ment ; and let those not immediately interested, look around, and see if they cannot find objects of charity nearer home; and then will slavery soon cease to exist as an institution in this nation. This is the OH AN ESSAY ON SLATKET. 167 onlj safe and practicable means of acqomplisliing an object so desirable ; and tbose who attempt to extir- pate slavery in any other way, are openly, knowingly, wilfully and deliberately violating God's laws ; and can expect nothiTig but the curse of Almighty God on their devoted heads. If they sow the whirlwind, they may expect to reap the storm. They wiU learn, when it is too late, that no good can result from fraud, falsehood and force. Hence, we see, why it is that the interference of abolitionists with slavery in the United States, has resulted in injury to masters and servants. They have reftised to act in accordance with God's revealed will ; consequently, they have augmented the evils, hardships and calamities of slavery. Thus it has been ; thus it is ; and thus it ever will be. God is immutable ; his laws are unchangable ; and he that expects to accomplish good, must do it by His ap- pointed means. " Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein." Follow the exam- ple of Jesus Christ and his apostles, and then may ye expect to accomplish good for your fellow creatures, and enjoy the approving smiles of heaven. I shall close the present chapter with some quota- tions from the Bible. " Thus saith the Loed." " And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him. And he said, cursed be Canaan ; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren." Genesis ix, 24, 25. " But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold thy maid is in thy hand ; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And 158 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's GABINj when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence comest thou ? and whither wilt thou go ? And she said, I flee from the face of my mis- tress, Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Keturn to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands." Genesis xvi, 6-10. " But in it (the Sabbath,) thou shalt not do any work, thou; nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." Exodus XX, 10. " Both thy bond-men, and thy bond-maids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you ; of them ye shall buy bond-men and bond-maids. Moreover, of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land ; and they shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheri- tance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession, they shall be your bond-men forever." Leviticus XXV. 44-^7. " Art thou called being a servant ? care not for it ; but if thou mayest be made free, tise it rather." 1 Cor. vii, 21. " Servants, be obedient to them who are your mas- ters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. Not with eye service, as men-pleasers ; but as the servante of OE AH ESSAT ON SLAVEEY. 159 Christ, doing the will of God from the heart ; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men : Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be tond or free. And ye masters, do the same things nnto them, forbearing threatening ; knowing that your Master also is in heaven; nei- ther is there respect of persons with him. Ephe- sians vi, 5-10. " Servants, obey in all things yom* masters accord- ing to the flesh ; not with eye service, as men- pleasers ; but in singleness -of heart, fearing God ; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men. Col. iii, 22, 23. " Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal ; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. Col. iv, 1. " Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters let them not despise them, because they are brethren ; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, pai*- takers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. if any man teach otherwise and consent not to whole- some words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, He is proud, knowing nothing but doting about ques- tions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings. 1 Timothy vi, 1-5. "Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters and to please them well in all things ; not 160 A. EEVIEW OF 0NCLB TOm's OABIN, answering again ; Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity ; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Titus ii, 9, 10. '• Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear ; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the fro- ward. 1 Peter ii, 18. CHAPTER X. We have proof positive, that the relation of master and servant is not inconsistent with the word of God. " Servants, be obedient to them that are your mas- ters according to the flesh." "Masters, give unto your servants, that which is just and equal." This is the language of Holy vV^rit. Among the con- verts of the apostles were slaveholders. They were converted as slaveholders ; admitted into the church as slaveholders ; and as such, retained in the church in ftill fellowship, enjoying all the privileges and im- munities of the church. They were not required so far as we know, in any instance, to manumit, their slaves. It is highly probable, that the best thing that they could do for them, for the time being, was to re- tain them as servants, and treat them according to the injunctions of the apostle ; " Give unto your servants that which is just and equal." The case of Philemon and Onesimus, his servant, is flilly to the point. Philemon, a convert of St. Paul, appears to have been a devoted Christian ; and I infer, from the language of St. Paul, a teacher or preacher of the Gospel. He had a wicked ser- vant, by name Onesimus. Onesimus, (if I ma-y use modern parlance), ran away from his master, Philemon. St. Paul found him at Rome, and con- 7« 161 163 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, verted him. What then became of this fugitive slave ? Did St. Paul conceal him, or did he advise him to flee stiU farther from his master, in order to elude pursuit and apprehension ? Did he say to Onc- simns, why brother Onesimus, you are now a Chiis- tian ; Philemon, your master is a Christian ; we are all Christians ; and one Christian has no right, under any circumstances, to retain another in bondage? No! Thank God, St. Paul promulgated no such doc- trine. What then did he say to Onesimus ? Go home, and be subject to your master^ Philemon. Love him and serve him, in the singleness of your heart. Do it freely and cheerfully ; without mur- muring or repining ; and whatever service thou shalt render unto thy master, Philemon, it shall be ac- counted unto thee, as service rendered unto the God of heaven. Dear brother Onesimiis, thy condition is now changed; for, whereas Philemon was formerly thy master ; he is now thy master and thy brother, and thou shalt obey him and love him as such. Go home brother ; and here is a letter I have written to brother Philemon, your master. Cnesimua returns home with this letter in his pocket. Anxious I have no doubt, to see his good old master. His feelings and views had undergone a change. He loved his master then; whereas, he formerly hated him, and fled from his service. No time is lost ; he returns home in haste to his master. They meet. He aj)- proaohos Philemon and extends his hand, while tears trickle down his cheeks. Master, (say^ he to Philc- moB), I have been a wicked and unfaithful servant; but thjmk God, I found St. Paul at Eome and he has OB AS ESSAT OK SliATEST. 163 converted me to Christianity ; and here is a letter from brother Paul. And did you see brother Taul, exclaimed Philemon ? Oh 1 yes, said Onesimus ; his countenance lighting up and his eyes dancing in their sockets for joy. Aod is dear brother Paul well 3 How does he do ? Oh ! very well master, very well, indeed. Philemon then proceeds to open the letter, and what does he read therein ? "I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ — unto Phile- mon, our dearly beloved brother — Grace to you and peace from God — ^Hearing of thy love and faith — Which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus Christ ; I be- seech thee for my son, Onesimus, That thou shouldst receive him forever." "Receive him, said St. Paul, not only as a good and faithful servant, now profitable to thee ; but re- ceive him as a brother beloved — an heir of salvation. Here is clearly set forth the duty of ministers, mas- ters, and servants ; but, as I shall again and again refer to this subject, I wUl now proceed to show rea- sons why, the holding of slaves is not necessarily sin- ftd under all circumstances. A slaveholder is under no obligation to emanci- pate his slave, provided the condition of the slave is made worse thereby. And it is obvious, that there are many cases, in which both master and slave would sustain injury, by the emancipation of the slave. Under such circumstances, there are as good reasons, why a slave should be retained in bondage, as there are, that a minor should be subject to his pa- rents until he is twenty-one years of age ; or that an idiot should be placed under the supervision and con- 164 A REVIEW OF uNca^ tom's cabin, trol of some one, during his natural life. The reason is based on inability and incompetency of the slave, the minor and the idiot. They are not qualified to reason and to judge, and are therefore incompetent to act ; hence, it devolves on some one to reason and to judge for them, and to supervise and control their actions. The welfare of the slave, the minor, and the idiot, is subserved by subjecting them to the con- trol of competent persons ; and the peace, prosperity, and general good of all are promoted thereby. Before I proceed farther with the respective duties of masters and servants, I beg leave to present some solemn thoughts, for the consideration of Christian slaveholders. I have endeavored to show, that the holding of slaves is not sinful, per se ; but if slave- holders fail to discharge the duties enjoined on them, the Divine Being will hold them accountable for their dereliction of duty. Such is the deceitfnlness of our hearts, and such the proneness of our corrupt na- tures to wander from the path of duty, that it is necessary for us at all times to scrutinize well, the motives which prompt us to act, and to test all our actions by the only standard of truth, the Holy Scrip- tures. Our Saviom- tells us, that it is easier ^or a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Not that the possession and enjoyment of riches is necessa- rily sinful ; but if those who have wealth, fail as good stewards, to use it according to the requisitions of the Bible, then are they guilty in the sight of God. So it is with slavery. Slaveholding is not necessarily sinful, but if slaveholders fail to discharge the duties OE AN ISSAY ON SLAVHtT. 