diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 4 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51371-h.zip | bin | 54728 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51371-h/51371-h.htm | 1404 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51371-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 25121 -> 0 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51371.txt | 1306 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51371.zip | bin | 29855 -> 0 bytes |
8 files changed, 17 insertions, 2710 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5d914f6 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #51371 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51371) diff --git a/old/51371-h.zip b/old/51371-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 62df053..0000000 --- a/old/51371-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/51371-h/51371-h.htm b/old/51371-h/51371-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index d59a36b..0000000 --- a/old/51371-h/51371-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1404 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> - -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Slaveholding, by Charles Fitch. - </title> - <style type="text/css"> - - p { margin-top: .75em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .75em; - } - - p.bold {text-align: center; font-weight: bold;} - p.bold2 {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: 150%;} - - h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; - } - h1 span, h2 span { display: block; text-align: center; } - #id1 { font-size: smaller } - - - hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; - } - - hr.smler { - width: 15%; - margin-top: 1em; - margin-bottom: 1em; - margin-left: 42.5%; - margin-right: 42.5%; - clear: both; - } - - body{margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; - } - - .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ - /* visibility: hidden; */ - position: absolute; - left: 92%; - font-size: smaller; - text-align: right; - text-indent: 0px; - } /* page numbers */ - - .center {text-align: center;} - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Slaveholding, by Charles Fitch - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Slaveholding - Weighed in the Balance of Truth - -Author: Charles Fitch - -Release Date: March 5, 2016 [EBook #51371] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVEHOLDING *** - - - - -Produced by Heiko Evermann, Martin Pettit and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -book was produced from scanned images of public domain -material from the Google Books project.) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="center"><a name="cover.jpg" id="cover.jpg"></a><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="cover" /></div> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> - -<h1>SLAVEHOLDING</h1> - -<p class="bold">WEIGHED IN THE</p> - -<p class="bold2">BALANCE OF TRUTH,</p> - -<p class="bold">AND ITS COMPARATIVE GUILT ILLUSTRATED.</p> - -<hr class="smler" /> - -<p class="bold">BY CHARLES FITCH.<br />Pastor of First Free Congregational Church, Boston.</p> - -<hr class="smler" /> - -<p class="bold">BOSTON:<br /> -PUBLISHED BY ISAAC KNAPP,<br /> -No. 25, Cornhill.</p> - -<p class="center">——</p> - -<p class="bold">1837.</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> - -<p class="bold2">SLAVEHOLDING, & c.</p> - -<p class="center">——</p> - -<p>In order that we may understand the duties, which we owe to God and our -fellow men, relative to the subject of slavery, it is necessary that we -examine the institution, in all its bearings upon the temporal and -eternal interests of the enslaved; and ascertain, as far as we are able -to do so, the extent of the injuries which it inflicts. To aid my -readers in doing this is now my object.</p> - -<p>I do not propose however, to gauge this mammoth evil, and show you its -exact dimensions; I fully confess to you in the outset, that I am not -able so to do. That it is greater, in some of its bearings at least, -than any other evil that ever existed among men, and involves more guilt -than any other crime ever committed by men, I fully believe, and shall -endeavor to show; still the evil has a magnitude which my powers cannot -describe; and the guilt a blackness which can never be painted, except -by a pencil dipped in the midnight of the bottomless pit.</p> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p><p>I am aware, that great complaint has often been made, of those, who -have endeavored to rouse the indignation of their fellow men against the -wrongs inflicted on the poor slave, that they deal in unjust severity of -language. That they have at any time spoken more than the truth, I do -not believe—nor can I admit that they have dealt out severity and -painted rebuke, in more unmeasured terms, than they have received them -from their opponents.</p> - -<p>When I remember, too, the long and profound slumberings, even of -Christians on this subject, while their brethren were groaning under all -the injuries, and cruelties, of iron-handed and steel-hearted -oppression; I cannot suppress the feeling, that it was necessary, that -that those who would arouse them, should break forth as in thunder -tones, and gird up all their energies, to shake off the sloth in which -their fellow men were bound. They had themselves but just awoke as from -a dream, and found that they had long been sleeping, as on the -overhanging brink of a burning crater; and when they saw the whole -multitude of their fellow countrymen, still asleep in the same situation -of fearful peril; who can wonder that they should cry out at the top of -their voice, and resort to every possible expedient, to awaken those -around them before it was too late? They heard the suppressed and -terrific mutterings of the incipient earthquake below, and felt the -ground beneath them already giving way, what less could they do, than to -lay about them with all their strength, in the use of the first -expedient, that seemed calculated to awaken and save? They had no time -to devise a multitude of measures, and then choose from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> among them, -such as would be most likely to satisfy those who were unwilling to be -awaked. They must do something, and do it then. Previous measures, -though entered upon ostensibly for the purpose of arousing men from -sleep, had only served as a lull-a-by. The oppressors of their fellow -men, were but becoming more secure in their claims of property in God's -image—the chains of the slave were getting more and more firmly -rivetted, and the whole nation were fast binding themselves in a willing -bondage to those, who found it conducive to their ease, and interest, -and shameful indulgence, to be permitted to inflict all the wrongs they -pleased on their fellow men, with none to utter a single note of -remonstrance or rebuke. It was seen that the press was bribed, and the -pulpit gagged, and the lips of the multitude padlocked, and nearly the -whole population of the free States bound, by chains either of -prejudice, or interest, or ignorance, to the tremendous car of Slavery; -and those who loved to have it so, had mounted the engine and were -driving at rail-road speed, withersoever they would; and when a few -awoke, and saw the nation thus hastening to the precipice of ruin, to be -dashed in the abyss below—what less could they do, than to cry -STOP—and that too, even at a pitch of remonstrance, which should -subject them to the imputation of fanaticism or madness.</p> - -<p>It is not unlikely that some of my readers, may regard the language -which I shall use as unreasonably severe; and yet I do not believe, nor -can I think that any man, after looking candidly at the subject, will -believe that it expresses more than the truth.</p> - -<p>My design is to draw a parallel between slavery and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> the evils which -stand connected with it, and some of the worst evils and vices and -crimes, which are ever found among men, that we may see where slavery -ought to be placed in the catalogue of sins.</p> - -<p>1. Let us look at the Roman Catholic Church. Much has been said during -the last few years, of the efforts which were being made, to bring this -country under subjection to the Pope of Rome. Now it is enough to make a -man shudder from head to foot, though his nerves were iron, and his -sinews brass, to think of the most distant possibility that such a thing -may ever take place.</p> - -<p>But what are the evils which the Romish Church inflicts, upon such as -are brought under her control?</p> - -<p>She takes away the Bible from them, and gives them no opportunity, to -learn for themselves, the way to heaven. All the religious instruction, -which the people can receive, must come orally, from the lips of the -priest. Slavery does the same thing precisely, to all who come under its -control. They may not read the Bible, nor possess it—and can receive no -religious instruction, but what comes orally from the lips of the -priest. The Roman Catholic Church depends for its perpetuity, upon the -ignorance of the common people. Slavery depends for its perpetuity upon -the ignorance, of the enslaved. Hence the great effort to shut out all -<i>knowledge</i>. The Romish Church robs the laboring classes of large sums -of money, to support its pope, and its cardinals, its bishops, and its -priests, in idleness and luxury and profligacy. Slavery robs the -laboring class of their earnings, to support another set of men in the -same mode of life. The Romish Church <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>confiscates the property, and -confines, and tortures, and puts to death, such as will not submit to -her rule, whenever she has the power of doing so. Slavery does the same -things. Not only the property, the whole earnings, but the wife and -children, the hands and feet and head, the whole body and soul of the -enslaved, are confiscated, and appropriated to the use of men in power. -Slavery also has tortures for its victims. It applies the scourge, until -the blood runs down their lacerated bodies in streams, and in a -multitude of ways inflicts its cruelties, upon such as will not yield an -entire submission to its rule. If any refuse to submit longer to their -sufferings, and flee, they are followed into their hiding places, and -put to death. Others are whipped until death ensues; others are driven -to hard labor without proper food or rest, until they sink down and die.</p> - -<p>But the Romish Church does not, ordinarily, strip the whole multitude of -its victims, of everything that bears the name of property, and take the -ownership of themselves out of their hands, and drive them by the -scourge to hard labor from the beginning to the end of the year. She -does not measure out to them their scanty pittance of food, nor name -every rag of clothing which they are permitted to put on, nor mock at -all the relations of social life—stealing the child out of the father's -arms, or off the mother's breast; and the wife out of the bosom of her -husband; and separating them for life, depriving them of all the -protection of law, and subjecting them daily to every injury and -suffering, which avarice and passion and lust can load upon them. Nor -are men, women and children under her influence, like cattle, raised to -sell. Such enormities as these are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> left to be practiced by slavery; and -to be legalized in the statute books of a people, who have boastingly -regarded themselves, as the most thoroughly christianized nation on -which the sun ever shines. I say then, there are points, in which -slavery far outdoes the Romish Church in cruelty and guilt; binds -heavier burdens, and more grievous to be borne, and lays them on men's -shoulders, and will not touch them with a finger. Slavery also like -Romanism, cries out against free discussion, and the liberty of the -press, and does not hesitate to silence both, so far as she has the -power; and to make every possible advance toward it where the power is -not possessed. Hence the outrages committed on peaceful citizens, -travelling in slaveholding States; and the efforts to put down -discussion, in almost all the States which call themselves free. Hence -the destruction of Birney's press in Cincinnati, and the stones cast in -the streets of Troy, at the hero Weld, who, like his Master, goes about -doing good. Hence all the shameful outrages by which that place has been -disgraced, and the still more shameful neglect of the proper authorities -to protect peaceful, respectable, high-minded, and pious men, in the -exercise of the most noble of all their rights, that of publicly -expressing and defending their own opinions. Hence all the excesses -practiced in this and several adjoining States, to lay the heaven-born -spirit of liberty asleep, even among her own New-England hills. Hence -the long, loud, and repeated threats of dissolving the Union, which -Southern men have sent up on our ears, and which even some of our -Governors have echoed back, in declarations that it is felony for a man -to speak what he thinks on a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>particular subject. Who doubts, that -slavery if she could, would go so far in locking up the opinions of men -within their own breasts, as ever popery went in the height of her -power. She had already, well nigh, taken away the power of free -discussion, from those who dare to assert the rights of their fellow -men, and would soon have completed the <i>work</i>.</p> - -<p>2. Let us look at Infidelity. The evil arising from this source is, that -it blinds men respecting their duty to God and their own souls, and thus -leads them down to hell. It urges itself, however, on no man by force. A -spark of honest desire to know the truth and walk in its light, is at -all times, abundantly sufficient, to show a man the sophistry and wilful -unbelief by which such doctrines are supported; and to warn him of all -their snares, and to guide his feet into the path of life. A spark of -honesty in the admission of the plainest principles of common sense, -will show a man that there is a God, that the Bible is a revelation of -his will, and that he will not let the wicked go unpunished, who refuse -to repent. He, therefore, who suffers himself to be borne upon the -shoals and rocks, and down the cataracts, or into the whirlpools of -wilful unbelief, goes there warned of his danger, and with abundant -means and opportunities for escape. But slavery wrests the Bible out of -the hands of immortal men by force. In the midst of a Christian land, -with the clear light of heaven shining all around them, they are shut -out from this light, and left to grope their way in darkness down to -hell. That I may not be suspected of declaring more than the truth on -this point, I will just give a specimen of the laws of slave States -touching this point.