32

ADDRESS.

o w n masters? W h y a r e t h e y not freed f r o m p a r e n t a l c o n t r o l at seventeen o r e i g h t e e n ? S i m p l y , because, as a g e n e r a l r u l e , t h e y a r e not fit for s e l f - g o v e r n m e n t at e i g h teen. T h e y a r c , therefore, kept u n d e r a u t h o r i t y for three y e a r s l o n g e r ; a n d not o n l y no h a r m , but e v e n a k i n d n e s s i s d one t o t h e m . T h e almost u n a n i m o u s v o i c e o f m a n k i n d p ronounces that this is r i g h t . N o w it is w e l l k n o w n t hat t he g r e a t mass o f s l a v e s a r e m e r e c h i l d r e n i n u n d e r s t a n d i n g a nd k n o w l e d g e . T h e w h i t e y o u t h at e i g h t e e n u s u a l l y f ar surpasses the g r e a t mass o f o u r s l a v e s , i n i n t e l l i g e n c e a n d c a p a c i t y o f m a n a g i n g s u c c e s s f u l l y his o w n a ffairs. I f, t h e n , we g r a n t it to be r i g h t to r e t a i n the one f or a few y e a r s , to q u a l i f y h i m for his future c o n d i t i o n , w h y is it not r i g h t to do the s a m e i n the c ase o f the o t h e r ? W e l o v e o u r c h i l d r e n , a n d do for t h e m that w h i c h we t h i n k w i l l b enefit t h e m : w h y s h o u l d w e not c o n f e r the s ame benefit on the s l a v e ? Is a course w h i c h is k i n d n e s s t o a c h i l d , i njustice and oppression to a slave ? T h e v o i c e o f e n t h u s i a s m m a y d e c l a r e a g a i n s t u s ; but the v o i c e o f s ober r e a s o n w i l l p r o n o u n c e i n o u r f a v o r . N e i t h e r i s it t r u e , that the g r a d u a l e m a n c i p a t o r sins b y h is c o u n t e n a n c i n g others i n h o l d i n g slaves.. H i s e x a m p l e c a n n o t be appealed to b y s l a v e - h o l d e r s , as a j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f their course. H i s s y s t e m is as different from t h e i r s as b e n e v o l e n c e i s from injustice. L e t t h e m do as he d oes, a nd s l a v e r y at o n c e c eases. H e h a s , b y h i s deed o f e m a n c i p a t i o n , r e c o r d e d his detestation o f t h e i r s y s t e m , a nd s h o w n that he w i l l s a c r i f i c e his g a i n s to his a b h o r rence o f it. B u t it is a s k e d , W h a t difference is t h e r e , i n p r i n c i p l e , b e t w e e n h i s h o l d i n g t h e m for s ome y e a r s , a n d t h e i r h o l d i n g t h e m for l i f e ? T h e difference i n p r i n c i p l e i s t he s a m e that exists between g u a r d i a n s h i p a n d s l a v e r y , o r between o r d i n a r y a p p r e n t i c e s h i p a n d s l a v e r y . I f it w e r e s inful t o do a n y t h i n g w h i c h m a y be m i s i n t e r p r e t e d i nto a n e n c o u r a g e m e n t o f s l a v e r y , it w o u l d then be w r o n g t o use the products o f s l a v e l a b o r , to associate w i t h s l a v e p r o p r i e t o r s , a n d to do a t h o u s a n d other acts, w h i c h m a y be s a i d t o be a c o u n t e n a n c i n g o f this unjust s y s t e m . I t i s also a m a t t e r w o r t h y o f the serious c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f a benevolent m i n d , w h e t h e r , b y a h a s t y e m a n c i p a t i o n , h e m a y not be r i v e t i n g m o r e firmly the c h a i n s o f other