A

ADDRESS.

t u a t i n g i t ? W h y do w e m a k e no serious efforts to t e r m i nate i t ? Is it not because o u r p e r c e p t i o n o f its sinfulness i s v e r y feeble a n d i n d i s t i n c t , w h i l e o u r p e r c e p t i o n o f the d ifficulties o f i n s t r u c t i n g a n d e m a n c i p a t i n g o u r s l a v e s is strong and clear? A s l o n g as w e believe that s l a v e r y , as i t e xists a m o n g us, is a light evil i n the s i g h t o f G o d , so l o n g w i l l w e feel i n c l i n e d to p r o n o u n c e e v e r y p l a n that c a n b e devised for its t e r m i n a t i o n , i n e x p e d i e n t o r i m practicable. B e f o r e , t h e n , w e unfold o u r p l a n , w e w i s h t o e x a m i n e the s y s t e m , a n d t r y it b y the p r i n c i p l e s w h i c h r e l i g i o n t eaches. I f it s h a l l n ot be thus p r o v e d to be a n a b o m i n a t i o n in the sight o f a just a n d h o l y G o d , w e s h a l l n ot solicit y o u r c o n c u r r e n c e i n a n y p l a n for its a b o lition. B u t if, w h e n f a i r l y e x a m i n e d , it s h a l l b e seen to b e a t h i n g w h i c h G o d a b h o r s , w e m a y s u r e l y e x p e c t that n o t r i f l i n g a m o u n t o f t r o u b l e o r loss w i l l d eter y o u f r o m l e n d i n g y o u r efforts to its e x t e r m i n a t i o n . S l a v e r y i s not the s a m e a l l the w o r l d o v e r ; a n d to a s c e r t a i n i ts c h a r a c t e r i n a n y p a r t i c u l a r state o r c o u n t r y , w e must e x a m i n e the constituents a n d e ffects o f the kind of slavery which there exists. T h e s y s t e m as it exists a m o n g us, a n d is constituted b y o u r l a w s , consists of three distinct parts   a deprivation of the right of property, a deprivation of personal liberty, a nd a deprivation of personal security. I n a l l its p a r t s it i s , m a n i f e s t l y , a v i o l a t i o n o f t he l a w s o f G o d , as r e v e a l e d b y the l i g h t o f n a t u r e , as w e l l a s the l i g h t o f r e v e l a t i o n . 1 st. A part of our system of slavery consists in depriving human beings of the right to acquire and hold property. D o e s it need a n y p r o o f to s h o w that G o d has g i v e n to a l l h u m a n b eings a r i g h t to the p roceeds o f t h e i r o w n l a b o r ? T h e h e a t h e n a c k n o w l e d g e i t     e v e r y m a n feels i t . The B i b l e i s f ull o f d e n u n c i a t i o n s a g a i n s t those w h o w i t h h o l d f r o m others the fruits o f t h e i r e x e r t i o n s . " W o unto h i m t hat b u i l d e t h his house b y u n r i g h t e o u s n e s s , a n d his c h a m bers b y w r o n g ; that useth his n e i g h b o r ' s s e r v i c e w i t h o u t w a g e s , a n d g i v o t h h i m not for his w o r k . " * D o e s an act w h i c h i s w r o n g , w h e n d one o n c e a n d t o w a r d one i n d i v i d u a l , b e c o m e r i g h t because it is p r a c t i s e d d a i l y a n d h o u r l y , a n d t o w a r d s thousands ? D o e s the j u s t a n d h o l y O n e f r o w n
* J eremiah, x x i i , 13. See also James, v, 4 ; L e v . xix, 13 ; D e u t . x x i v , 14,15