</p> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p><p>'A law of South Carolina, passed in 1800, authorizes the infliction of -twenty lashes, on every slave, found in an assembly, convened for mental -instruction, held in a confined or secret place, although in presence of -a white.' That this cuts them off, and was designed to cut them off from -all means of mental instruction, nobody doubts; for who in that State is -permitted to give slaves mental instruction in a public place? 'Another -law, imposes a fine of a hundred pounds, on any person who may teach a -slave to write.' 'In North Carolina, to teach a slave to read or write, -or to sell or give him any book, [the Bible not excepted,] or pamphlet, -is punished with thirty-nine lashes, or imprisonment if the offender be -a free negro, but if a white, then with a fine of three hundred dollars. -In Georgia, if a white teach a free negro or a slave to read or write, -he is fined five hundred dollars, and imprisoned at the discretion of -the Court. If the offender be a colored man, bond or free, he may be -fined, or whipped, at the discretion of the Court. A father therefore, -may not teach his own children, on penalty of being flogged.' 'This was -enacted in 1829.' 'In Louisiana, the penalty for teaching slaves to read -or write, is one year's imprisonment. In Georgia also, any justice may, -at his discretion, break up any religious assembly of slaves, and may -order each slave present to be corrected, without trial, by receiving on -the bare back, twenty-five stripes with a whip, switch, or cowskin.' 'In -South Carolina, slaves may not meet together, before sunrise or after -sunset, for the purpose of religious instruction, unless a majority of -the meeting be of whites, on penalty of twenty lashes well laid on. In -Virginia, all <i>evening</i> meetings<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> of slaves, at any meeting-house, are -unequivocally forbidden.' Of course they may not meet in the day time, -for then they must labor. Possibly they may on the Sabbath, but their -opportunities of doing it even then, are few and far between.</p> - -<p>You see, therefore, the strenuous efforts which are made by legislative -enactments, to shut out all light from the mind of the slave, and -surround him with a thick impenetrable darkness, in the midst of which -he must live and die; and from which his eye never can open, till death -frees him from the grasp of his oppressor. I am aware, that the -privilege of giving oral religious instruction to slaves is, to some -extent, granted, and that some slave masters do pretend to teach their -slaves the truths of religion. But what is the amount of all this? A -writer for the New York Evangelist has, some months since, given us what -he terms 'sketches of slavery from a year's residence in Florida,' in -one number of which, he speaks on this very point. He had conversed with -slaveholders on the subject. One man thought it a very fine thing to -give slaves religious instruction. 'I called my slaves together,' said -he, 'one Sabbath day, <i>the only time which I have been able to get this -season!!!</i> and read to them the account of Abraham's servant going to -seek a wife for Isaac. I took occasion from this, to speak to them of -the integrity of this servant—what an amount of property was committed -to his care, how faithfully he watched over it, how careful not to -purloin any of the rich jewels to himself, how anxious to return at the -appointed time.' 'I think,' said this slaveholder, 'that religious -instruction must be decidedly beneficial.' Another master<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> with whom I -conversed, continues the writer, believed nothing about giving religious -instruction to slaves. He regarded it as all a farce. 'There is no man,' -said this slaveholder, 'who will read the whole Bible to his slaves. If -I recollect right, there is something in the Bible which speaks of -<i>breaking every yoke, and letting the oppressed go free</i>; and there is -no master,' continued he, 'who will read <i>that</i> to his slaves, not even -your good Methodists; and if we must not read the whole Bible, we may as -well read none at all.' Such were the views of slaveholders.</p> - -<p>I have somewhere read the following. Whether authentic, or not, it -illustrates my point, and expresses, I am fully persuaded, very much of -truth. It was the remark of a slave, after the master had been reading -the Bible to him and his companion. 'Massa bery <i>good</i> Christian; him -bery <i>good</i> Christian <i>indeed</i>. Read de Bible to us; but him always read -de same chapter, what says, servants, obey your massas in all tings.'</p> - -<p>Here, unquestionably, we have just about the truth, on the subject of -giving religious instruction to slaves. Multitudes never attempt it, and -those who do, are sure to do it for their own interest, rather than for -the good of the slave. That there are exceptions, I am willing to admit; -but all that I have said, exists unquestionably, to a wide extent, and -to an extent provided for by law. I am aware that the gospel is preached -to some extent, and that some truly embrace it; but these are the -exceptions, and not the general rule. My claim is, that slavery destroys -more souls among the slaves by keeping the Bible away from them, than -infidelity could do in its place, if they were permitted to have the -<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>Bible and read for themselves; and it seems to me that this is a -position which no honest man will dispute.—Slavery also destroys souls -by force, when infidelity could only decoy, and therefore leave an -opportunity for escape.</p> - -<p>3. Let us compare slavery with the making and vending of ardent spirits. -Do not suspect me of a wish to palliate, or extenuate the evils, or the -guilt of this abominable business. I have often dwelt on these, until my -soul has been pained within me, and until I am well persuaded that all, -and far more than all which has ever been said or <i>dreamed</i> on that -subject, is strictly true. I am aware too, that a highly gifted mind, -has, some years since, drawn a parallel between intemperance and the -slave-trade, in which he has endeavored to show, that the latter is an -evil of the least magnitude. But I am comparing now the business of -making and vending ardent spirits, with slavery as it exists at this -time in our country.</p> - -<p>It has often been said with unquestionable truth, that from three to -five hundred thousand miserable men in our nation, are confirmed -drunkards, and that from thirty to fifty thousand go down every year to -a drunkard's grave; and inasmuch, as the drunkard cannot inherit the -kingdom of God, they must go down to the depths of hell. A most fearful -destruction this indeed. But instead of five hundred thousand, there are -not less than two millions two hundred forty-five thousand in our -country, held in the darkness of slavery. How many of these, think you, -have sufficient light to guide their feet to heaven? Shall we say one -half? Who can<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> believe it? But if this be admitted, there are still more -than twice the number shut up by slavery, in a state of darkness that -leads to hell, than have ever, by any man, been estimated in the ranks -of intemperance. Is it not most clearly a truth, then, that slavery -destroys more souls, than the making and vending of ardent spirit? When -we consider, too, that slavery seizes its victims by force, and binds -and rivets chains upon them which they cannot throw off, and thus leaves -their souls unprovided with any of the means of grace, to die without -hope; and that strong drink leaves men abundant opportunities to escape -if they will; who will not say that slavery is unspeakably more to be -dreaded: that it is an evil of far greater magnitude than the other? The -intemperate man may at any time, break away from his bondage, give up -his cups, enjoy the means of grace, embrace the truth and live. But the -victim of slavery, shut out from all true knowledge of God, deprived by -law of all opportunity of learning his Maker's will, or of studying the -way of salvation by Christ; what can he do, but remain in his darkness -and sin, until the darkness of eternal night closes in upon his -benighted soul, and he is left for eternity to suffer the consequences -of unpardoned sin. True, the guilt of him who dies the willing victim of -intempesance, must be greater than that of the poor benighted slave, and -his future punishment consequently more severe, but if slavery holds -twice the number of victims exposed to hopeless reprobation, then it -destroys twice the number of souls, and is therefore the greatest evil.</p> - -<p>4. Let us compare slavery with theft and robbery. Let me give a case for -illustration. You are a husband<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> and a father. You commenced the world a -poor man, but by hard labor and economy, you have collected together a -sum of money, which, you believe, if well invested, will place you and -your family in circumstances of respectability and comfort. From -statements made to you, or from your own observation, by going upon the -ground, you come to the conclusion that your money can be more -profitably appropriated, by removing to the West. Accordingly you -convert every thing you possess into cash, and make all the necessary -arrangements for a removal with your family. On the night previous to -your intended departure, a thief enters your house, takes possession of -all you have, and makes off, and you never hear of it more. Or suppose -you are already on your journey, and after many days of fatiguing -travel, find yourself near the place of your destination; when you are -met by the highwayman, who, with a pistol at your breast, robs you of -your last farthing.—Now I suppose this would be a case, where theft and -robbery would stand out in their worst features. It would be a trying -case indeed. After years of toil, to gain something for yourself and -household, you are in a moment pennyless, with your destitute, needy -family upon your hands. All you can do, is again to betake yourself to -hard labor, to provide for those you love.</p> - -<p>But suppose after all this, you were doomed to see your children torn -from you, one after another, and sold under the hammer, to go you know -not where; to be subjected to the cruelty, and abuse, and outrage, of -any monster into whose hands they might chance to fall; where you could -never see or hear from them more; and you left with no means of redress, -to sit down <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>beside your broken hearted wife, and mingle your tears and -sighs and sobs with hers, with no prospect of relief until death. But in -the midst of it all, even the wife of your bosom, dear as your own -heart's blood, is sundered from you, and sold forever from your embrace, -and you at last go off under the hammer, to the highest bidder, and are -driven by the lash, to groan, and sweat, under long, long days of -unrequited toil, with no relief till you die. This is slavery. It robs a -man of all his earnings during his whole life. Labor as he may, sweat as -he may, he can never have a farthing to call his own. Just hear the laws -on this subject. 'In South Carolina a slave is not permitted to keep a -boat, or raise and breed for his own benefit, any horses, cattle, sheep -or hogs, under pain of forfeiture, and <i>any person may take them from -him</i>.' I ask, what is that but robbery—except it is unspeakably worse, -because it is legalized—and the poor man has no means of redress? It is -made lawful for <i>any person</i> to rob him, by the letter of the statute.</p> - -<p>'In Georgia, the master is fined thirty dollars for suffering a slave to -hire himself to another, for his own benefit. In Maryland, the master -forfeits thirteen dollars for each month that his slave is permitted to -receive wages on his own account. In Virginia, every master is finable, -who permits a slave to work for himself at wages. In North Carolina, all -horses, cattle, hogs, or sheep, that shall belong to any slave, or be of -any slave's mark in this State, shall be seized and sold by the county -Wardens. In Mississippi, the master is forbidden under the penalty of -fifty dollars, to let a slave raise cotton for himself, or to keep stock -of any <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>description.' Now where is the man under heaven, who would not -say, that such a system of legalized oppression, was infinitely worse -than theft or robbery, when practiced toward himself? And what, I ask, -makes the crime any less heinous, when practiced toward a colored man, -than it would be if practiced toward either of us? The poor slave feels -such wrongs as deeply as we could, and groans under them as loudly, and -sheds tears as profusely as we would do; but there he is, without means -of redress. And in addition to all this robbery of everything in the -shape of property; the poor slave is robbed of his children, and his -wife, and robbed of himself—and has nothing left him, but a miserable -existence, subjected to the most cruel, heart-withering tyranny, that -was ever practiced by man on his fellow man, since this world has borne -the curse of its God. When the thief, or the robber, takes your -property, you can repossess it whenever you can find it; or if not, you -can acquire more, and your wife, and children, and yourself, are still -your own. Theft and robbery are nothing compared with the wickedness of -slavery. Make them as bad as you please, and they do not deserve to be -named the same week. The difference between them is too great to be -described, too wide to be measured, too deep to be fathomed. The -slaveholder who goes impenitent to hell, will find himself loaded down -with a weight of guilt and damnation, that will sink him out of sight of -the worst high-way robber that ever walked the earth. But you will say -the high-way robber is often guilty of murder. Well, and so is the -slaveholder often guilty of murder—and this brings me to my next point.</p> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p><p>5. Let us now compare slavery with murder. Who does not know, that -oftentimes, when the poor slave can no longer endure the outrages -practiced upon him, and flies, and takes to the woods, he is hunted down -by dogs, and guns, and thus put to death, just for trying to escape. -Every body knows, that it is a thing of frequent occurrence. Put to -death—just for trying to escape from his sufferings and his wrongs. -Again, it is a maxim with them, that at particular seasons, they can -afford to work a set of hands to death, for the purpose of getting their -crops early to market, and thereby securing a much greater price. The -writer of sketches of slavery, from a year's residence in Florida, -speaks of this particularly, as coming under his observation while -there; and I have seen this fact referred to by other writers in public -print. They do not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of their slaves to -hard labor, when it will increase their profits. Besides, the poor slave -is often whipped until the result is death. Is not my point made clear, -abundantly clear, that slavery is worse than murder? Would you not -prefer to be met by a highwayman, and shot dead, rather than have your -life worn out on a slave plantation, toiling to enrich the hard-hearted -wretch who had stripped you of all your rights? Would you not prefer -this to being whipped, and then laid away to die under the effect? And -is not the wretch who inflicts death by such means, to enrich himself, -more guilty, than he who blows out the traveller's brains and seizes his -money to enrich himself? Surely, my point needs no more illustration. -Slavery <i>is worse</i> than murder. But there is still this point to be -taken into the account. If a man shoots you dead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> by the way side, it is -your own fault if you do not go to heaven. You have the Bible, and the -gospel. You know that there is a Saviour, and if you have not repented -of your sins, and believed in him for salvation, you are without excuse. -If you lose your soul, the fault is your own. Though murdered—you might -if you would, have been saved. But the poor slave is prevented from -learning the way of salvation while he lives, and then worn out with -toil, he dies and is lost forever. Surely I need not say more—what -honest man is not prepared to say that slavery is worse than murder?</p> - -<p>6. I come now, to a point, which, in the estimation of some, perhaps, -ought to be suppressed. But I am a servant of the Most High God, and to -him accountable; and as such, placed under solemn obligation to cry -aloud and spare not, and show this guilty nation its sins. This, with -the Lord's help, I will do. It is high time also, that our mothers, and -our wives, our sisters, and our daughters, knew the sufferings and the -wrongs of the poor defenceless female slave, that they may lift up their -strong cries to Heaven in her behalf.</p> - -<p>I wish, therefore, to compare slavery with fornication and adultery, and -the violation of female purity by force. And, my hearers, I do not ask -you to believe my naked assertion on this point, I will show you proof, -as it has been my endeavor to do on every point previously considered.</p> - -<p>Look again at the laws. In Kentucky—'any negro, mulatto, or Indian, -<i>bond or free, who shall at any time, lift his hand in opposition to any -white person</i>, (mark the language) shall receive thirty lashes, on his -or her bare back, <i>well laid on</i>, by order of the justice.'</p> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p><p>This regulation, or something very much like it, is believed to be in -force in all the slaveholding States. Look now at the condition in which -this places the poor female. She is at the uncontrolled will of the -master. He may order her, by fear of the lash, into any secret place -where he pleases; the same fear of the lash, enables him to accomplish -all the hellish purposes of his heart, and then, by the same means, he -can seal her lips in silence, that the crime be never divulged. During -all this time, if she lift a hand against him, he can procure thirty -lashes for her, to be well laid on, by order of the justice, in addition -to all he pleases to inflict himself. Let us now just remember, that in -addition to such a regulation, no person of color can be a witness -against a white man in a court of justice, and you see the exact -condition of the poor female slave. There is nothing, so foul in -pollution, nothing so horrid in crime, but she may be driven by the -lash, to be the victim of it, and she must not lift a hand in -self-defence—and then she dare not divulge her wrongs, or if she does, -there is no power on earth, from whom she can gain any redress; or even -protection, against a repeated infliction of the same evils.</p> - -<p>If slaveholders had framed laws for the express purpose, of placing the -purity and virtue of their females entirely in their own power, they -could not have done it <i>more</i> effectually, than it is now done. It would -seem to be a system, framed for the very purpose, of giving them full -power, to pollute by force, just as many as they pleased. At any rate, -they know the power is in their hands, and there are developements -enough which show that they are not slow to use it.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> There are a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> -multitude of facts on this subject, and I will just relate one or two, -because I know them to be authentic.</p> - -<p>A particular friend of mine, who spent several years in a slave State, -gave me the following as an occurrence, which transpired in the place -where he resided, and at the very time of his residence there. A man,—I -will not say gentleman, and in truth I ought to say monster,—who had a -wife and a family of grown up daughters, residing with him, had also in -his house a young female slave. This slave became the mother of a child, -and it was a matter of public notoriety, that the head of the family was -the father of it. So barefaced had the thing become, that the man found -it necessary to take some measures to get his shame, and the extreme -mortification of his wife and daughters out of his mind.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> He -accordingly sold her for the southern market, and though it was with -some difficulty that he could persuade the purchaser to take the infant, -he at length did so, and the wretched mother, the victim of the master's -beastliness and abominable crime, was taken, or rather torn from the -house, and borne away, literally uttering cries and shrieks of distress. -Now I would like to know whether there is any language under heaven, -that will sufficiently set forth the guilt of such a wretch?</p> - -<p>The following fact was related by a pious physician who resides in the -city of Washington. It came to me in such a way that I know it to be a -fact.</p> - -<p>'There is,' said this physician, 'residing in this city, a young female -slave, who is pious, and a member of the same church to which I belong. -She is a mulatto,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> and her complexion nearly white. One day, she came to -me in great trouble and distress, and wished me to tell her what she -could do. She stated to me, that her master's son, was in the practice -of compelling her whenever he pleased, to go with him to his bed. She -had been obliged to submit to it, and she knew of no way to obtain any -relief. She could not appeal to her master for protection, for he was -guilty of like practices himself. She wished to know what she could do? -Poor girl, what could she do? She could not lift a hand in self defence. -She could not flee, for she was a slave. She would be brought back and -beaten, and be placed perhaps in a worse condition than before. And -there she was, a pious girl, with all the feelings of her heart alive to -the woes of her condition, the victim of the brutal lusts of a dissolute -young man; with no means of defence or escape, and no prospect before -her, but that of being again and again polluted, whenever his unbridled -passions should chance to dictate.</p> - -<p>Perhaps there is a mother here, who has a pious daughter, and I would -like to come into her heart, and ask what would be her feelings, if that -daughter were placed in such circumstances as these; or what would be -the feelings of that daughter, if she were thus bound down, to a -condition so much worse than death. I do solemnly believe that there is -no adulterer under heaven, no fornicator, covered with a guilt so deep -and damning, as the wretch that will pursue such a course of conduct as -that. Even the victim of seduction is but decoyed from the paths of -virtue, but here is a disciple of Christ, bound, and that too, by the -laws of the land, and laid, a helpless victim, on the altar of -prostitution.</p> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p><p>Here then, is a crime punishable, under most Governments, with death, -and the victim has power of redress, and certainly of escape from a -repetition of the outrage; but slavery places its victims where there is -no redress, and no deliverance; and gives the slaveholder full power, to -roll, and riot, upon the virtue and innocence of as many defenceless -females as he pleases, with no power under heaven to call him to -account. I say again, if they had made their laws for the express -purpose, of securing to themselves this power, they could not have done -the thing more effectually; and no man, who has ever seen or heard much -of southern practices, is ignorant of the truth, that such things as I -have been relating, are the common occurrences of every day. O, when I -reflect on this subject, I could almost pray for a voice like a volcano; -and for words that would scorch and burn like drops of melted lava, that -I might thunder the guilt of the slaveholder in his ears, and talk to -him in language which he <i>would</i> feel. Who will say, that this system of -slavery, under which no female, who has a drop of African blood in her -veins, has any defence for her virtue, against any white man, even for -an hour, and no possibility of escaping from pollution, is not -unspeakably worse than fornication and adultery, or even the violation -of purity by force, where there are laws to apprehend and punish for -such a crime? Do not suspect me of a wish to palliate these vices. They -were never painted, in colorings too foul and loathsome; nor was their -guilt ever portrayed in a blackness deeper than the reality—but I say, -the system of slavery is a thing fouler, blacker, guiltier still.</p> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p><p>7. But let us look again, and compare slavery with treason. Benedict -Arnold was a traitor. At a time, when his country was in great distress -and difficulties, he formed the mad purpose, of delivering her over to -the will of her enemies; and did what he could, to accomplish his end. -Every breast in the land, burned with indignation against him—and, but -for his flight, he would have ended his days on a gallows.</p> - -<p>But suppose he had accomplished his end, and the unjust laws against -which our fathers fought and bled, had remained in full force upon us -until now? I am bold to say, that we should not have suffered wrongs, -that ought to be mentioned, in comparison with the wrongs of the slave. -There was a heavy and unjust taxation, but it was not stripping us of -all our earnings for life. There was a refusal, to give us a just -representation, in framing the laws, by which we were to be governed; -but it was not stripping us from all protection of law, and reducing us -in that respect, to the condition of cattle or swine. It was not -stripping us of all our rights, and robbing us of our children, and -subjecting our wives, our sisters and our daughters, to wanton and -promiscuous violation, with no power to lift a hand in self defence, and -depriving us of the power of giving them protection. The husband or -father, if he be a slave, may look on, and see his wife or daughter -polluted before his eyes, and all the laws of the land, are against his -lifting a finger for their deliverance. He may toil ever so hard, during -his whole life, and he cannot be worth a farthing. The treason of -Arnold, had it prospered, would never have subjected us to such evils as -these. Besides, had we remained until this time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> British Colonies, other -things being as they now <i>are</i>, this evil of slavery would now have been -done away, and perhaps years ago. When I think of this, if I had not -confidence in the overruling Providence of God, I could almost weep, -that it did not seem best to the God of armies, to leave us under the -control of a power, that would have uprooted this destructive Bohon -Upas, which is still throwing its broad branches of death and -desolation, over such wide spreading portions of our otherwise happy -land. Sure I am, that Arnold's treason would never have made our land -groan under such woes, and send up to heaven such cries of distress, as -are wrung daily from the breasts of the helpless millions whom our -nation now enslaves. I say again, therefore, that the system of slavery, -is unspeakably worse than treason. But I cannot pursue this parallel -farther. I have glanced at what men regard as the worst of evils and -crimes; but when weighing the guilt of slavery, we find that everything -which we can place in the opposite scale, at once kicks the beam. It has -a weight of guilt attached to it, that can be balanced by the guilt of -no other <i>crime</i>.</p> - -<p>There is one more point to the thing, which I wish to name, as giving -blackness and aggravation to its guilt, and then I have done. It is, -that multitudes of the professed disciples of Christ, come forward to -justify the system of slavery, and to claim for it the sanctions of the -word of God. Yes, this system of slavery, red as it is with crime, black -as it is with guilt, and foul as it is with impurity, is called, even by -professed Christians and Ministers, an institution of the Bible. Oh, it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> -seems to me, that if the long suffering patience of a forbearing God, -was ever insulted beyond endurance, it must be, when the protection of -his authority is claimed, for the perpetuity of such a system as this. -There is no crime which it does not legalize—no sin which it does not -protect—no depth of impurity which it does not dig, and in which it -does not permit vile men to wallow. And yet there are not wanting men, -Christian men, and ministers who wait at the altar of God, who call this -an institution of Heaven, and claim for it the authority of the Most -High. I know that they would plead for slavery, without the abominations -which I have named, and claim to look upon such crimes, and vices, with -as deep an abhorrence as we.</p> - -<p>But who cannot see, that slavery is the common mother of all this brood -of hellish ills; in whose frightfully prolific womb they are conceived, -and by whom they are brought forth. Slavery <i>itself</i> is the thing to be -reprobated? You must put the odious dam to death, or she will continue -to multiply her infernal progeny, and send them abroad among us, -prolific in woes. You cannot have slavery without its concomitant evils. -I know men may be found, whose hearts have felt the power of the -religion of Christ, but whose moral sensibilities are not sufficiently -awake, to lead them to obey God on this subject, to break every yoke and -let the oppressed go free, who claim that <i>they</i> treat their slaves -kindly, and that under such circumstances, slavery is justifiable; and -that moreover, they are not accountable for the crimes which other men -commit among their slaves, or for the wrongs which they practice upon -them. Kindness to an enslaved man! It is a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>contradiction in terms. You -might as well rob him of his all on earth, cut off his hands and feet, -and bore out his eyes, and then take him into your house, and treat him -kindly to make up for the wrong.</p> - -<p>The slave, under the best circumstances, is the victim of robbery every -day. Day by day, all his life, he is robbed of the fruits of his labor, -that it may go to enrich another. He has hands indeed, but he may not -use them for his own benefit. Feet he has, but they may not bear him -where <i>he</i> would go. They must go and come at the master's bidding, and -not his. He has eyes, but he may not look on the light of science, or on -the clearer, purer light of God's revealed truth. Even the sun shines -not for him, as it only serves to light him to his unwilling and -unrequited toil. Of what use then, are hands, and feet, and eyes, to -him? He can no more use them for his own benefit, than if he had -none—and yet you think to make up to him by kindness what you have -taken away; and call yourself a disciple of Christ, and think that -Heaven will reward you for being so kind to your poor oppressed, down -trodden victim, whom you compel to labor unrewarded, for your good. Is -that the religion of Christ? Is that loving your neighbor as yourself?</p> - -<p>But, the most kind hearted, and upright, and pious slaveholder in the -land, so far as he approves of the system of slavery, and pleads for its -perpetuity, is at best, accessory to all the evils to which the system -gives rise. He is therefore a partaker in its guilt, and will hereafter -find his hands stained and polluted with its vices and its crimes. He -who has said in his Bible, Be not partaker of other men's sins, has -also<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> said, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not -the unclean thing, <i>and no man can be guiltless who refuses to do this</i>.</p> - -<p>But perhaps it will be asked; admitting that slavery is everything that -you claim it to be, what right have you to interfere? I claim no right -of interference, based on the existing laws of our country, for these, -as we have seen, are so abominably wicked and oppressive, as fully to -sanction all the evils and crimes which we have been considering. Still, -I claim, that I have a right to interfere,<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> and to do all in my power, -by every possible means, for the extinction of slavery. Do any ask, on -what that right is based? I answer, on the statute book of Almighty -God—on the pillars of heaven's eternal throne, and better authority -than this, to sanction my interference, I do not ask. 'Thou shalt love -thy neighbor as thyself.' 'Who is my neighbor?' Let Jesus Christ answer. -'A certain man, no matter who, went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and -fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounding him, -departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance, there came down a -certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other -side.' How exactly like the conduct of many ministers of the gospel, -toward the slave. They just look on his sufferings, and pass by, making -no effort to give him relief. 'And likewise a Levite, when he was at the -place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.' Just so -multitudes of professing Christians conduct toward the slave.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> They look -on him, pass on, and leave him alone in his woes. 'But, a certain -Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when <i>he</i> saw him, he -had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring -in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an -inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took -out two pence and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of -him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay -thee.' Here our Saviour has shown us what it is to act the part of a -neighbor. This Samaritan found a fellow being in distress. He stopped -not to inquire who he was, but proceeded at once to do as he would like -to have others do to him in like circumstances. And now the command of -Christ is, 'Go thou and do likewise.' Wherever, therefore, we find a -fellow being in distress, we find in him a neighbor, one whom we are -bound to love as we love ourselves. We are to identify ourselves with -him, and feel for his wrongs and his woes, as we would for our own in -like circumstances, and are to do for him, so far as lies in our power, -everything, which, in like circumstances, we could wish others to do for -us. Tell me not then, that I have no right to interfere, when I see more -than two millions of my neighbors, yes, of my brethren, my own fellow -countrymen, groaning and toiling, and dying, under the unparalleled -wrongs of slavery. I have no right not to interfere. I am a traitor to -my neighbor, and a rebel against my God, if I forbear to interfere; if I -fail to use the last power which my Maker has given me, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> pleading for -the immediate deliverance of my fellow men from their sufferings and -their chains. I trample on the universal law of the infinite Jehovah, if -I leave undone anything in my power, which I would wish to have done for -me, if all the miseries of slavery were mine.</p> - -<p>But it is not merely by looking at the general principles of God's -government, that I learn my duty toward the toil-worn, agonized, -suffering slave. I find positive direction for this specific case. Jer. -21 : 12.—'Thus saith the Lord—Execute judgment in the morning, and -deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my -fury go forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of -the evil of your doings.' Who is spoiled, if it be not the slave? Is he -not spoiled of everything? Spoiled of all his earnings—spoiled of the -child whom he loves—spoiled of the wife that is bone of his bone, and -flesh of his flesh—spoiled even of the ownership of himself, and -spoiled of his immortal soul, by being robbed of the light that would -guide his feet to heaven? And the poor suffering female slave—of what -is she not spoiled? Spoiled of all that protection, which the innocent -and helpless, have a right to claim, even of the savage. Spoiled of all -the affectionate tenderness, which woman everywhere, has a right to -expect; spoiled even of her virtue, and that by law, for we have seen, -that the laws have placed her, where she cannot preserve it, if she -would.</p> - -<p>Who then, I ask again, is spoiled, if it be not the slave? And who is an -oppressor, if it be not the man who holds him in bondage, and inflicts -all these wrongs upon him? While, therefore, I hear the God of heaven<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> -saying, 'Deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, -lest my fury go forth like fire, and burn, that none can quench it,' can -I expect to escape the fury of that fire, if I shut my ears against the -mandate, which thunders upon me from the presence chamber, and from the -lips of Him, who declares himself King of kings, and Lord of lords? Tell -me not, that I have no right to interfere—no right to plead for the -deliverance 'of the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor.' I may not -fail to do it—lest the fire of God's fury kindle upon me, for my -disregard of his high command. And the same, is true of all my readers. -Unless you have a right to disobey Almighty God, you have no right to -leave anything undone, which you might do, for the deliverance of the -slave.</p> - -<p>But who is the slave? He is a man—made in the image of God—and bears -as much of God's image, remember, as though he had the complexion, and -the features, and the limbs, of the white man. Where is the man with a -pale face, even among slaveholders, who will stand up, before the face -of heaven, and claim that he bears more of God's image than his slave? -He would show the image of the devil, large as life, had he the pride, -and effrontery, to do such a deed of daring impiety. The slave is made -in the image of his God, and to him God gave dominion over the works of -his hand, as much as to the white man. For him God lighted up the sun -and moon, and made the heavens resplendent with stars, as much as for -us. For him God made the breath of morning, and the calm stillness of -the summer eve—for him the deep blue sky was spread a canopy, and for -him puts on alternate tints of purple<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> and of gold. For him the -landscape smiles in green, and flowers spring up to beautify his path, -and trees hang out their foliage, and bend beneath their burdens of -delicious fruit. For him the fields wave with their ripening grain—for -him the valleys yield their corn—for him the flocks and herds lay down -their treasures, and the sea sends up its inexhaustible supplies. For -him the limpid stream, the clear pure fountain were provided, and for -him the balmy air, echoing with melody of birds. Ah, and for him, -remember it ye who dare withhold it from him—for him the Bible was -given. Who dare say, that God provided these things for the master, more -than for the man whom he enslaves.</p> - -<p>But what is more than all, for him the Son of God came down and died. -The blood gushed from his heart as freely, and in streams as pure, for -the oppressed and broken hearted slave, as for us, or for the man who -dares enslave God's image—for him the river of water of life, -proceedeth clear as crystal from the throne of God and the Lamb—for him -the streets of the New Jerusalem are paved with gold, and for him, the -glory of God and the Lamb, shall pour forth its light, in beams that -shall forever hide the brightness of the noonday sun—and for him are -made ready the joys of an eternal heaven. Yes, this is the being whom -slavery binds in chains, and robs of all the richest gifts of heaven, -and sinks in ignorance and pollution down to hell. Oh, if the whole arch -of heaven above us, ever echoed with the loud threatenings of an -indignant God—it may now be heard to echo with the fearful -interrogation—'Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord? Shall -not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?'</p> - -<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p><p>And now will you look on, and seal your lips in silence, and say that -you have no right to interfere for the deliverance of the slave? Do you -not hear the God of heaven saying, 'Deliver him that is spoiled out of -the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go forth like fire and burn that -none can quench it;' and dare you disobey? Do you ask what shall be done -for his deliverance? I answer, let every pulpit thunder forth this -mandate of the most high God—let every minister at the altar cry aloud -and spare not and lift up his voice like a trumpet—and show this people -their transgressions; this guilty people their sins. Let every press -groan to be delivered of its obligation, to make known the Almighty's -will—and let such as can pray, pray <i>now</i>, that God will break every -yoke, and let the oppressed go free. Especially, let woman—woman, the -last to linger around the cross, and the first to find the sepulchre of -God's crucified Son; linger long at the altar of prayer, and be found -early upon her knees, wrestling at the throne of grace; and let all who -fear God or love man, resolve before high Heaven, that they will not -rest, till every chain is broken, every yoke buried, every scourge and -fetter burned.</p> - -<p>But I seem to hear some one ask—must we think only of the slave—must -we not regard the master's rights? Rights! What rights? Right to hold -his fellow man in bondage for one hour? He might as well claim a right -to sit on the throne of God. He has no such right. But must he -relinquish all the property he now holds in slaves? He has no such -property. He has no more right to call them his property, than he has to -call the angels in heaven his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>property. God gave man dominion over the -beasts of the field—but over God's own image he never gave him -dominion. The wicked, heaven-daring laws of men, confer the <i>power</i> of -enslaving man—but the <i>right</i> they never gave, for it was never theirs -to give. There is no such thing as property in man—there never can be. -We do not ask the slaveholder to relinquish any right. We call upon him, -on the authority of God, to break every yoke and let the oppressed go -free. We do not ask them to give up their property. We tell them that -God declares them to be 'like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood -and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain; and that the prophets have -daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity and divining lies unto -them, saying thus saith the Lord, when the Lord hath not spoken. That -the people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and -have vexed the poor and needy, and have oppressed the stranger -wrongfully—and that God now threatens to pour out his indignation upon -them, and to consume them with the fire of his wrath, and to recompense -their way upon their own heads.' No—we do not ask the slaveholder to -give up his property—we ask them 'to cease beating God's people to -pieces—to cease grinding the face of the poor;' and when the -slaveholder has done that, the lost slave will have his freedom.</p> - -<p>But you say it would make great changes in society, to free every slave -at once, and many a man, who now lives in affluence, would instantly -become poor. We doubt it not. We doubt not that many a wretch, who has -rolled in profusion, by robbing his fellow men of their earnings, would -be obliged to go to work with his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> own hands to earn his bread; and this -is just what he ought to have done long ago. He is made of no better -clay than the lowliest of all God's creatures whom he enslaves; and -there is no more reason why he should be exempted from eating his bread -in the sweat of his brow. Let us arise then with one heart, and with -united voice, and with ready hands, do our utmost, to deliver the -oppressed from their wrongs.</p> - -<p>But it may still be asked, what do you expect to accomplish? We expect -to make the slaveholder feel, that when he crushes an immortal soul down -to the depths of hell, to gratify his own abominable selfishness, God -will hold him accountable for that soul at the judgment day. We expect -to make him see, that the short-lived gratification, which he can have -derived from enslaving his fellow man, will but poorly compensate him, -for the eternal damnation which he must hereafter endure, if he does not -repent of his abominable sin. We expect to open to him the broad claims -of the infinite God, and to make him see that in his present course of -conduct, he is holding himself in open exposure to the Almighty's wrath; -and having thus bared his conscience to the arrows of truth, we expect -to call down the Holy Spirit by our prayers, to fix these arrows deep in -his heart; to reprove him of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, and -thus to bring him to unfeigned repentance before God. We expect not to -accomplish what we aim at with our unaided strength—but we believe that -the Lord of hosts is with us, and trusting in his strength we cannot -fail. Christians of every name, shall we not have your aid? Lovers of -your fellow men, look at the wrongs of the slave, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> weep and toil for -him, that he may go free. Open your hearts and your hands to him, and -remember that 'He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and -that which he hath given he will pay him again.'</p> - -<p>Let no one think to rid himself of obligation, on this momentous -subject. Every man has a tongue, and he can use it; he has influence, -and he can exert it; he has moral power, and he can put it forth; and -this is all the power we need. Our efforts are aimed, not at the life of -the slaveholder, but at his conscience—his moral feelings, and with the -help of God, we do expect them to prevail. But, perhaps you will say, -that slaveholders have no conscience on this subject. Doubtless their -conscience may be dead and buried; it may have been sleeping these fifty -years in its grave; but come on, one and all, let us raise the trump of -truth, and blow a resurrection blast above it, that shall call it forth -from its dust, to take up its whip of scorpions, and scourge the guilty -men into obedience to the commands of God. Slavery cannot long live -among them. 'Behold, the hire of the laborers, who have reaped down -their fields, which is of them kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries -of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of -Sabaoth.' The Lord of armies, is the fearful signification of that term; -and if they cease not from their oppression, they may well expect, that -the Lord of armies will not long withhold his hand. Up, my friends, and -do your duty, to deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, -lest the fire of God's fury kindle ere long upon you.</p> - -<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Read Bourne's Picture of Slavery.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> This occurrence was not very far South, otherwise, there -would have been no shame.</p></div> - -<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> The author disapproves of interference at the expense of -human life, but believes that all possible means short of the shedding -of blood, are justifiable.</p></div> -</div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Slaveholding, by Charles Fitch - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVEHOLDING *** - -***** This file should be named 51371-h.htm or 51371-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/3/7/51371/ - -Produced by Heiko Evermann, Martin Pettit and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -book was produced from scanned images of public domain -material from the Google Books project.) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> diff --git a/old/51371-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/51371-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index f30b9bf..0000000 --- a/old/51371-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/51371.txt b/old/51371.txt deleted file mode 100644 index badad70..0000000 --- a/old/51371.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1306 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Slaveholding, by Charles Fitch - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Slaveholding - Weighed in the Balance of Truth - -Author: Charles Fitch - -Release Date: March 5, 2016 [EBook #51371] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVEHOLDING *** - - - - -Produced by Heiko Evermann, Martin Pettit and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -book was produced from scanned images of public domain -material from the Google Books project.) - - - - - - -SLAVEHOLDING - -WEIGHED IN THE - -BALANCE OF TRUTH, - -AND ITS COMPARATIVE GUILT ILLUSTRATED. - -BY CHARLES FITCH. -Pastor of First Free Congregational Church, Boston. - -BOSTON: -PUBLISHED BY ISAAC KNAPP, -No. 25, Cornhill. - -1837. - - - - -SLAVEHOLDING, & c. - - -In order that we may understand the duties, which we owe to God and our -fellow men, relative to the subject of slavery, it is necessary that we -examine the institution, in all its bearings upon the temporal and -eternal interests of the enslaved; and ascertain, as far as we are able -to do so, the extent of the injuries which it inflicts. To aid my -readers in doing this is now my object. - -I do not propose however, to gauge this mammoth evil, and show you its -exact dimensions; I fully confess to you in the outset, that I am not -able so to do. That it is greater, in some of its bearings at least, -than any other evil that ever existed among men, and involves more guilt -than any other crime ever committed by men, I fully believe, and shall -endeavor to show; still the evil has a magnitude which my powers cannot -describe; and the guilt a blackness which can never be painted, except -by a pencil dipped in the midnight of the bottomless pit. - -I am aware, that great complaint has often been made, of those, who -have endeavored to rouse the indignation of their fellow men against the -wrongs inflicted on the poor slave, that they deal in unjust severity of -language. That they have at any time spoken more than the truth, I do -not believe--nor can I admit that they have dealt out severity and -painted rebuke, in more unmeasured terms, than they have received them -from their opponents. - -When I remember, too, the long and profound slumberings, even of -Christians on this subject, while their brethren were groaning under all -the injuries, and cruelties, of iron-handed and steel-hearted -oppression; I cannot suppress the feeling, that it was necessary, that -that those who would arouse them, should break forth as in thunder -tones, and gird up all their energies, to shake off the sloth in which -their fellow men were bound. They had themselves but just awoke as from -a dream, and found that they had long been sleeping, as on the -overhanging brink of a burning crater; and when they saw the whole -multitude of their fellow countrymen, still asleep in the same situation -of fearful peril; who can wonder that they should cry out at the top of -their voice, and resort to every possible expedient, to awaken those -around them before it was too late? They heard the suppressed and -terrific mutterings of the incipient earthquake below, and felt the -ground beneath them already giving way, what less could they do, than to -lay about them with all their strength, in the use of the first -expedient, that seemed calculated to awaken and save? They had no time -to devise a multitude of measures, and then choose from among them, -such as would be most likely to satisfy those who were unwilling to be -awaked. They must do something, and do it then. Previous measures, -though entered upon ostensibly for the purpose of arousing men from -sleep, had only served as a lull-a-by. The oppressors of their fellow -men, were but becoming more secure in their claims of property in God's -image--the chains of the slave were getting more and more firmly -rivetted, and the whole nation were fast binding themselves in a willing -bondage to those, who found it conducive to their ease, and interest, -and shameful indulgence, to be permitted to inflict all the wrongs they -pleased on their fellow men, with none to utter a single note of -remonstrance or rebuke. It was seen that the press was bribed, and the -pulpit gagged, and the lips of the multitude padlocked, and nearly the -whole population of the free States bound, by chains either of -prejudice, or interest, or ignorance, to the tremendous car of Slavery; -and those who loved to have it so, had mounted the engine and were -driving at rail-road speed, withersoever they would; and when a few -awoke, and saw the nation thus hastening to the precipice of ruin, to be -dashed in the abyss below--what less could they do, than to cry -STOP--and that too, even at a pitch of remonstrance, which should -subject them to the imputation of fanaticism or madness. - -It is not unlikely that some of my readers, may regard the language -which I shall use as unreasonably severe; and yet I do not believe, nor -can I think that any man, after looking candidly at the subject, will -believe that it expresses more than the truth. - -My design is to draw a parallel between slavery and the evils which -stand connected with it, and some of the worst evils and vices and -crimes, which are ever found among men, that we may see where slavery -ought to be placed in the catalogue of sins. - -1. Let us look at the Roman Catholic Church. Much has been said during -the last few years, of the efforts which were being made, to bring this -country under subjection to the Pope of Rome. Now it is enough to make a -man shudder from head to foot, though his nerves were iron, and his -sinews brass, to think of the most distant possibility that such a thing -may ever take place. - -But what are the evils which the Romish Church inflicts, upon such as -are brought under her control? - -She takes away the Bible from them, and gives them no opportunity, to -learn for themselves, the way to heaven. All the religious instruction, -which the people can receive, must come orally, from the lips of the -priest. Slavery does the same thing precisely, to all who come under its -control. They may not read the Bible, nor possess it--and can receive no -religious instruction, but what comes orally from the lips of the -priest. The Roman Catholic Church depends for its perpetuity, upon the -ignorance of the common people. Slavery depends for its perpetuity upon -the ignorance, of the enslaved. Hence the great effort to shut out all -_knowledge_. The Romish Church robs the laboring classes of large sums -of money, to support its pope, and its cardinals, its bishops, and its -priests, in idleness and luxury and profligacy. Slavery robs the -laboring class of their earnings, to support another set of men in the -same mode of life. The Romish Church confiscates the property, and -confines, and tortures, and puts to death, such as will not submit to -her rule, whenever she has the power of doing so. Slavery does the same -things. Not only the property, the whole earnings, but the wife and -children, the hands and feet and head, the whole body and soul of the -enslaved, are confiscated, and appropriated to the use of men in power. -Slavery also has tortures for its victims. It applies the scourge, until -the blood runs down their lacerated bodies in streams, and in a -multitude of ways inflicts its cruelties, upon such as will not yield an -entire submission to its rule. If any refuse to submit longer to their -sufferings, and flee, they are followed into their hiding places, and -put to death. Others are whipped until death ensues; others are driven -to hard labor without proper food or rest, until they sink down and die. - -But the Romish Church does not, ordinarily, strip the whole multitude of -its victims, of everything that bears the name of property, and take the -ownership of themselves out of their hands, and drive them by the -scourge to hard labor from the beginning to the end of the year. She -does not measure out to them their scanty pittance of food, nor name -every rag of clothing which they are permitted to put on, nor mock at -all the relations of social life--stealing the child out of the father's -arms, or off the mother's breast; and the wife out of the bosom of her -husband; and separating them for life, depriving them of all the -protection of law, and subjecting them daily to every injury and -suffering, which avarice and passion and lust can load upon them. Nor -are men, women and children under her influence, like cattle, raised to -sell. Such enormities as these are left to be practiced by slavery; and -to be legalized in the statute books of a people, who have boastingly -regarded themselves, as the most thoroughly christianized nation on -which the sun ever shines. I say then, there are points, in which -slavery far outdoes the Romish Church in cruelty and guilt; binds -heavier burdens, and more grievous to be borne, and lays them on men's -shoulders, and will not touch them with a finger. Slavery also like -Romanism, cries out against free discussion, and the liberty of the -press, and does not hesitate to silence both, so far as she has the -power; and to make every possible advance toward it where the power is -not possessed. Hence the outrages committed on peaceful citizens, -travelling in slaveholding States; and the efforts to put down -discussion, in almost all the States which call themselves free. Hence -the destruction of Birney's press in Cincinnati, and the stones cast in -the streets of Troy, at the hero Weld, who, like his Master, goes about -doing good. Hence all the shameful outrages by which that place has been -disgraced, and the still more shameful neglect of the proper authorities -to protect peaceful, respectable, high-minded, and pious men, in the -exercise of the most noble of all their rights, that of publicly -expressing and defending their own opinions. Hence all the excesses -practiced in this and several adjoining States, to lay the heaven-born -spirit of liberty asleep, even among her own New-England hills. Hence -the long, loud, and repeated threats of dissolving the Union, which -Southern men have sent up on our ears, and which even some of our -Governors have echoed back, in declarations that it is felony for a man -to speak what he thinks on a particular subject. Who doubts, that -slavery if she could, would go so far in locking up the opinions of men -within their own breasts, as ever popery went in the height of her -power. She had already, well nigh, taken away the power of free -discussion, from those who dare to assert the rights of their fellow -men, and would soon have completed the _work_. - -2. Let us look at Infidelity. The evil arising from this source is, that -it blinds men respecting their duty to God and their own souls, and thus -leads them down to hell. It urges itself, however, on no man by force. A -spark of honest desire to know the truth and walk in its light, is at -all times, abundantly sufficient, to show a man the sophistry and wilful -unbelief by which such doctrines are supported; and to warn him of all -their snares, and to guide his feet into the path of life. A spark of -honesty in the admission of the plainest principles of common sense, -will show a man that there is a God, that the Bible is a revelation of -his will, and that he will not let the wicked go unpunished, who refuse -to repent. He, therefore, who suffers himself to be borne upon the -shoals and rocks, and down the cataracts, or into the whirlpools of -wilful unbelief, goes there warned of his danger, and with abundant -means and opportunities for escape. But slavery wrests the Bible out of -the hands of immortal men by force. In the midst of a Christian land, -with the clear light of heaven shining all around them, they are shut -out from this light, and left to grope their way in darkness down to -hell. That I may not be suspected of declaring more than the truth on -this point, I will just give a specimen of the laws of slave States -touching this point. - -'A law of South Carolina, passed in 1800, authorizes the infliction of -twenty lashes, on every slave, found in an assembly, convened for mental -instruction, held in a confined or secret place, although in presence of -a white.' That this cuts them off, and was designed to cut them off from -all means of mental instruction, nobody doubts; for who in that State is -permitted to give slaves mental instruction in a public place? 'Another -law, imposes a fine of a hundred pounds, on any person who may teach a -slave to write.' 'In North Carolina, to teach a slave to read or write, -or to sell or give him any book, [the Bible not excepted,] or pamphlet, -is punished with thirty-nine lashes, or imprisonment if the offender be -a free negro, but if a white, then with a fine of three hundred dollars. -In Georgia, if a white teach a free negro or a slave to read or write, -he is fined five hundred dollars, and imprisoned at the discretion of -the Court. If the offender be a colored man, bond or free, he may be -fined, or whipped, at the discretion of the Court. A father therefore, -may not teach his own children, on penalty of being flogged.' 'This was -enacted in 1829.' 'In Louisiana, the penalty for teaching slaves to read -or write, is one year's imprisonment. In Georgia also, any justice may, -at his discretion, break up any religious assembly of slaves, and may -order each slave present to be corrected, without trial, by receiving on -the bare back, twenty-five stripes with a whip, switch, or cowskin.' 'In -South Carolina, slaves may not meet together, before sunrise or after -sunset, for the purpose of religious instruction, unless a majority of -the meeting be of whites, on penalty of twenty lashes well laid on. In -Virginia, all _evening_ meetings of slaves, at any meeting-house, are -unequivocally forbidden.' Of course they may not meet in the day time, -for then they must labor. Possibly they may on the Sabbath, but their -opportunities of doing it even then, are few and far between. - -You see, therefore, the strenuous efforts which are made by legislative -enactments, to shut out all light from the mind of the slave, and -surround him with a thick impenetrable darkness, in the midst of which -he must live and die; and from which his eye never can open, till death -frees him from the grasp of his oppressor. I am aware, that the -privilege of giving oral religious instruction to slaves is, to some -extent, granted, and that some slave masters do pretend to teach their -slaves the truths of religion. But what is the amount of all this? A -writer for the New York Evangelist has, some months since, given us what -he terms 'sketches of slavery from a year's residence in Florida,' in -one number of which, he speaks on this very point. He had conversed with -slaveholders on the subject. One man thought it a very fine thing to -give slaves religious instruction. 'I called my slaves together,' said -he, 'one Sabbath day, _the only time which I have been able to get this -season!!!_ and read to them the account of Abraham's servant going to -seek a wife for Isaac. I took occasion from this, to speak to them of -the integrity of this servant--what an amount of property was committed -to his care, how faithfully he watched over it, how careful not to -purloin any of the rich jewels to himself, how anxious to return at the -appointed time.' 'I think,' said this slaveholder, 'that religious -instruction must be decidedly beneficial.' Another master with whom I -conversed, continues the writer, believed nothing about giving religious -instruction to slaves. He regarded it as all a farce. 'There is no man,' -said this slaveholder, 'who will read the whole Bible to his slaves. If -I recollect right, there is something in the Bible which speaks of -_breaking every yoke, and letting the oppressed go free_; and there is -no master,' continued he, 'who will read _that_ to his slaves, not even -your good Methodists; and if we must not read the whole Bible, we may as -well read none at all.' Such were the views of slaveholders. - -I have somewhere read the following. Whether authentic, or not, it -illustrates my point, and expresses, I am fully persuaded, very much of -truth. It was the remark of a slave, after the master had been reading -the Bible to him and his companion. 'Massa bery _good_ Christian; him -bery _good_ Christian _indeed_. Read de Bible to us; but him always read -de same chapter, what says, servants, obey your massas in all tings.' - -Here, unquestionably, we have just about the truth, on the subject of -giving religious instruction to slaves. Multitudes never attempt it, and -those who do, are sure to do it for their own interest, rather than for -the good of the slave. That there are exceptions, I am willing to admit; -but all that I have said, exists unquestionably, to a wide extent, and -to an extent provided for by law. I am aware that the gospel is preached -to some extent, and that some truly embrace it; but these are the -exceptions, and not the general rule. My claim is, that slavery destroys -more souls among the slaves by keeping the Bible away from them, than -infidelity could do in its place, if they were permitted to have the -Bible and read for themselves; and it seems to me that this is a -position which no honest man will dispute.--Slavery also destroys souls -by force, when infidelity could only decoy, and therefore leave an -opportunity for escape. - -3. Let us compare slavery with the making and vending of ardent spirits. -Do not suspect me of a wish to palliate, or extenuate the evils, or the -guilt of this abominable business. I have often dwelt on these, until my -soul has been pained within me, and until I am well persuaded that all, -and far more than all which has ever been said or _dreamed_ on that -subject, is strictly true. I am aware too, that a highly gifted mind, -has, some years since, drawn a parallel between intemperance and the -slave-trade, in which he has endeavored to show, that the latter is an -evil of the least magnitude. But I am comparing now the business of -making and vending ardent spirits, with slavery as it exists at this -time in our country. - -It has often been said with unquestionable truth, that from three to -five hundred thousand miserable men in our nation, are confirmed -drunkards, and that from thirty to fifty thousand go down every year to -a drunkard's grave; and inasmuch, as the drunkard cannot inherit the -kingdom of God, they must go down to the depths of hell. A most fearful -destruction this indeed. But instead of five hundred thousand, there are -not less than two millions two hundred forty-five thousand in our -country, held in the darkness of slavery. How many of these, think you, -have sufficient light to guide their feet to heaven? Shall we say one -half? Who can believe it? But if this be admitted, there are still more -than twice the number shut up by slavery, in a state of darkness that -leads to hell, than have ever, by any man, been estimated in the ranks -of intemperance. Is it not most clearly a truth, then, that slavery -destroys more souls, than the making and vending of ardent spirit? When -we consider, too, that slavery seizes its victims by force, and binds -and rivets chains upon them which they cannot throw off, and thus leaves -their souls unprovided with any of the means of grace, to die without -hope; and that strong drink leaves men abundant opportunities to escape -if they will; who will not say that slavery is unspeakably more to be -dreaded: that it is an evil of far greater magnitude than the other? The -intemperate man may at any time, break away from his bondage, give up -his cups, enjoy the means of grace, embrace the truth and live. But the -victim of slavery, shut out from all true knowledge of God, deprived by -law of all opportunity of learning his Maker's will, or of studying the -way of salvation by Christ; what can he do, but remain in his darkness -and sin, until the darkness of eternal night closes in upon his -benighted soul, and he is left for eternity to suffer the consequences -of unpardoned sin. True, the guilt of him who dies the willing victim of -intempesance, must be greater than that of the poor benighted slave, and -his future punishment consequently more severe, but if slavery holds -twice the number of victims exposed to hopeless reprobation, then it -destroys twice the number of souls, and is therefore the greatest evil. - -4. Let us compare slavery with theft and robbery. Let me give a case for -illustration. You are a husband and a father. You commenced the world a -poor man, but by hard labor and economy, you have collected together a -sum of money, which, you believe, if well invested, will place you and -your family in circumstances of respectability and comfort. From -statements made to you, or from your own observation, by going upon the -ground, you come to the conclusion that your money can be more -profitably appropriated, by removing to the West. Accordingly you -convert every thing you possess into cash, and make all the necessary -arrangements for a removal with your family. On the night previous to -your intended departure, a thief enters your house, takes possession of -all you have, and makes off, and you never hear of it more. Or suppose -you are already on your journey, and after many days of fatiguing -travel, find yourself near the place of your destination; when you are -met by the highwayman, who, with a pistol at your breast, robs you of -your last farthing.--Now I suppose this would be a case, where theft and -robbery would stand out in their worst features. It would be a trying -case indeed. After years of toil, to gain something for yourself and -household, you are in a moment pennyless, with your destitute, needy -family upon your hands. All you can do, is again to betake yourself to -hard labor, to provide for those you love. - -But suppose after all this, you were doomed to see your children torn -from you, one after another, and sold under the hammer, to go you know -not where; to be subjected to the cruelty, and abuse, and outrage, of -any monster into whose hands they might chance to fall; where you could -never see or hear from them more; and you left with no means of redress, -to sit down beside your broken hearted wife, and mingle your tears and -sighs and sobs with hers, with no prospect of relief until death. But in -the midst of it all, even the wife of your bosom, dear as your own -heart's blood, is sundered from you, and sold forever from your embrace, -and you at last go off under the hammer, to the highest bidder, and are -driven by the lash, to groan, and sweat, under long, long days of -unrequited toil, with no relief till you die. This is slavery. It robs a -man of all his earnings during his whole life. Labor as he may, sweat as -he may, he can never have a farthing to call his own. Just hear the laws -on this subject. 'In South Carolina a slave is not permitted to keep a -boat, or raise and breed for his own benefit, any horses, cattle, sheep -or hogs, under pain of forfeiture, and _any person may take them from -him_.' I ask, what is that but robbery--except it is unspeakably worse, -because it is legalized--and the poor man has no means of redress? It is -made lawful for _any person_ to rob him, by the letter of the statute. - -'In Georgia, the master is fined thirty dollars for suffering a slave to -hire himself to another, for his own benefit. In Maryland, the master -forfeits thirteen dollars for each month that his slave is permitted to -receive wages on his own account. In Virginia, every master is finable, -who permits a slave to work for himself at wages. In North Carolina, all -horses, cattle, hogs, or sheep, that shall belong to any slave, or be of -any slave's mark in this State, shall be seized and sold by the county -Wardens. In Mississippi, the master is forbidden under the penalty of -fifty dollars, to let a slave raise cotton for himself, or to keep stock -of any description.' Now where is the man under heaven, who would not -say, that such a system of legalized oppression, was infinitely worse -than theft or robbery, when practiced toward himself? And what, I ask, -makes the crime any less heinous, when practiced toward a colored man, -than it would be if practiced toward either of us? The poor slave feels -such wrongs as deeply as we could, and groans under them as loudly, and -sheds tears as profusely as we would do; but there he is, without means -of redress. And in addition to all this robbery of everything in the -shape of property; the poor slave is robbed of his children, and his -wife, and robbed of himself--and has nothing left him, but a miserable -existence, subjected to the most cruel, heart-withering tyranny, that -was ever practiced by man on his fellow man, since this world has borne -the curse of its God. When the thief, or the robber, takes your -property, you can repossess it whenever you can find it; or if not, you -can acquire more, and your wife, and children, and yourself, are still -your own. Theft and robbery are nothing compared with the wickedness of -slavery. Make them as bad as you please, and they do not deserve to be -named the same week. The difference between them is too great to be -described, too wide to be measured, too deep to be fathomed. The -slaveholder who goes impenitent to hell, will find himself loaded down -with a weight of guilt and damnation, that will sink him out of sight of -the worst high-way robber that ever walked the earth. But you will say -the high-way robber is often guilty of murder. Well, and so is the -slaveholder often guilty of murder--and this brings me to my next point. - -5. Let us now compare slavery with murder. Who does not know, that -oftentimes, when the poor slave can no longer endure the outrages -practiced upon him, and flies, and takes to the woods, he is hunted down -by dogs, and guns, and thus put to death, just for trying to escape. -Every body knows, that it is a thing of frequent occurrence. Put to -death--just for trying to escape from his sufferings and his wrongs. -Again, it is a maxim with them, that at particular seasons, they can -afford to work a set of hands to death, for the purpose of getting their -crops early to market, and thereby securing a much greater price. The -writer of sketches of slavery, from a year's residence in Florida, -speaks of this particularly, as coming under his observation while -there; and I have seen this fact referred to by other writers in public -print. They do not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of their slaves to -hard labor, when it will increase their profits. Besides, the poor slave -is often whipped until the result is death. Is not my point made clear, -abundantly clear, that slavery is worse than murder? Would you not -prefer to be met by a highwayman, and shot dead, rather than have your -life worn out on a slave plantation, toiling to enrich the hard-hearted -wretch who had stripped you of all your rights? Would you not prefer -this to being whipped, and then laid away to die under the effect? And -is not the wretch who inflicts death by such means, to enrich himself, -more guilty, than he who blows out the traveller's brains and seizes his -money to enrich himself? Surely, my point needs no more illustration. -Slavery _is worse_ than murder. But there is still this point to be -taken into the account. If a man shoots you dead by the way side, it is -your own fault if you do not go to heaven. You have the Bible, and the -gospel. You know that there is a Saviour, and if you have not repented -of your sins, and believed in him for salvation, you are without excuse. -If you lose your soul, the fault is your own. Though murdered--you might -if you would, have been saved. But the poor slave is prevented from -learning the way of salvation while he lives, and then worn out with -toil, he dies and is lost forever. Surely I need not say more--what -honest man is not prepared to say that slavery is worse than murder? - -6. I come now, to a point, which, in the estimation of some, perhaps, -ought to be suppressed. But I am a servant of the Most High God, and to -him accountable; and as such, placed under solemn obligation to cry -aloud and spare not, and show this guilty nation its sins. This, with -the Lord's help, I will do. It is high time also, that our mothers, and -our wives, our sisters, and our daughters, knew the sufferings and the -wrongs of the poor defenceless female slave, that they may lift up their -strong cries to Heaven in her behalf. - -I wish, therefore, to compare slavery with fornication and adultery, and -the violation of female purity by force. And, my hearers, I do not ask -you to believe my naked assertion on this point, I will show you proof, -as it has been my endeavor to do on every point previously considered. - -Look again at the laws. In Kentucky--'any negro, mulatto, or Indian, -_bond or free, who shall at any time, lift his hand in opposition to any -white person_, (mark the language) shall receive thirty lashes, on his -or her bare back, _well laid on_, by order of the justice.' - -This regulation, or something very much like it, is believed to be in -force in all the slaveholding States. Look now at the condition in which -this places the poor female. She is at the uncontrolled will of the -master. He may order her, by fear of the lash, into any secret place -where he pleases; the same fear of the lash, enables him to accomplish -all the hellish purposes of his heart, and then, by the same means, he -can seal her lips in silence, that the crime be never divulged. During -all this time, if she lift a hand against him, he can procure thirty -lashes for her, to be well laid on, by order of the justice, in addition -to all he pleases to inflict himself. Let us now just remember, that in -addition to such a regulation, no person of color can be a witness -against a white man in a court of justice, and you see the exact -condition of the poor female slave. There is nothing, so foul in -pollution, nothing so horrid in crime, but she may be driven by the -lash, to be the victim of it, and she must not lift a hand in -self-defence--and then she dare not divulge her wrongs, or if she does, -there is no power on earth, from whom she can gain any redress; or even -protection, against a repeated infliction of the same evils. - -If slaveholders had framed laws for the express purpose, of placing the -purity and virtue of their females entirely in their own power, they -could not have done it _more_ effectually, than it is now done. It would -seem to be a system, framed for the very purpose, of giving them full -power, to pollute by force, just as many as they pleased. At any rate, -they know the power is in their hands, and there are developements -enough which show that they are not slow to use it.[1] There are a -multitude of facts on this subject, and I will just relate one or two, -because I know them to be authentic. - -A particular friend of mine, who spent several years in a slave State, -gave me the following as an occurrence, which transpired in the place -where he resided, and at the very time of his residence there. A man,--I -will not say gentleman, and in truth I ought to say monster,--who had a -wife and a family of grown up daughters, residing with him, had also in -his house a young female slave. This slave became the mother of a child, -and it was a matter of public notoriety, that the head of the family was -the father of it. So barefaced had the thing become, that the man found -it necessary to take some measures to get his shame, and the extreme -mortification of his wife and daughters out of his mind.[2] He -accordingly sold her for the southern market, and though it was with -some difficulty that he could persuade the purchaser to take the infant, -he at length did so, and the wretched mother, the victim of the master's -beastliness and abominable crime, was taken, or rather torn from the -house, and borne away, literally uttering cries and shrieks of distress. -Now I would like to know whether there is any language under heaven, -that will sufficiently set forth the guilt of such a wretch? - -The following fact was related by a pious physician who resides in the -city of Washington. It came to me in such a way that I know it to be a -fact. - -'There is,' said this physician, 'residing in this city, a young female -slave, who is pious, and a member of the same church to which I belong. -She is a mulatto, and her complexion nearly white. One day, she came to -me in great trouble and distress, and wished me to tell her what she -could do. She stated to me, that her master's son, was in the practice -of compelling her whenever he pleased, to go with him to his bed. She -had been obliged to submit to it, and she knew of no way to obtain any -relief. She could not appeal to her master for protection, for he was -guilty of like practices himself. She wished to know what she could do? -Poor girl, what could she do? She could not lift a hand in self defence. -She could not flee, for she was a slave. She would be brought back and -beaten, and be placed perhaps in a worse condition than before. And -there she was, a pious girl, with all the feelings of her heart alive to -the woes of her condition, the victim of the brutal lusts of a dissolute -young man; with no means of defence or escape, and no prospect before -her, but that of being again and again polluted, whenever his unbridled -passions should chance to dictate. - -Perhaps there is a mother here, who has a pious daughter, and I would -like to come into her heart, and ask what would be her feelings, if that -daughter were placed in such circumstances as these; or what would be -the feelings of that daughter, if she were thus bound down, to a -condition so much worse than death. I do solemnly believe that there is -no adulterer under heaven, no fornicator, covered with a guilt so deep -and damning, as the wretch that will pursue such a course of conduct as -that. Even the victim of seduction is but decoyed from the paths of -virtue, but here is a disciple of Christ, bound, and that too, by the -laws of the land, and laid, a helpless victim, on the altar of -prostitution. - -Here then, is a crime punishable, under most Governments, with death, -and the victim has power of redress, and certainly of escape from a -repetition of the outrage; but slavery places its victims where there is -no redress, and no deliverance; and gives the slaveholder full power, to -roll, and riot, upon the virtue and innocence of as many defenceless -females as he pleases, with no power under heaven to call him to -account. I say again, if they had made their laws for the express -purpose, of securing to themselves this power, they could not have done -the thing more effectually; and no man, who has ever seen or heard much -of southern practices, is ignorant of the truth, that such things as I -have been relating, are the common occurrences of every day. O, when I -reflect on this subject, I could almost pray for a voice like a volcano; -and for words that would scorch and burn like drops of melted lava, that -I might thunder the guilt of the slaveholder in his ears, and talk to -him in language which he _would_ feel. Who will say, that this system of -slavery, under which no female, who has a drop of African blood in her -veins, has any defence for her virtue, against any white man, even for -an hour, and no possibility of escaping from pollution, is not -unspeakably worse than fornication and adultery, or even the violation -of purity by force, where there are laws to apprehend and punish for -such a crime? Do not suspect me of a wish to palliate these vices. They -were never painted, in colorings too foul and loathsome; nor was their -guilt ever portrayed in a blackness deeper than the reality--but I say, -the system of slavery is a thing fouler, blacker, guiltier still. - -7. But let us look again, and compare slavery with treason. Benedict -Arnold was a traitor. At a time, when his country was in great distress -and difficulties, he formed the mad purpose, of delivering her over to -the will of her enemies; and did what he could, to accomplish his end. -Every breast in the land, burned with indignation against him--and, but -for his flight, he would have ended his days on a gallows. - -But suppose he had accomplished his end, and the unjust laws against -which our fathers fought and bled, had remained in full force upon us -until now? I am bold to say, that we should not have suffered wrongs, -that ought to be mentioned, in comparison with the wrongs of the slave. -There was a heavy and unjust taxation, but it was not stripping us of -all our earnings for life. There was a refusal, to give us a just -representation, in framing the laws, by which we were to be governed; -but it was not stripping us from all protection of law, and reducing us -in that respect, to the condition of cattle or swine. It was not -stripping us of all our rights, and robbing us of our children, and -subjecting our wives, our sisters and our daughters, to wanton and -promiscuous violation, with no power to lift a hand in self defence, and -depriving us of the power of giving them protection. The husband or -father, if he be a slave, may look on, and see his wife or daughter -polluted before his eyes, and all the laws of the land, are against his -lifting a finger for their deliverance. He may toil ever so hard, during -his whole life, and he cannot be worth a farthing. The treason of -Arnold, had it prospered, would never have subjected us to such evils as -these. Besides, had we remained until this time British Colonies, other -things being as they now _are_, this evil of slavery would now have been -done away, and perhaps years ago. When I think of this, if I had not -confidence in the overruling Providence of God, I could almost weep, -that it did not seem best to the God of armies, to leave us under the -control of a power, that would have uprooted this destructive Bohon -Upas, which is still throwing its broad branches of death and -desolation, over such wide spreading portions of our otherwise happy -land. Sure I am, that Arnold's treason would never have made our land -groan under such woes, and send up to heaven such cries of distress, as -are wrung daily from the breasts of the helpless millions whom our -nation now enslaves. I say again, therefore, that the system of slavery, -is unspeakably worse than treason. But I cannot pursue this parallel -farther. I have glanced at what men regard as the worst of evils and -crimes; but when weighing the guilt of slavery, we find that everything -which we can place in the opposite scale, at once kicks the beam. It has -a weight of guilt attached to it, that can be balanced by the guilt of -no other _crime_. - -There is one more point to the thing, which I wish to name, as giving -blackness and aggravation to its guilt, and then I have done. It is, -that multitudes of the professed disciples of Christ, come forward to -justify the system of slavery, and to claim for it the sanctions of the -word of God. Yes, this system of slavery, red as it is with crime, black -as it is with guilt, and foul as it is with impurity, is called, even by -professed Christians and Ministers, an institution of the Bible. Oh, it -seems to me, that if the long suffering patience of a forbearing God, -was ever insulted beyond endurance, it must be, when the protection of -his authority is claimed, for the perpetuity of such a system as this. -There is no crime which it does not legalize--no sin which it does not -protect--no depth of impurity which it does not dig, and in which it -does not permit vile men to wallow. And yet there are not wanting men, -Christian men, and ministers who wait at the altar of God, who call this -an institution of Heaven, and claim for it the authority of the Most -High. I know that they would plead for slavery, without the abominations -which I have named, and claim to look upon such crimes, and vices, with -as deep an abhorrence as we. - -But who cannot see, that slavery is the common mother of all this brood -of hellish ills; in whose frightfully prolific womb they are conceived, -and by whom they are brought forth. Slavery _itself_ is the thing to be -reprobated? You must put the odious dam to death, or she will continue -to multiply her infernal progeny, and send them abroad among us, -prolific in woes. You cannot have slavery without its concomitant evils. -I know men may be found, whose hearts have felt the power of the -religion of Christ, but whose moral sensibilities are not sufficiently -awake, to lead them to obey God on this subject, to break every yoke and -let the oppressed go free, who claim that _they_ treat their slaves -kindly, and that under such circumstances, slavery is justifiable; and -that moreover, they are not accountable for the crimes which other men -commit among their slaves, or for the wrongs which they practice upon -them. Kindness to an enslaved man! It is a contradiction in terms. You -might as well rob him of his all on earth, cut off his hands and feet, -and bore out his eyes, and then take him into your house, and treat him -kindly to make up for the wrong. - -The slave, under the best circumstances, is the victim of robbery every -day. Day by day, all his life, he is robbed of the fruits of his labor, -that it may go to enrich another. He has hands indeed, but he may not -use them for his own benefit. Feet he has, but they may not bear him -where _he_ would go. They must go and come at the master's bidding, and -not his. He has eyes, but he may not look on the light of science, or on -the clearer, purer light of God's revealed truth. Even the sun shines -not for him, as it only serves to light him to his unwilling and -unrequited toil. Of what use then, are hands, and feet, and eyes, to -him? He can no more use them for his own benefit, than if he had -none--and yet you think to make up to him by kindness what you have -taken away; and call yourself a disciple of Christ, and think that -Heaven will reward you for being so kind to your poor oppressed, down -trodden victim, whom you compel to labor unrewarded, for your good. Is -that the religion of Christ? Is that loving your neighbor as yourself? - -But, the most kind hearted, and upright, and pious slaveholder in the -land, so far as he approves of the system of slavery, and pleads for its -perpetuity, is at best, accessory to all the evils to which the system -gives rise. He is therefore a partaker in its guilt, and will hereafter -find his hands stained and polluted with its vices and its crimes. He -who has said in his Bible, Be not partaker of other men's sins, has -also said, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not -the unclean thing, _and no man can be guiltless who refuses to do this_. - -But perhaps it will be asked; admitting that slavery is everything that -you claim it to be, what right have you to interfere? I claim no right -of interference, based on the existing laws of our country, for these, -as we have seen, are so abominably wicked and oppressive, as fully to -sanction all the evils and crimes which we have been considering. Still, -I claim, that I have a right to interfere,[3] and to do all in my power, -by every possible means, for the extinction of slavery. Do any ask, on -what that right is based? I answer, on the statute book of Almighty -God--on the pillars of heaven's eternal throne, and better authority -than this, to sanction my interference, I do not ask. 'Thou shalt love -thy neighbor as thyself.' 'Who is my neighbor?' Let Jesus Christ answer. -'A certain man, no matter who, went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and -fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounding him, -departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance, there came down a -certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other -side.' How exactly like the conduct of many ministers of the gospel, -toward the slave. They just look on his sufferings, and pass by, making -no effort to give him relief. 'And likewise a Levite, when he was at the -place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.' Just so -multitudes of professing Christians conduct toward the slave. They look -on him, pass on, and leave him alone in his woes. 'But, a certain -Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when _he_ saw him, he -had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring -in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an -inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took -out two pence and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of -him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay -thee.' Here our Saviour has shown us what it is to act the part of a -neighbor. This Samaritan found a fellow being in distress. He stopped -not to inquire who he was, but proceeded at once to do as he would like -to have others do to him in like circumstances. And now the command of -Christ is, 'Go thou and do likewise.' Wherever, therefore, we find a -fellow being in distress, we find in him a neighbor, one whom we are -bound to love as we love ourselves. We are to identify ourselves with -him, and feel for his wrongs and his woes, as we would for our own in -like circumstances, and are to do for him, so far as lies in our power, -everything, which, in like circumstances, we could wish others to do for -us. Tell me not then, that I have no right to interfere, when I see more -than two millions of my neighbors, yes, of my brethren, my own fellow -countrymen, groaning and toiling, and dying, under the unparalleled -wrongs of slavery. I have no right not to interfere. I am a traitor to -my neighbor, and a rebel against my God, if I forbear to interfere; if I -fail to use the last power which my Maker has given me, in pleading for -the immediate deliverance of my fellow men from their sufferings and -their chains. I trample on the universal law of the infinite Jehovah, if -I leave undone anything in my power, which I would wish to have done for -me, if all the miseries of slavery were mine. - -But it is not merely by looking at the general principles of God's -government, that I learn my duty toward the toil-worn, agonized, -suffering slave. I find positive direction for this specific case. Jer. -21 : 12.--'Thus saith the Lord--Execute judgment in the morning, and -deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my -fury go forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of -the evil of your doings.' Who is spoiled, if it be not the slave? Is he -not spoiled of everything? Spoiled of all his earnings--spoiled of the -child whom he loves--spoiled of the wife that is bone of his bone, and -flesh of his flesh--spoiled even of the ownership of himself, and -spoiled of his immortal soul, by being robbed of the light that would -guide his feet to heaven? And the poor suffering female slave--of what -is she not spoiled? Spoiled of all that protection, which the innocent -and helpless, have a right to claim, even of the savage. Spoiled of all -the affectionate tenderness, which woman everywhere, has a right to -expect; spoiled even of her virtue, and that by law, for we have seen, -that the laws have placed her, where she cannot preserve it, if she -would. - -Who then, I ask again, is spoiled, if it be not the slave? And who is an -oppressor, if it be not the man who holds him in bondage, and inflicts -all these wrongs upon him? While, therefore, I hear the God of heaven -saying, 'Deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, -lest my fury go forth like fire, and burn, that none can quench it,' can -I expect to escape the fury of that fire, if I shut my ears against the -mandate, which thunders upon me from the presence chamber, and from the -lips of Him, who declares himself King of kings, and Lord of lords? Tell -me not, that I have no right to interfere--no right to plead for the -deliverance 'of the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor.' I may not -fail to do it--lest the fire of God's fury kindle upon me, for my -disregard of his high command. And the same, is true of all my readers. -Unless you have a right to disobey Almighty God, you have no right to -leave anything undone, which you might do, for the deliverance of the -slave. - -But who is the slave? He is a man--made in the image of God--and bears -as much of God's image, remember, as though he had the complexion, and -the features, and the limbs, of the white man. Where is the man with a -pale face, even among slaveholders, who will stand up, before the face -of heaven, and claim that he bears more of God's image than his slave? -He would show the image of the devil, large as life, had he the pride, -and effrontery, to do such a deed of daring impiety. The slave is made -in the image of his God, and to him God gave dominion over the works of -his hand, as much as to the white man. For him God lighted up the sun -and moon, and made the heavens resplendent with stars, as much as for -us. For him God made the breath of morning, and the calm stillness of -the summer eve--for him the deep blue sky was spread a canopy, and for -him puts on alternate tints of purple and of gold. For him the -landscape smiles in green, and flowers spring up to beautify his path, -and trees hang out their foliage, and bend beneath their burdens of -delicious fruit. For him the fields wave with their ripening grain--for -him the valleys yield their corn--for him the flocks and herds lay down -their treasures, and the sea sends up its inexhaustible supplies. For -him the limpid stream, the clear pure fountain were provided, and for -him the balmy air, echoing with melody of birds. Ah, and for him, -remember it ye who dare withhold it from him--for him the Bible was -given. Who dare say, that God provided these things for the master, more -than for the man whom he enslaves. - -But what is more than all, for him the Son of God came down and died. -The blood gushed from his heart as freely, and in streams as pure, for -the oppressed and broken hearted slave, as for us, or for the man who -dares enslave God's image--for him the river of water of life, -proceedeth clear as crystal from the throne of God and the Lamb--for him -the streets of the New Jerusalem are paved with gold, and for him, the -glory of God and the Lamb, shall pour forth its light, in beams that -shall forever hide the brightness of the noonday sun--and for him are -made ready the joys of an eternal heaven. Yes, this is the being whom -slavery binds in chains, and robs of all the richest gifts of heaven, -and sinks in ignorance and pollution down to hell. Oh, if the whole arch -of heaven above us, ever echoed with the loud threatenings of an -indignant God--it may now be heard to echo with the fearful -interrogation--'Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord? Shall -not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?' - -And now will you look on, and seal your lips in silence, and say that -you have no right to interfere for the deliverance of the slave? Do you -not hear the God of heaven saying, 'Deliver him that is spoiled out of -the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go forth like fire and burn that -none can quench it;' and dare you disobey? Do you ask what shall be done -for his deliverance? I answer, let every pulpit thunder forth this -mandate of the most high God--let every minister at the altar cry aloud -and spare not and lift up his voice like a trumpet--and show this people -their transgressions; this guilty people their sins. Let every press -groan to be delivered of its obligation, to make known the Almighty's -will--and let such as can pray, pray _now_, that God will break every -yoke, and let the oppressed go free. Especially, let woman--woman, the -last to linger around the cross, and the first to find the sepulchre of -God's crucified Son; linger long at the altar of prayer, and be found -early upon her knees, wrestling at the throne of grace; and let all who -fear God or love man, resolve before high Heaven, that they will not -rest, till every chain is broken, every yoke buried, every scourge and -fetter burned. - -But I seem to hear some one ask--must we think only of the slave--must -we not regard the master's rights? Rights! What rights? Right to hold -his fellow man in bondage for one hour? He might as well claim a right -to sit on the throne of God. He has no such right. But must he -relinquish all the property he now holds in slaves? He has no such -property. He has no more right to call them his property, than he has to -call the angels in heaven his property. God gave man dominion over the -beasts of the field--but over God's own image he never gave him -dominion. The wicked, heaven-daring laws of men, confer the _power_ of -enslaving man--but the _right_ they never gave, for it was never theirs -to give. There is no such thing as property in man--there never can be. -We do not ask the slaveholder to relinquish any right. We call upon him, -on the authority of God, to break every yoke and let the oppressed go -free. We do not ask them to give up their property. We tell them that -God declares them to be 'like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood -and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain; and that the prophets have -daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity and divining lies unto -them, saying thus saith the Lord, when the Lord hath not spoken. That -the people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and -have vexed the poor and needy, and have oppressed the stranger -wrongfully--and that God now threatens to pour out his indignation upon -them, and to consume them with the fire of his wrath, and to recompense -their way upon their own heads.' No--we do not ask the slaveholder to -give up his property--we ask them 'to cease beating God's people to -pieces--to cease grinding the face of the poor;' and when the -slaveholder has done that, the lost slave will have his freedom. - -But you say it would make great changes in society, to free every slave -at once, and many a man, who now lives in affluence, would instantly -become poor. We doubt it not. We doubt not that many a wretch, who has -rolled in profusion, by robbing his fellow men of their earnings, would -be obliged to go to work with his own hands to earn his bread; and this -is just what he ought to have done long ago. He is made of no better -clay than the lowliest of all God's creatures whom he enslaves; and -there is no more reason why he should be exempted from eating his bread -in the sweat of his brow. