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Page 14
What does all this mean? How does it happen that the free blacks of the
North are so little benefitted by the Christian ministry--particularly
in those sections where a large portion of the ministers belong to the
abolition faction? How does it happen that the African population are
so little benefitted or influenced by them? Is it true, that the
negroes have discernment enough to see, that their wordy benefactors
have done nothing for either their souls or their bodies--that
conscience and religious principle have but little to do with all this
slavery agitation? It must be so! Hence, we can understand why it is,
that the African population have more confidence in a slaveholding
ministry in the South, than they have in an abolition ministry in the
North.
My engagements are such, that I shall be forced for the present to
pass over the argument mainly relied on by abolitionists of every
grade, to prove the sinfulness of American slavery; or at least, I can
give it but a cursory notice. I understand that a celebrated D.D., has
published a work, in which, he labors hard to prove the sinfulness of
American slavery from its evils. It was the design of the author of
Uncle Tom's Cabin, to prove the sinfulness of slavery from its evils;
or otherwise, its abuses. If this mode of reasoning is allowable in
one case, it is so in another, and by this mode of reasoning I can
prove the sinfulness of every institution beneath the sun, social,
civil and religions. It is in fact the argument principally relied on
by skeptics to invalidate the Christian religion. They will all point
to its abuses, or in other words, to the evils growing out of its
abuses. Every institution, social, civil and religious is subject to
abuse--may be prostituted to the worst of purposes--the institution of
Christianity not excepted. But it does not necessarily follow, because
an institution is subject to abuse--because it is prostituted to vile
purposes, that there is any thing wrong about the institution. The
evil consists in the abuse or improper use, and not in the
institution. Cupidity inhumanity, and the gratification of the animal
passions and propensities, have incited slaveholders to the worst of
crimes. But this does not prove that the holding of slaves is sinful,
_per se_, under all circumstances. I have shown in the last chapter of
this work, (Chap 13,) that men are too often prompted from selfish
motives to attach themselves to churches, and that many of them are
prostituting a Christian profession to the worst of purposes. But this
does not prove that there is anything defective or wrong about the
Christian religion. No, by no means. If clergymen descend from their
sacred vocation to dabble with politics, and a thousand other things
that a minister of Christ should not touch; or to use their
ministerial influence to accomplish the most diabolical purposes, and
thereby bring reproach on the Christian name, and a grievous curse on
the nation--then assuredly, the institution of Christianity is not to
blame for it; for its Author, both by precept and example taught the
contrary. It was but a few days ago, that a skeptic remarked to me,
"that the inconsistent conduct of professors of religion satisfied him
that there was no truth in the Bible; or at all events, that there was
something wrong about it." I must hasten to a close, as I cannot
extend my remarks on this subject.
There now lies before me a paper, containing the following remarks:
"There is, however, one admitted feature in American slavery of a
character so shameful as to justify almost anything that can be said
or imagined of the institution. Men live with their female slaves in a
state of concubinage, beget children, raise them in their families
with a perfect knowledge of their origin, and sell them or leave them
to be sold by others in case of decease or reverses." It is strange
that those who indulge in such opprobrious remarks about southern
slaveholders, do not look after their own white bastards which are
scattered over this entire country, east, west, north and south. Men
are everywhere, (with a few exceptions,) the world over, utterly
devoid of all parental affections for their illegitimate children; and
the Southern man, no doubt, has fully as much concern about his
mulatto bastards as the Northern man has about his white bastards.
What is the Southern man to do with his brood of mulatto children?
Suppose he liberates them, their condition is but little improved
thereby, unless he sends them out of the country. It is, however,
clearly his duty to educate and manumit such children; but what is the
duty of the Northern man surrounded by a score of his illegitimate
progeny? The condition of the children of the white concubines of the
North are not a whit better, than that of the colored concubines of
the South; and the Northern man who suffers his children to become the
victims of poverty and vice--to sink into the very lowest depths of
degradation!--hopelessly, irretrievably lost, is no better than the
Southern man who suffers his mulatto children to be sold. One thing is
clear; the Northerner can do much more to ameliorate the condition of
his unfortunate offspring than the Southerner; and for this reason, he
is probably the worst man of the two.
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