165 enjoined on them in the Kew Testament ; then are they guilty in the sight of God. And here lies the difficulty ; when we point out to a rich man his duty, his corrupt and avaricious heart interposes and says, no; you would rob me of my goods, you would damage my pecuniary interests ; I cannot, I will not yield to your requisitions. We sometimes encoimter the same difficulty with slaveholders. They some- times imagine that duty and interest, are antagonistic principles. They imagine, that if they discharge their duty to the slaves, their pecuniary interests will sufier thereby; and for this reason, I have sometimes thought, that it might be as difficult for a slaveholder to enter the kingdom of heaven, as for a rich man. " The love of money, the root of all evO," stands in the way in both cases. If duty and our worldly interest could always run in the same channel, then should we find it no difficult task to be Christians ; but as they are sometimes opposing forces, antagonistic principles, the contest is difficult, and the result sometimes doubtful.* Duty, commands the rich man to feed the hungry and clothe the naked ; but the rich man says, nay. Lord, my goods are my own ; I procured them by honest labor, and must I now ap- propriate them to feeding the hungry and clothing the naked ? What right have they to enjoy the fruits of my labor ? Your requisition Lord, is unreasonable. 1 cannot, I will not comply. Duty, says to the slave- holder, " Give unto your servants that which is just *By worldly interest, I wish to be understood, the accumulation of wealth by any and every means, and the hoarding it up, re- gardless of the wants and sufferings of those aioand us. 166 A vBVTBsr or nrous tqu's cAscf, and eqnal, forbearing threatening;" bat tbe alarS' liolder eaye, nay Lord, my slave is my own property, I porcbased him with my own money, and what ri^t bare yon to dictate to me, how I shall treat my slave? le he not my own, have I not tbe right bf feed, clothe, work, and otherwise treat him, as seem- cth good in mine own eyes ; and who has the right to interfere t A compliance with yonr nnreascmabl^ demands will materially oSk^ my pecaniary interests. My otgect is to ainaes wealth, to hoard up silver and gold ; and I shall therefore $o manage my aSmit a$ to accomplish this object. He that sets np for himself, r^iardless of tbe peace^ happiness, and comfort of his fellow creatures — 1)9 that hath a will of bis own, and will not yield to tbe reqaisitions oi' God's word — ^he that will take bis own way, regardless of the 4ictates of his better informed judgmenfc—ie that will go his own conrWi it matters not on whose rights be infiringes-^^ie that will consult his own intetiests, and at &9 same time trample under foot tbe dearest interests of others, has no right, or title, to tbe name of a OhriS' tian. If the Bible says do this, or abstain from that, the Christian has no right to demur ; it matters not how repugnant it may be to tbe feelings and inclina' tions of his heart. He must cheerfully and heartily at all times, and under all cixcnmstances, acquiesce io the will of a soperior intelligence. He must be "wH' ling to »twxi£e0 all *, not only hif earthly goods, but life itself, if God requires it at bis hands. This is &e doctrine of the Bible, and well did the Savionr say, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, that cm AM wmAt OS tLAvisr. 107 VaAeUSa, to U^; oad few there »ro that And it/* **Uaaj tm a^U«d, bot &w are choieo/' The Ohrlf- tiftfl ia O0t Bt liberty to consult bi« own penonul inte- retti and incUnationa, when tbej^ uct in oppoaition to iS» irtil ei God. ^ Tie are sot yoor own, (laya the apotde), ye are bong^ with a price.** It wa« kipretied on my mind in early li&, that iSattt wu mnch error and minconception among ObrU- Haa elar^ldert in general, in refcrtmce to their ob- ligatioM to their «lare«, and a long residence among tihem hae but fiitengthened and confirmed those con- TictiiMM, Iliarenore&irenceliereto tboaewhoriew riare property in the nanw light, that they do every olTm apecles of property ; but to conacientioui and hntnaoe men. I allude to yon, who pro&M to be the ^llotren <>f tiie meek and lowly Jeius— ^on, who take tkei Bible for the man of your council— ^ou, who prpfttf to be the Mrvantt ol that Ood who !• no re- ipector of paraonn— yon, who pro&M to be under the Mi^nce o( that religion which recognize* erery jfum a» a brother belored, for wliom Ol^t shed hia preclou«bk>od. I beg leare to iinpreM on your mindi tlte solemn ^tb, tbflt your skves Are human beings of like pas* Cions, ibelings, and prop^ities as yourselves ; that 1^ h»v9 immortal aouls ; that theb* joys and their lorrows, tb^r happiness, apd their misery, arc sns- Pfnded on tibe treatment wbich tb^ receive at your kt^'t f94 that not on^y their preset happiness and V^im, but in all probability, tbebr eternal destiny may be influenced by vour course of conduct toward m^. These »re t^eigbi^ (Kmsiderf^tions-rwould to 168 A EBVTEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, God I coTild impress their importance on your minds ; and that you would give them that prayerful and se- rious attention which they demand at your hands. In assuming the right to direct and control fellow beings, from their cradles to their graves, you have taken on yourselves responsibilities, onerous indeed ; and whatever maybe your feelings, — whatever may be your views — whatever may be your course toward these tmfortunate beings, of one thing you may be assured, that you are destined to meet them at the bar of judg- ment, and that if you have failed to discharge the duties obligatory on you, God Almighfy wOl rec[uire their souls at your hands. It is there that the rich and the poor, the bond and the free, the slave and his master, shall meet on a common level before a just and Almighty Judge ; who, without respect of persons, colors, grades, or conditions in life, shall render unto every man accord- ing to his works, whether they be good or evil. In that dread day, it will avail you nothing, that in this world you were men of renown ; that in this world the indigent and the ignorant, cowered in your pre- sence, or were awed into submission by your supe- riority ; or, that the summits of your superb and beau- tiful mansions vied with the clouds — that you added house to house, and field to field — ^that you amassed silver and gold as the dust of the earth — and that you were surrounded by all the elegancies and enjoyed all the comforts of life — rioted in excess and reveled in luxury. There you will stand before a just and scrutinizing God, divested of all those superfluities, and stripped of all that drapery, and those fascinating OB AN ESSAT ON SLA.VEET. 169 accomplishments, which attracted the attention and commanded the respect and admiration of yom- de- pendants and inferiors in this world. Having in the preceding pages, but incidentally alluded to the duties of servants, I will close the present chapter with a few remarks on that subject. " Servants obey in all things your masters according to the flesh," &c. Servants are taught in the New Testament, not only to obey their masters^ but to do it in the fear of God, cheerfully, freely, and actively ; not simply with a view to please their mas- ters, but as a service or duty, which God requires of them and for which he will hold them accountable. It is a little remarkable, that so much should have been said and written about the cruel and harsh treatment of servants, and the duties of masters, and that the duties of servants should have been over- looked. Servants are commanded to be subject to their masters, " not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward." The non-observance of this command on the part of servants, has frequently en- gendered that peevishness and perverseness in mas- ters to which the apostles alludes, viz. frowardness among servants, has engendered frowardness in mas- ters. It is the duty of servants, to oppose the evil tempers and dispositions, and the inhumanity of mas- ters, by opposite tempers and dispositions, and by an opposite course of conduct. This is the command of God ; and by yielding obedience to this command, they would to some extent, at least, reform their mas- ters, and secure to themselves kind treatment. It is their only hope ; it is all they can do, that will be likely 1^0 A EEVTEW OF UNCI.E TOM's CABIN, to ameliorate their conditions as slaves. K servants would obey the injunctions of Holy Writ, they would seldom be treated cruelly or unkindly. It is their own disobedience and perverseness that subjects them, for the most part, to cruel treatment. I know, from personal observation, that the unkind, the harsh, the cruel treatment of slaves, in a large majority of cases, originates in their failure to observe the injunc- tions of the inspired writers. I have shown that it is the duty of servants to "love" and "obey" their "masters," to "count them worthy of aU honor," and "to please them well in an things ; and it now devolves on those who have taught a contrary doctrine, to either admit their error, or otherwise to throw away their Bibles. It is folly for persons to persist in a course so contrary to the word of God, and notwithstanding, to call themselves Christians. I know that there are many who will plead ignorance, when they are arraigned for their unscriptural views, and their unwarrantable interference with slavery. It is too true — ^poor souls, they are ignorant — deplorably ignorant ; but in all Beriousness I would ask, how is it in this land of Bibles, that a majority of those professing Christi- anity, should know but little more about the Sacred Sriptures, than the heathen who never saw a Bible ? But they have no time to read the Bible, and what is worse, they have no taste for it.. All their leisure moment are devoted to the reading abolition papers, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and other contemptible low, filthy novels 1 But how is it, • that there are ministers of the OB AN ESSAY ON SLAYEKT. 171 gospel of all denomioations of Christians, ■who are guilty of inculcating doctrines on the subject of sla- very, that are directly opposed to teachings of Divine inspiration ? Are they ignorant of the fact, " that slavery pervaded the whole Eastern world, at the in- ti'oduction of Christianity;" and yet not one word was uttered by our Saviour and his apostles, in condem- nation of it as a civil institution ? Are they igno- rant of the fact, that both masters and servants were admitted intO: the church of Christ, and that masters were required in no instance, so far as we know, to manumit their slaves? Are they ignorant of tlie. fact, that Christ and his apostles taught masters and servants their relative duties, and otherwise left tho institution of slavery as they found it ? Have they ever read Paul's letter to. Timothy? "Let as many servants as are under the yoke, count their mastera worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they tliat have be-, lieving masters, let them not despise them, becanso they are brethren ? but rather do them service, &c. These things teach and exhort. If. any man teach otherwise^ he is proud, hnowing nothing, hut doting about questions and strifes of words, wliereof Cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. From such withdraw thyself" A more graphic , description of the abolition cler- gymen of the present day could not be drawn. It is a picture of modern abolition drawn by the Omni- cient God ; and every word of it was originally ap- plied to the subject of slavery and abolitionism. We 172 A EEVTEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, have had strife, we have had railings, evil surmisings and perverse disputings ; and we are indebted to corrupt fanatical clergymen for all these evils — ^tbr all this contention and slavery agitation — ^for all this envy, jealousy, hatred and sectional feeling — ^for aJl that endangers our peace and prosperity — our liberty, our happiness — and the perpetuity of this glorious Union. Yes, my fellow citizens, we are indebted to the emissaries of England, and native born Ameri- can citizens, who from sinister motives have cloaked themselves with ministerial garb, for all the conten- tion, all the evils, all the crime that has accrued or grown out of African slavery in the United States ! St. Paul says, that they are " men of cornipt minds," and that they are " destitute of the tmth ■," and he more- over commands Timothy to " withdraw from such " characters. And in the name of God, I command every Christian, every patriot, every friend of republi- canism, every gentleman of honor, to " withdraw " from such men. Excommunicate them, cast them off, — cast them out as evil spirits — ^have no fellow- ship with them, until they repent of their crimes and cease from the evil of their ways. They are enemies to "pure and undefiled religion," and traitors to their country ; and as such, they should be viewed and treated by every good citizen. Many persons suppose that abolitionism is of modern origin ; but it is an error, for we learn from the Epistle of Paul to Timothy, that it was agitating the church of Christ in the apostolic ages. St. Paul denounces those agitators as " men of corrupt minds ;" and he moreover says unto Timothy, "from snob OB AS ESSAY ON SLAVEKT. 173 ■\rithdraw thyself ;" viz., excomtminicate them — ex- chide them Irom the church, and have no fellowship witli them. It is afact, worthy of note, that primitive Christians never meddled with the civil institutions of the countries in which they resided. They were under all circumstances good and loyal subjects. But the eflbrts of the apostle Paul, to crush the monster abo- litionism, did not entirely succeed, for it has continued to agitate the church, from that day to the present hour. Yes, the foul fiend, -with head erect, and brazen fi-ont, is stalking over our beloved country to the present day ! It appears that portions of the church, notwith- standing the solemn injunctions and admonitions of St. Paul, continued to interfere with the civil and do- mestic relations of master and servant. But the practice was condemned as unchristian, by nearly all the principal fathers. Particularly, Ignatius, Chry- sostom and Jerome. Ignatius says, " let them (ser- vants), serve their masters with greater diligence, and not be puffed up — and let them not desire their liberty to be pm-chased by the church." It was decreed by one of the ancient councils of the church, — " if any teach, that by virtue of religion or Christian in- struction, that the slave may despise his master, or may withhold his service, let him be anathema," viz., let him be accursed of God, and separated or excom- municated irom the church of Christ. Let the church have no fellowship, union, or communion with him, and let him be an off-cast from society. Mark the above, reader 1 It is the language of the apostle Paul, and the voiqe of the primitive church of 174 A EEVIEW OF XTSCUS TOM's ••GABIIT, Christ with reference to abolitionism. I have said nothing worse — I have not said more — ^I shall not say less. It is God's truth ; harsh and severe as it may appear to some of you. And to abolitionists, I have only to say in conclusion, poor deluded souls, I sin- cerely pity yon. Bow your heads with shajne and grief— ^it may bo, the Lord will have mercy upon you. CHAPTER XI. I am not yet done with the obligations of masters to their slaves. I cannot hastily dismiss the subject. In it I feel an intense interest. Bear with me, my beloved friends and fellow citizens of the South. For I assure you, that if I know anything of my own heart, I am prompted to write by the best of motives and the kindest of feelings. To many of you I am personally known; and I flatter myself, that those who know me best, will not suspect me of improper motives or feelings. I have for you the highest re- spect, and for you I entertain the kindest feelings, I long resided in your midst, and was treated with kindness by you, in all the relations of life, whether private or public ; and I feel myself bound to you by ties of gratitude, which neither time nor space can separate ; by aU those tender and endearing associa- tions and relations in life, which must necessarily ■grow out of a long residence in the midst of a gene- rous, humane and hospitable people. My regard and solicitude for my Southern friends is now a thousand fold greater than at any previous period of my life. And my anxiety for your peace, happiness, and permanent prosperity, becomes more and inore ardent. But I must come directly to the point under investigation. 175 176 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOm's CABIN. Masters, I conceive, are under obligations to act with reference to the comfort and happiness of their slaves ; and not solely with a view to their own pecu- niary interests, [f they fail to provide for their slaves comfortable housss, clothing suited to their various^ wants, and adapted to the varying and changable sea- sons of the year, together with a supply of wholesopie and nutritious food, they violate the commands of God. Their own interests, as well as duty, demand it at their hands. I do not contend that the master is bound to furnish the slave with clothing of the same material with which he clothes himself; nor do I contend, that in all cases, he is bound to provide for him the precise articles of food, on which he himself subsists. The occupations of the master and the slave may be diflerent ; and supposing that they are engaged in the same occupation, their feelings, views, appetites and propensities differ. In other words, their wants difiler. Hence, what would conduce to comfort in the case of the slave, would not, at all times, suffice for the master's happiness and comfort. Here is a fact which is not understood in the free States. Slaves are happy and content under circum- stances in which a white man would be miserable. They are satisfied and content with food, on which the better portion of the white race can hardly subsist. Nor would soft beds and fine houses conduce to their comfort. There are many of them, who, if they were provided with downy beds, would prefer to repose on the hearth or the floor. They are by nature a happier people than the Anglo-Saxon race, and of course, less will Buffice for their happiness and com- OE AN ESSAY ON 8LAVKET. 177 fort. All that I contend for is, that the health, com- fort and convenience of the slave, should be amply provided for by the master ; or at least as far as prac- ticable. I vrish here, as well as elsewhere, to avoid the error of asking too much, for I have generally observed through life, that those who ask too much are likely to get nothing. I shall, therefore, contend for nothing more than the clear, obvious, p,nd in- disputable duty of slaveholders. Slaves do not, as a general rule, receive that atten- tion in sickness from their masters, to which they are entitled. Humanity, as well as interest, should prompt their masters to be a little more attentive to them, under the afflictive dispensations of Providence. And the necessity is more apparent from the con- 'sideration of the fact, that slaves are ignorant, and universally entertain opinions in regard to dieting the sick, which, if practically carried out, will in all cases, endanger their lives. I allude to the notion prevalent among them, that the sick are in no danger, so long as they can by any means induce them to take food. The same error is common among the more ignorant class of white people ; and it constitutes the worst difficulty that the physician encounters in the treatment of disease. I once remarked to an igno- rant, drunken, degraded son of Belial, that if he was not a little more cautious in the use of certain articles of food, he would sooner or later destroy himself. "Oh! there is no danger," said he, "I shall never die while I can get plenty of fat 'possum to eat, and whiskey to drink." So it is with ignorant persons ; they know that food sustains life, and for that reason 178 A EEVIEW OF UHOLE TOll's CABTN, they believe, that as long as they are able to cram it down their throats, there is no danger. It is a little remarkable that the proprietors of slaves do not more generally enforce cleanliness among them. This is the more to be regretted, as cleanliness conduces not only to the health and com- fort of the body, but also to the purity of the mind. I am aware that it would in most cases be difficult to enforce cleanliness among them, as they seem to be constitutionally a filthy race. This may originate partly, however, from the peculiar circumstances un- der which they live, their ignorance, degradation, &c. But there are yet duties obligatory on slaveholders, to which I have not directly alluded, whidi bear heavily on my mind. Oh! that I could in appro- priate language, impress their importance on the minds of my Southern friends. Oh! that in view of their responsibility to the Supreme Kuler of the universe, they would caimly, patiently, soberly, seriously and prayerftilly reflect on the following remarks. Aid a worm of the dust, O God, to plead the cause of humanity. " Paul may plant, and Apollos may water," but thou, O God, " must give the increase." Thou knowest that in vain I admon- -ish my Southern brethren, unless thy Spirit attends the warnings and admonitions herein given. May thy Spirit attend this little volume in its Southern tour. Give the hearing ear, and the understanding heart. May they hear, and give ear ; and not only hear and give ear, but may they " work, while it is called day, for the night cometh, when no man can work." I allude to the mental and moral culture of the OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVEET. 179 African population in the Southern States. 1 feel intensely on this subject ; and could I arouse the Southern States to reflection and action, I should then fcel as if the great work of my life was accomplished. I conld then repose in peace and quiet on my dying pillow ; assured, that ere long, my beloved country would be redeemed from the curse of slavery. In whatever aspect we may view slavery, the ignorance of slaves presents itself to us, as the dark- est spot in the picture. It is humiliating — a national reproach — an omission of duty, for which Almighty God will hold ns accountable, that so little effort has been made to enlighten the minds, and elevate the characters of the African population in our midst. Here lies our great delinquency. " O shame ! where is thy blush ?" In the name of all that is sacred, how long is this state of things to continue ? When, Oh! when will we arouse to a sense of our vast responsibilities to God, and our obligations to the African race ? Several millions of fellow beings in our midst, not one in twenty of whom can read the Holy Bible! And yet it is our boast, that we are the most enlightened nation under the sun — ^the most virtuous and intelligent people under the canopy of heaven — a nation of Christians. God help us ; for when I reflect on these things, I cannot avoid asking myself, is there any probability, that we shall ever get our eyes open, and help ourselves? It is the duty of every slaveholder to instruct his slaves so far as to enable them to read the Bible ; and to furnish every slave with a copy of the will and word of God ; to encourage them to read the same ; and not only 180 A EEVIKW OF DNCLE TOM's CABIN, read it, but to make it the " man of their council." This, friendly slaveholder, is your obvious and india- pensible duty, and you well know it. If you have neglected or overlooked this duty in time past, for your own sakes, for the sakes of your slaves, defer it no longer. There is no time to be lost ; it is a mat- ter of infinite importance, both to yourselves and your slaves. Commence it in good earnest, and may success attend your eflbrts. You are under moral obligations to enlighten the minds and elevate the characters of your slaves, as far as practicable. You should spare no pains, and no consideration whatever, of expediency, convenience or self-interest, should deter you from the faithfiil discharge of your duty. It appears clear to my mind that, in a qualified sense, a master sustains the same relation to a young slave, that he sustains to an orphan as a guardian ; and that his relation and obligation to an orphan as guardian, does not differ materially from his obliga- tions to a son or daughter. Suppose that he pur- chases a young slave with his money ; he is legally his property during his natural life. Suppose that he becomes guardian to an orphan child ; he acquires a legal right to control the child until he is twenty- one years of age. Let him ask himself, what are his obligations to the orphan i? Whatever they are, he is under the same obligations to the slave. But if he is at a loss as to what are his obligations to the orphan, let him ask himself what are his obligations to a son ;t)r a daughter ? In a qualified sense, he is under the same obligations to the orphan that he is to a child, and he is under the same obligations to the OE AN ESSAY ON 8IATEET. 181 slave that he is to the orphan. They may differ in degree, but they cannot difier in kind. They are of the same kind, of the same quality, for the reason that the temporal wants and the eternal interests of the slave, the orphan, and the child are the same ; and he, as master, guardian and father, is bound to make provision for them. He is morally bound to act with reference to the present happiness and eternal interests of the child, the orphan and the slave. As a general rule, whatever conduces to the happiness of the child, conduces to the happiness of the orphan, and whatever conduces to the happiness of the or- phan, conduces to the happiness of the slave. They are each persons of like feelings, passions and pro- pensities ; requiring at his hands the same kind of training ; the same moral and mental culture. I admit that the profession or occupation which they are destined to follow through life, may render it necessary that there should be some difference in their scholastic training and attainments ; but it does not follow because a son is destined for the medical pro- fession, and therefore requires a smattering of Latin and Greek, that an orphan who is expected to follow the occupation of farming, should not be a tolerable English scholar ; nor, that a slave, though he remain a slave during his life, should not receive at his hands that amount of mental culture which is requisite to expand his mind, and elevate his character above that ignorance, superstition, degradation and vice, in which the African race are involved. The laws in conferring the right to hold slaves as property, did not invest any one with the right to act 182 A EEVtEW OF UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, the tyrant. Every father is invested with the right to control his family ; but he has no right to treat any member of his family harshly or unkindly. It is the duty of the father so to demean himself, and so to govern his family as to secure the good order, and promote the peace and happiness of every member of his household. A man's slaves are members of his household ; and the same rules, laws and great cardinal principles, which regulate his conduct as a husband, father and guardian, should regulate his conduct as a master. He has a right to control every member of his family; it is a Divine right, conferred on him for the good of the whole ; but in the exercise of this delegated authority, meekness, patience and forbearance should characterize every act of his life; and in his intercourse with every member of his family, white or black, his countenance in their pre- sence, should be as the revivifying influence of the sun on the down-trodden vegetation of the earth, in- fusing hope, life and animation into aU around him ; and his words, yea, his commands, should descend as the gentle and genial showers on a parched and thirsty soil, and not in torrents of wrath, anger and Indignation. Anger, clamor and strife should be be banished from his household. His commands should be mild but firm'; and unconditional submis- sion and prompt obedience should be strictly enjoined on his children, dependants and slaves. Beloved by all, ho would then move in the midst of his family with that dignity and grace which becometh the true Christian gentleman. Beloved, respected and vene- rated by every member of his family, he would find OB AN ESSAY ON SLAVKKV. 183 it no difficult task to enforce obedience, and thus to govern them according to the requisitions of God's word. Masters, I conceive, by pursuing the course indi- cated in the preceding pages, would discbarge their duty to their slaves, and stand guiltless in the sight of God. The condition of the slaves would be ameliorated; their minds expanded and their man- ners improved ; and thus, at some iuture period, if in the providence of God it should be their happy lot to attain the rights of freemen, then would they be qualified to appreciate the blessings of freedom, and not sink again into their original barbarism. Thus would they, as freemen, be competent to exercise the rights and privileges of free citizens ; and, while rising in the scale of nations, they would point to our government as their great benefactor, who raised them from the lowest depths of savage barbarism and brutality, and conferred on them light, liberty and science, and inducted them into the doctrines of the Christian religion. Then would they view our na- tion as their great donor, from whom they received light, science and religion, and not as their oppressor. It is incumbent on me to state, in conclusion, that the clergy of the slave States have done all that was practicable, under the circumstances, to confer on the slaves the benefits and advantages of religious in- struction. I doubt whether the poorer class of people, white or black, have had superior religious advanta- ges in any part of Christendom, at least so far as it relates to the preaching of the gospel, and the ordi- nances of the church. The clergy of the diflerent 184 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, denominations have been untiring in their efforts to Christianize the African population. And it is a little remarkable that, in many instances, irreligious men, — men who make no pretentions to religion, men who rarely attend the preaching of the gospel themselves, should encourage their slaves to attend divine service, and, in some instances build churches and employ min- isters for the benefit of their own slaves. Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true. But admitting the fact, and I cheerfully admit it, that all has been done that was practicable, under the circumstances, to Christianize the African race in the Southern States, yet the principles of Christianity have exerted on them but a partial influence, in consequence of their ignorance. No people can be brought fully under the influence of the Christian religion, unless their minds are at the same time enlightened and expanded by literature. Keligion and literature are twin sisters ; bound together by indissoluble ties, and the Divine Being never intended that they should be separated. Keligious instruction without literary culture, can produce but a partial and superficial eficct on the human mind ; it can produce no strong, permanent and abiding influence. When the gospel is preached to an ignorant, illiterate, semi-savage people, the seed is sown in an incongenial soil, and the product will be in accordance with the soil in which the seed is sown. This accounts for a fact stated in the preceding pages, that slaves apparently pious, when liberated and exposed to certain temptations, were very likely to fall into their former habits and vices. It also accounts for the fact, that but few OE AN ESSAT ON SLAVEKY. 185 Africans can bear flattery and attention from the vhite race, it matters not how virtuous and pious they may be ; it is certain to elate them, and to excite them to acts of indiscretion, and sometimes to acts gi'ossly vicious. It is so common for Southern slaves who are apparently pious, when exposed to temptation to fall into acts of gross imorality, that many unthinking persons in the South have come to the conclusion that there is no sincere piety among them ; that they are insincere and hypocritical in their professions and pretentions. A gentleman once re- marked to me, that he had never seen an African in whose piety he had entire confidence. It was a remark, I believe of Doctor l*felson, (the author of the cele- brated work on infidelity,) that he had never seen but one or two consistently pious slaves. The doctor was long a resident of Tennessee, a practitioner of medi- cine and a minister of the gospel, and certainly had good opportunities for forming correct opinions on the subject ; but it appears to me that such views are not only unchai-itable, but also unphilosophical. Profes- sors of the Christian religion of the African race are not less sincere than are the same class of persons among the white race. On the contrary a slave is more likely than his master to attach himself to a church from pure motives. Many considerations may induce a white man to make a profession of religion, which have no bearing, force, or influence whatever, on an African. But the slave is ignorant and degra- ded; and consequently he lacks moral stamina. He lacks that firmness and stability of character which resultfrom mental culture. And moreover, his views 8» 186 A EETIKW OF UKCLE TOm's CABIN, of the Divine Being, of his attributes and his works are erroneous. lie knows but little of his Creator or his works ; but little about himself and his relations to his fellow creatures. He desires to do right, but he is too often unable to distinguish between right and wrong. But this is not all ; for slaves are, to a great extent, devoid of what, (in ordinary parlance,) is called a sense of honor and shame ; and too many white Christians, as wbU as black ones, require all the restraining motives and influences, that can be brought to bear on them, to keep them in the paths of rectitude. What is called the moral sense alone, would fail in a large majority of cases. The above remarks are as applicable to an ignorant, depraved and vicious class of white persons, which may be found every where, as they are to the Southern slaves and free negroes. I will here remark that all that is indispensably necessary to enable an individual to cultivate his mind, is a tolerable knowledge of his mother tongue, so far at least, as to be able to read and write it ; and a few well selected books. It is neither necessary nor advisable to read many books; for most of reading men have read too many books, and have studied none. It is a little remarkable that Christians know so little about the Bible. I do not suppose that there is one in a hundred among them who ever read the sacred volume through ; and a large majority of them know very little about it, except some very incorrect notions which th,ey have gathered from sermons. It seems that some people imagine that attending church, and hearing sermons comprises the " wliple duty of man." This is all very OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVERY. 187 \rell SO far as it goes ; but I beg leave to remind such persons that our Saviour preached a sermon on the mount, near two thousand years ago, which is far superior to any sermon that has been preached from that day to the present time ; and that they would do well to read it at least once a month. It is but an act of justice to slaveholders for me to Btate, that the education of slaves in most of the slave States is barred by prohibitory laws. This is one of the fiTiits of abolition interference with slavery. I have remarked in Chapter 3, of this volume, that the abohtion excitement in the North, about thirty-five years ago, cut ofi" discussion in the South on the sub- ject of slavery ; and that the legislatures of the slave States in self-defence, or otherwise, in obedience to the imperious demands of self-preservation, enacted stringent laws in reference to the slave population, &c. ; and that among them will be found enactments making the education of slaves a penal offense. It was the circulation of abolition tracts and papers among the slaves by Northern men, that first sug- gested this idea to the Southern legislatures. Pre- vious to that time, many Christian slaveholders were educating their slaves. These laws are inoperative in many places in the South ; and it affords me pleasure here to record the fact, that most of the slaves in Knoxville, Tennessee, the city in which I last resided while a citizen of the South, are able to read, and many of them can write. Well done, ye noble and generous sons and daughters of Knoxville. CHAPTER XII. The subject of slavery for the last thirty-fire years has been an exciting one in the United States. There has been much discussion, and what is ■worse, much angry contention on the subject. It has been a hobby for demagogues, and a fire-brand in the hands of fac- tious disorganizers. Fanatics and felse philanthro- pists have rolled it as a sweet morsel under their tongues. It has furnished them with a pretext to cry liberty ! liberty ! from the rising to the setting Bun. Their whole souls, bodies, and minds, appear to have been absorbed in the contemplation of Afri- can slavery. They appeared to be wholly engrossed with this one idea, to be engulphed ! swallowed up ! lost! confounded and bewildered in visionary ab- stractions, and ever and anon, their plaintive notes were heard throughoat the hills and dales, liberty and oppression, the bm-den of their songs. They seemed to consider all crime, all oppression, all injustice, all wrong, as merged in African slavery and its concomi- tant evils, and themselves the peculiar, the special guardians of the rights of man. The North and the South have been hissed on each other with demoniac fury, and have glutted their vengeance in attempts to " bite and devour each other." Truth, justice, and righteousness have been lost sight of, and a fair and 188 Oli AS ESSAY ON SLAVEET. 189 impartial statement of facts has seldom been placed before the public; but in its stead, crimination and' recrimination have been hurled from North to South, and from South to Hbrth. The North has ai-raigned tHe Soiith, and the South has hurled defiance at the North ; or, if the former set up a defense, it was little better than special plead- ing. Those who have read the foregoing pages are apprised, that it was no part of my design in this work, to exonerate either North or South, there is guilt enough everywhere to humble us all. But I have long considered the attacks of abolitionists on slaveholders, as devoid of truth and justice, and that their views on slavery, were in direct opposition to the revealed will of God. Abolitionism cannot be of God, because its views, plans, and inachinatioi»s, are in direct opposition to the revealed will of God. Whosoever sows dissension or excites discontent among the slaves, and influences them to dishonor, despise, or forsake the service of their masters, in so doing, violates the positive injunctions of the Bible. Servants are commanded in the New Testament to obey, love, and serve their masters, and to resign themselves to the will of God, and be content with their lot. Servants are not only taught to obey their masters, but to account them worthy of all honor, and to endeavor to please ,them in all things. " If any man teach otherwiscj (says the apostle), he is proud, knowing nothing." But abolitionists do teach other- wise ; hence, we find many of the leaders of that party repudiating the Bible. I do not suppose that Northern people, where sla- 190 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, veiy is not legalized, are any better than the Southern people where it is legalized. Each section of the Union has its virtues and vices. I do not suppose that England, where slavery is not legalized, is any better than America where it is legalized. There is more or less injustice and oppression eveiywhere. It looks well in England to talk about oppression in the United States. " Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye." Look at down trodden Ire- land, thou despotic tyrant. And ye dukes and lords, ye pinks of mortality, professing to be Christians, have ye forgotten the words of Divine inspiration ? " He that hath of this worlds goods, and seeth his brother have need, how dwelleth the love of God in him ?" Look at your tenantry, the millions of misera- ble wretches on your own soil, whose condition is far worse than that of the African slaves in the United States ? And ye bishops ! ye overseers of the flock of Christ ? with your princely salaries ! surrounded by wealth, splendor, and luxury! Have ye ever thought of the millions, that are starving around you, not only for the bread of eternal life, but also for that which is essential to the sustenance of animal life ! Woe to you, ye hypocrites. Ye wolves in sheep's clothing ! Bow your heads with shame, and repent in sacji-cloth, or else as surely as there is a God in hea.yen, you will have " your portion in the lake that burneth with iire and brimstone." Some people at the North are constantly harping qn the subject of slavery, and yet lo ! when some one emancipates a slave in the South, and he strag- gles off to the North, ev^y, one with whom he meets OE AN ESSAY ON BLATKET. 191 myes him a kick. Beneyolent souls, look at the treatment which the Kandolph negroes received in the state of Ohio. If slaves are emancipated where are they to go ? Where will th^ find an asylnm ? Not in the North ? For Northern legislatures are already telling them by prohibitory enactments, here, you cannot come. "0 consistency! thou art a jewel, a pearl of great price," a virtue rarely met with. Abolitionists make a great noise about slavery, some of them, no doubt, conscientious and sincere ; bnt there are many among them, should they remove to the South, that would in less than five years own a cotton ferm or a sugar plantation weU stocked with negroes. Facts have in many instances verified the truth of this assertion. Men have fi:«quently emi- grated fix)m the free states to the South, professedly abor litionists, and after getting into one or two difficulties with the excitable Southerners, they would all at once throw ofi^ their garb of abolitionism, and then, they too, must have slaves. Perhaps they thought that a (^ge of locatioii justified a change of opinion ; or it maybe, that they reasoned thus: poor creatures % are in bondage, and why should they not as well belong to us as to apy one else ? We can treat them as well as any one. The Southern slaves, how- ever, tell a different tale. ITjey say that Northern men have no business with slaves, for the reason, that they are very hard masters. The negroes of the Sonth have as little sympathy' for the Yankees, as their pro-slavery masters. i have said that we all are guilty; yes, England is 192 A EEVIEW OF FNCLE TOM's CABIN, guilty! America is guilty ! The liforthern states are guilty ! The Southern states are guilty ! There is guUt everywhere ! We should therefore beware how we censure one another. Mother England famished her American colonies with slaves, and pocketed the money, and now she tells ns, that we have no right to that property which she forced on us, when we were a weak and defenceless people, and could not do otherwise than obey her commands. The eagle eyed, shrewd, and sagacious Yankees, ever alive to all that pertains to their own pecuniary interests, with that keen-witted penetration and over-reaching foresight, for which they are remarkable, soon made the dis- covery, that slave labor in a Northern latitude, and on a comparatively barren soil, must prove unpro- ductive. Hence, they strike a bargain with their Southern neighbors. The Yankees say to the South- em planters, gentlemen, you can employ these slaves profitably in the cultivation of tobacco and cotton. Your climate and soil is adapted to slave labor, ours is not, take our slaves, and let us have in return, gold and sUver. It will be a profitable investment on your part, and will relieve us of a species of property, which, to us, is unprofitable. The Southern planters accept their oflfer and purchase their slaves, and what next? The Yankees turn around and say to the Southern men, you have no right to hold these slaves as property. Kentucky and Tennessee might now, with equal propriety and consistency sell their slaves to the Texan planters, pocket the money, turn on their heels and say, why gentlemen, it is true that we sold yon these slaves, and you have paid us for them ; OS AN ESSAY ON SLATZET. 193 bnt you have no right to hold them in bond^e. Eefnnd onr money, cry the Texan planters. If you have sold us property which we have no right to hold as property, refund our money ? No, say the sturdy Kentnckian and the stalwart Tennessean, not we. Help youreelves the best way you can, we have got yoHT money, and we shall hold on to it. We make no children's bargains, and thus the matter ends. If slave labor had been profitable in the North, Northern men would have remained in possession of their slaves to the present day. No one, I suppose, doubts it, and it is a good and sufficient reason why they should be a little more modest in their denuncia- tion of their Southern brethren. Slavery is perpetu- ated by selfishness. Northern men, to say the least, are as selfish as Southern men ; and it would require nothing, but a change of location, to make them as oppressive task-masters. Where there is most sel- fishness, there we will find most oppression; provi- ded, that surrounding circumstances are favorable. Most men, in this world, consult their own pe- cnniaiy interests. If they are enhanced by Afiican slavery, Afiican slaves they will have, provided they can get them ; but if they cannot get AMcan slaves, they will make slaves of unfortunate and ignorant in- dividuals of their own color. It is the same domi- nant principle the world over. The Northern man with his leagues of land, surrounded by ignorant, in- digent and impoverished fenulies, is virtually a slave- holder. He gets all their labor, and what do th^ receive in return ? A bare subsistence. Southern slaves get that. These tenants spend their lives ia 194 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, laboring for their landlords, and receive in recum, barely a sufficiency of coarse food and coarse clothing, to keep soul and body together through a protracted and miserable existence ; the condition of many of them being worse than that of a majority of South- ern slaves. Most of operatives who live on their daily wages, do nothing more than earn their victuals and clothes, and slaves are generally as well clothed, and better fed than they are. It is clear to my mind, that a majority of slaves are better compensated for their labor, than the poorer class of people. North oi South. I base this conclusion on the fact, that neither the one, nor the other, receive any thing more than their victuals and clothes, and the slave is better fed, and better clothed than the poor white man. This is neither a far-fetched conclusion, nor yet an exaggeration. It is literally true. I repeat, that the slaves of the South are generally better provided for, than the generality of the tenantry, North or South. Hence, the slave is better paid for his labor than the white man, under these circumstances, slaves are also exempt from those corroding cares, perplexities and anxieties, which embitter the lives of the poorer class of white people. He has but to finish his task, and eat and sleep ; the cares of the family devolve on master and mistress. The storms of ad- versity, the losses and crosses incident to all families, pass over his humble hut. The poor white man has bread and meat to-day, but God only knows from whence it wUl come to-morrow. Not so with the slave, he knows well from whence his bread and meat is to come " for the morrow." Master is bound OB AS ESSAY ON SLAVEEY. 195 to make provision for him, and he feels no concern about the matter. " He takes no thought for the morrow." "Well, but says one, the -white man has liberty, poor as he may be. He can work to-day, and forbear to-morrow, if it suits his ease, conve- nience, or inclination. Very true, and the misfortune is, that he too often works to-day, and gets drunk to- morrow ; or, otherwise, squanders away his time fool- ishly. Indigence and ignorance subject men to op- pression in all countries, and under all circumstances, it matters not whether you caU them slaves or free- men. There is oppression and injustice everywhere. It originates in the supreme selfishness of our na- tures — our self-love. It was the original design of Christianity to eradicate this principle from the human heart. " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." " Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." This is the language of the author of our religion. The great apostle had direct reference to the selfishness of our hearts when he said, " the love of money is the root of all evil." While selfishness is the dominant principle of our hearts, we can neither love God, nor yet our neighbor. The Holy spirit can never enter our hearts, while this principle reigns supreme within. He has been try- ing to expel the monster from the hearts of the hu- man family, for nearly two thousand years ; but as yet he has accomplished his object but partially. He pleads for entrance, but too often pleads in vain. "We must relinguish our self-love, before we can love God supremely, and our neighbor as ourselves. Selfishness, self-love, or the love of money, as the 196 A EEVIEW OF 0NCLB TOM's CABIN, apostle terms it, stands in the way of all that is noble, generous, and just, in our intercourse with our fellow creatures. It is "the root of all evU," all in- justice, all oppression, all unrighteousness, all that mars our peace and happiness in this world, all tumults, all strife, all contention, all war, all blood-shed, all hatred, all misery in time, and aU our woes to all eternity. There are times when my heart sickens within me. I feel, I know that there is oppression and wrong in our world, and that millions of my fellow creatures are interested in perpetuating those wrongs. I know that wherever the human foot has trodden the soil, that migJit triumphs over right, that the strong op- press the weak, that the poor and dependent too often become the servants of the rich ; that the man of quick discernment, too often overreaches and takes advantage of his simple, less gifted, and unsuspecting neighbor. That the master, the lan^-lord, those who are endowed with superior knowledge, those who are in possession of wealth, power, and influence, too often become oppressive, tyrannical and cruel to their inferiors, servants and dependants. I know thai these evil exist, and that many believe that they would sustain damage by any attempt to mitigate, or remove them. Self-love, self-interest, the love of money, the love of ease, the love of wealth, splendor, and power, stand in the way of any reformation. Their prejudices, too, that have grown with their growth, and ripened with their years, must be removed. They moreover imagine that not only their self-interests, but their honor, their ease and OR AN ESSAY ON SLAYEET. 197 convenience, their all — all that they hold dear in the world, will be endangered by any attempt to eradicate the evils alluded to. "Will they, under these circumstances, listen to the calls of suffering humanity, the voice of reason, the laws of Divine revelation, and the stern dictates of conscience ? Can we expect it, when so many interests are involved, when so many prejudices must be broken down, and old institutions rooted up, and a new order of things introduced ? Can moral obligation, a sense of duty, the dictates of conscience, overcome that instinctive passion of the human soul, the love of gain ? Oh ! the love of money, that mighty leveller of power, the golden serpent that beguiles us to trasgress the laws of God, to disregard the rights of man, and to burst asunder the common ties of humaniiy, which were designed in the wisdom and beneficence of the adora- ble Creator to bind us all together — the world, every member of the human family of all nations, kindred, and tongues, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, into one common brotherhood. Will men ever reflect, that we are all brothers, descendants of the same earthly parent, children of the same heavenly father, having common interests, alike the subjects of joy and sorrow ; that the author of our existence is no respector of persons ; and, finally, that we must all stand before a just and righteous Judge, and give an account of the deeds done in the body, "whether they be good or evil." These are solemn thoughts, and we look in vain for a correction of the evils under which the world gi-oans, unless the minds of men can be disentangled from worldly pursuits, and 198 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOm's CABIN, can be impressed with their responsibility to the Author of their existence, and the obligation to each other. Here aU our hopes must center, and to this end must aU our efforts tend, if our object is the re- generation of the human race. Men must understand their true interests, their relations and obligations to each other, and their accountability to God, before they wiU. " cease to do evil and learn to do well." K either the writer or the reader, expects to do anything in behalf of suffering humanity, he must never lose sight of the corruption of our natures, and the great fountain of error and misconception, self-love, as the source of all that mars the peace and happiness of the human family. And what is of paramount impor- tance, we must bear in mind, that without Divine aid, we wTite in vain, we read in vain, that God alone can accomplish the great work, and that we are bu' instru- ments in his hands. We must then, with un'sv:c> ied patience and dilligence, do our duty, and lea*;e~ti>is^; event to him who has all power in heaven and ~^arJE." " CHAPTER XIII. The memorable words of our Saviour, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind ; and thy neighbor as thyself," comprise the whole duty of man. God requires nothing more of any man. He that loves God will yield a ready and cheerful obedi- ence to all his commands ; and he that loves his neigh- bor, cannot, under any circumstances, or in any con- dition of life, do his neighbor injustice or wrong. I have shown in the preceding Chapter, that all oppres- sion, all injustice, that aU the evils and calamities which befal the human family, originate in, or are perpetuated by our self-love. Selfishness, self-interest, or otherwise self-aggrandizement, is the mainspring of all our actions if we are devoid of love to God and man. This innate principle of our hearts, the love of money, the love of ease, wealth, power and fame, must be overcome before we can love God and our neighbor; or otherwise discharge those duties in- cumbent on us as Christians, good citizens, and philanthropists. While self-love or selfishness is the dominant principle in our hearts, we can be neither humane, just, nor generous in our intercourse with our fellow creatures. It is impossible. Under these circumstances we must and will invade their rights; 199 200 A EBviEW OF xmcvE tom's cabin, provided that our interests are enhanced thereby, 1 have said that this innate principle of cupidity must be overcome before we can love God or our neighbor. The question present itself, how ? By what means or agency ? The gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was promulgated for this special pur- pose. By what agency? Through the pervading influence of the Holy Ghost shed abroad in our hearts, purifying our corrupt natures. To whom was this, gospel committed ? The church of Christ. We look then to the church of Christ for its promulgation, and an application of its principles. But some branches of the church are so corrupt that we can no longer look to them as the depositories of truth, righteous- ness and justice. Our Saviour sowed good seed, and the devil sowed tares ; and the tares have grown and multiplied until they have nearly superseded the pro- duct of the good seed. But the difficulty does not stop here, for we find, at this time, multitudes who have crept into every branch of Christ's church, who give incontestible evidence that they are under the influence of the worst passions and propensities of the human heart. Who are devoid of every princi- ple of the Christian religion. What is their object ? What are the motives of such persons when they attach themselves to thedifierent branches of Christ's church ? Seai'ch your hearts ye whited sepulchers, and tell me what was your leading object when you became church rQembers ? Tell me, was it to serve God ? No, for ye continue to serve the devil with more alacrity than formerly. Shall 1 hold you up, naked and deformed as ye are, or .ahall I forbear j OE AN ESSAY ON SLAYEKT. 201 The truth miist be told, be the consequence what it may. It was not your intention when je entered the pale of the church, to place yourselves in such a position as would enable you more effectually to serve either the Author of your existence, or the father of lies. You made a profession of religion in order to serve yourselves. You designed nothing more nor less than to make a profession of religion subserve your business, profession or avocation ; or else, give you character and notoriety in the world. Here now is the principle of self-love, selfishness, self-aggran- dizement, prompting men to attach themselves to the different branches of Christ's church. The politician contemplated, no doubt, that by becoming a church member he would secure the suffrages and the influence of a large portion of the members of that church to which he attached himself. The merchant by the same manoeuvre, expected to sell more goods ; and the physician was aware that it would afford him an excellent opportunity to hro- tTier and sister himself into a better practice. The lawyer expected to get large fees from avaricious and contentions church litigants. For church members will engage in lawsuits, the authority of John Wesley, and the stiU higher authority of St. Paul to the con- trary, notwithstanding. The mechanic too, must have the patronage and influence of the church. Ifeighbor B., over the way, is a regular church mem- der in good standing ; and I must become one too, in order to compete with him in business. Dear me, says the farmer to his beloved spouse, don't you see ttiat we are raising a large and promising family of 202 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOM's CABIN, children ; and we must make them respectable. How, my dear, says the good lady ; by dressing our daugh- ters in silks, and our sons in broadcloth ? No, no, says the close-fisted farmer, there is a cheaper and readier way to accomplish it ; though I have no ob- jection to seeing the children decently clothed. Have you not observed that all the respectable families in this neighborhood are Methodist, Presbyterians, or Baptists, (as the case may be,) and in order to become respectable, we too must go and join the church. These are the corrupt, the impure, the abominable motives, which too often lead men to attach them- selves to churches ; and these are the considerations which are too often presented to non-professors by ministers, as well as private membei-s. I regret to say it — ^I blush while I record it : I have frequently seen professors of religion approach non-professors with all the sanctimoniousness which they could pos- sibly assume, and abruptly address them in the fol- lowing words: "Come, my friend, you must be religious ; you must get religion and join the church." The poor sinner objected — difficulties interposed — he could not, at least at the present time ; begs leave to be excused until a more convenient season. " Well, but — come my friend, you may find it greatly to your advantage. We are numerous, we are respectable, we are influential, we can aid you in your business, and elevate your character in society." This is no fancy sketch, I have seen it with my own eyes, and heard it with my own ears, a thousand times ; and I beg those who honor this work with a perusal, to reflect for one moment, and I think that they can call OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVEET. 203 to mind similar circumstances. I am loathe to wound the feelings of any one, but a practice so well calcu- lated to corrupt the church of Christ, so contrary to to the spirit of Christianity, must and shall be expo- sed. It is thus that men are frequently drawn into churches, by appeals to the worst passions and pro- pensities that characterize the human heart. By appeals to their cupidity ! their love of fame ! their love of power! By touching the mainspring or the root of all evil — ^love of money ! What can be expected of those on whom such unhallowed means are brought to bear ? They were begotten by unrighteousness, " conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity." No wonder churches are cor- rupt. It behoves us to inquire in what this ungodly pro- cedure, on the part of professors of the Christian religion, originates. It originates in an undue desire on the part of ministers and church members to strengthen their party. It is the same spirit that actuated the Pharisees of old, when our Saviour told them, " ye compass sea and land to make a proselyte;" and what then, after they had succeeded, why he is then " seven-fold more a child of hell than yourselves." No wonder, nothing else can be expected, when peo- ple are induced to attach themselves to churches from such impure motives. I never yet saw such extra efforts made to get some poor, indigent, ignorant, insignificant individual into a church. But if the man has wealth or influence we generally find all hands at the bellows. There are a class of religionists in the world, and 204 A EEVIEW OF UNCLE TOm's CABIN, there are more or less of them among all denomina- tions of Christians, who are never easy, never satis- fied, never content, unless they are cramming their own peculiar notions down other people's throats. Their object is not to change men's hearts, but to change their opinions. They take up the New Tes- tament and read Christ's sermon on the Mount ; but they find nothing in it to answer their purpose. It is but an ordinary production in their estimation. They pass on through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. How stale, how dull, how uninteresting these gospels, they are led to exclaim. They see but little beauty in the God-like teaching ; or the inimitable example of Christ. His last agonies, his death on the cross is insufficient to move their callous hearts. But on they pass through the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Eomans ; but, oh ! stop, they have found it at last? Header, what do you suppose that they have found ? What were they in search of? Why some text of Scripture w hich seem to support their own peculiar notions on the subject of Baptism, Election, Predestination, the Final Perseverance of the saints, &c. The zeal of such persons to propa- gate their opinions is not more remarkable than the confident, dogmatic manner in which they express them. It is remarkable that professors of religion who are most ignorant and depraved, those who have embraced the grossest errors, are the most confident, arrogant and intolerant in their efibrts to force their opinions on others. It may be set down as a maxim, that where there is most ignorance and error — ^that tiiose whose creeds contain the least truth, are under OE AN ESSAY ON SLAVEET. 205 all circumstances the most forward to engage in con- troversy with others. Tnith is quiet — error is noisy and boisterous ; truth is meek — error is proud and self-sufficient ; truth is modest — error is bold and forward ; truth is diffident — error is confident and assuming ; truth is resigned to to the wUl of God — error is self-willed. To arrive at the truth is not the design of such persons. It ia not their eternal interests, nor those of their fellow crea- tures that stimulate them to effort. They read the Scriptures, not as honest inquirers after truth, but with a view of finding something that will give sup- port to some preconceived opinion, doctrine, creed or ceremony. That will give support to some abstruse doctrine, form or ceremony, which has no direct reference, whatever, to their eternal interests, nor to their duty and obligations to their Creator, nor yet to their fellow creatures. Their motives and inten- tions are dishonest, their professions insincere and hypocritical, and it is not in the power of their bigoted and corrupt minds to comprehend, " whatso- ever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report." CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. SECTION I. Abolition editors. Their statements fake, 7 Letter writers travel South — Misrepresentations, 8 Northern men mislead by abolition papers, and Uncle Tom's Cabin, . - - 9 Sectional hatred is engendered thereby, and the Union endangered. Slavery agitation has re- tarded emancipation, riveted the chains of sla- very, and inflicted injury on masters and ser- vants, - - - 10 The revolutionary designs and tendencies of abo- litionism, . - - - . 11 The Union based on the slavery compromise, - 13 Those -who invade the rights of the South, are guilty of not only a civil, but also of a moral trespass. The primitive church was subordi- nate to the civil authorities. Language of Christ and his Apostles, - - - 16 Contrast between Christ and his Apostles, and the apostles of modern reform, - . - 17 SECTION II. Is universal emancipation safe or practicable? What would be the consequences ? - - 18 Idleness, vagrancy and crime, the fruits of eman- cipation, - - 19 207 208 CONTENTS. There is not a free negro in the limits of the Uni- ted States, - Universal prejudice against the African race. The African no where allowed the ordinary privileges of the white man, Free negroes of Baltimore — their appeal to the people of the United States. Judge Blackfor^. Dr. Meier, - ... Slavery agitation of foreign origin. Slavery not extinct in the British dominions . The English poor, White slavery and negro slavery, The condition of African slaves in the United States better than the mass of European labo- rers. Slavery exists in every part of the Bri- tish dominions, British Asiatic Journal. Dr. Bowering. Duke of Wellington. Sir Eobert Peel and the Lon- don Times, - - ... Madame Stowe has carricatured, slandered and misrepresented her country, to please the En- glish people. She is invited to England. Keflections. The wreck of nations. Cardinal virtues. Bigotry and fanaticism. Advice to ladies, - - - - SECTION III. Declaration of an English nobleman. Destruction of the government of the United States, by the Sovereigns of Europe. Their allies, aiders and abettors in the United States. Uncle Tom's Cabin. Mrs. Stowe in England, Isms and Schisms. Tomism in England and America, ^1 England a nation of murderers, thieYes, and rob- bers. Theii- hypocrisy, - - - 3^ Mrs. Stowe in England. Their object in fanning the flame of discord among us, - - - 33 John Bull. Mrs. Stowe and her coadjutors. Crra- ham's Magazine, . . - 34. SECTION IV. Popularity of Uncle Tom's Cabin in England and America. Its designs, tendencies, injustice, falsehood, &c. - - - 35 The Bible. Cupidity and hypocrisy, - - 36 The " inward man." Self deception, - - 37 Mrs. Stowe's object in writing her book, - - 40 Its reception. The conclusion of the whole mat- ter. Yankee ingenuity. Hypocrisy, - 41' " Gain is godliness," and their pretended godli- ness is all for gain. English emissaries and abolition editors. Motives that prompt the abo- lition party to action. Sympathy for the Afri- can race a mere pretense, or affectation of su- perior sanctify, - - - 42 Every man is conscious that he ought to be a Christian, therefore every man wishes to be es- teemed such. Affected piety. Bible Christi- anity, - - - - ■*- 45 England's inconsistency. John Bull a bigoted, meddlesome old hypocrite. " Charity begins at home." Treatment of free negroes North, by abolitionists, - . - - ■ 44 210 CWHTKHTS. SECTION V. Harsh epithets applied to Southern slaveholders by abolitionists, - The Sacred Kecord. God alone was competent to decide what was best for masters and ser- vants, individuals and nations. Every depar- ture from the Sacred Oracles is practical infi- delity, .... He Bible alone is a safe and sure guide. Noth- ing can mitigate the evils of slavery, but a rigid observance of its precepts on the part of masters and servants, - - - - The African derives no benefit from emancipation if he remain among us. Mrs. Stowe would have us substitute greater evils for lesser — " out of the frying pan into the fire." She has told a wondrous story, - ... Uncle Tom's Cabin. Free negroes' tales. Negro novels, village gossip, busy bodies, idlers, loafers and liars. Slavery is not an evil under all circumstances. It would have proved a blessing to the slaves, if masters and servants had complied with the requisitions of the Bible. None so much to blame as abolitionists. The condition of an individual may be such, that he is fit for noth- ing but a slave, The evil consists in the incompetence of the in- dividual, and not in that condition or station in life, to which his incompetency subjects him. Hence, the evils of slavery have their origin in its abuses, CONTKNTS. 211 The African in his native state. Negroes trans- ported to the United States. Slavery in Af- rica. Captives taken in war. Cruelty of ne- gro overseers. Ignorant men hard masters. African masters, - - - 52 One portion of the African race are slaves to another — the larger portion slaves. Ameri- can and African slavery, - - 53 The slaves of the South have superior religious advantages. Southern clergy, - - 64 SECTION VI. Is it the duty of American slaveholders to libe- rate their slaves ? The consequences of uni- versal emancipation, - - - - 55 Crime committed by free negroes. Negro con- victs, North. Prison system. Pauper expen- ditures. Crime among free negroes, North and South, contrasted, 56 The religious condition of the African race, North and South, contrasted. Why is it, that the free blacks. North, derive so little benefit from the Christian ministry ? - - 57 The argument mainly relied on, to prove the sin- fulness of American slavery. Every institu- tion subject to abuse, - - - -'-i - 58 White and black concubines. Illegitimate chil- dren, - - ... - 60 CHAPTER I. Which side of the question are you on, Sir ? - 61 312 CONTEHTS. Ultraists North and South. Writers who diBsemi- nate erroneous views. Uncle Tom's Cabin a work of that class, - . . . The Author of our existence made us to di^er mentally and physically, - - - . We all look through different glasses, some Tiew objects through a microscope — exaggeration is their forte. Their minds were cast in a ficti- tious mould, - .... It is a dire calamity that this class of writers have taken hold of the subject of slavery, Slavery an evil — ^but what shaJl we do with it ? Sympathy for the African race, the object of Mrs. Stowe's book — aright and proper, if prop- erly directed, but blindfold sympathy not likely to result in any good, - - . Slaves of the South proper objects of sympathy — so are their masters. Uncle Tom's Cabin, a gross misrepresentation, Is it right for Mrs. Stowe to present slaveholders, en masse, to the whole civilized world, as a set of heU-deserving barbarians ? - No good can result from misrepresentation. " The wrath of man worketh not the righteous- ness of God." Mrs. Stowe may inculcate re- sistance to the laws of her countiy, but so did not Christ and his Apostles, What atrocious crimes have been perpetrated in the name of liberty ! " Show me the company you keep, and I will teU you who you are," - Are there no laws to protect slaves ? The South- ern slave is not amenable to the civil laws for his conduct, except in a qualified sense, CONTENTS. 318 The punishment of slaves is mjjch more lenient th^;i th§ punishment of white men &;• sinjilaj" crimes. Transportation of slayes for crime, - 73 Ah ! don't touph my purse ! Tour symp3.thies never leak out in that way. Slaveholders called murderers, &c., 74 White and black slavery. Hunger and pold are hard masfers^^woiBQihan Southern sla7ehol4- ers. Condition of free negroes, North. Uni- versal prejudice against negroes— their freedom but nominal, &c. - - - - 76 CHAPTER II. The improbability of Mrs. Stowe's tale. Those who receive their impressions of Southern sla- very from abolition papers, are incapable of expressing correct opinions on the subject, - 78 Anecdote of a lawyer. Abolition editors, - 79 Wonders and humbugs. Jo. Smith's Bible. Uncle Tom's Cabin and Spiritual flappers. Mrs. Stowe's narrative untrue. Her story of Uncle Tom, &c. The improbability of her tale, 80 Eliza and her child. Maid servants in the South, 86 Southern men and their wives. Eliza flees pre- cipitately across the river on floating fragments of ice, .... - 87 Mrs. Stowe has caluminated her country. The moral influence of the great American Republic is destroyed, - - 88 Clericalknaves and fools. N. England infidelity, 89 My country is my pride, my country is my boast, my country is my all. We listen with pleasure to a recital of the vices of our neighbors, - 90 214 CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. Abolition excitement in the North, thirty-five years ago. Discussion, public sentiment, and treatment ol* Southern slaves, ptevious to that time, - - The eflFects of anti-slavery excitement in the North, on the South. Discussion cut off— the enact- ment of rigid laws, &c. Benjamin Lundy, - Why was it, that the abolition excitement in the North produced such a panic in the South ? Shocking doctrines and incendiary publications, Who was it that crushed in. embryo the reform that was in progress thirty-five ^ years ago ? Henry Clay's Letter, A legitimate conclusion. The object of abolition- ists, dissolution of the Union, civil war, &c. The tendency and spirit of abolitionism. A con- federacy, North and South, - - - - The whig and the democratic parties. Col. Benton and Gen. Cass. Parties and party spirit, - - - - - - Hale, Julian and Giddings. Ambition. A sum- mary of my leading objections to abolitionism, Negro stealing a virtue. Detroit 'Free Press, Tom Oorwin and the aboKtionists, • CHAPTER IV. Would the condition of the slaves in the United States be ameliorated by emancipation, under existing circumstances? Historical facts. Manumitted slaves. Vice among slaves and free negroes — contrast. COKTEirTS. 21S The condition of Southern slaves made worse by emancipation. Under no circumstances can the white man and the Afiican meet on terms of equality, - - - - - - - 107 Nature has imposed an impassable barrier ber tween the two races, . - - - . 108 Physical conformation and mental characteristics. Indolence and poverty of the African race, -. 109 Universal emancipation — effects and consequen- ces. - ... . 110 CHAPTER V. Evils of slavery. Is the happiness of individuals under all circumstances diminished, by depriv- ing them of liberty ? - - - - 111 The demoralizing influence of slavery, - 113 The liberality of Southern people, - - - 114 Northern and Southern peculiarities. Slander and seduction, - .... 115 Vices, North and South. Slave labor unproduc- tive — ^the reason why ? - - 116 CHAPTER VI. The evils of slavery continued. The poorer class of whites. South, - - - 120 The higher and lower classes. North and South. Politeness of Southern gentlemen, - - 121 Anecdotes, - - - . 122 The slave and his master. Slaves content and liappy, - 124 Why is it, that the African race are happy, in a state of servitude ? - - . 125 An old infidel and his slave, .... 126 216 CONTEMTS. CHAPTER VII. The evils of slavery continned. Agitation aad sectional hatred. God save the Union, - - 127 Ambitious demagogues. Dangers of agitation, 128 Is there no remedy ? Difficulties. The course of the North toward the South should be kind and eonciliatoiy, - - - 129 The schemes of abolitionists potent fc* evil. By what means can slavery be abolished ? 130 Colonization. Kindness and conciliation, - 131 Territory should be set apart for free blacks, 132 Aversion of slaves to a removal to Africa, - 133 CHAPTER VIII. The holding of slaves not sinM under aU circum- stances — Corse denounced on Ham, &c., &c. 185 CHAPTER IX, Slavery under the Mosaic Dispensation — Christ and his Apostles, - . - - . 150 CHAPTER X. Paul, — Philemon, — and Onesimus. Solemn thoughts, - - - - - 161 CHAPTER XI. The respective duties of masters and servants, &c. 173 CHAPTER XII. Demagogues — Disorganizers — Abolitioniste, &c. 188 CHAPTER XIII. The love of God— Self-love— Truth and error, - 199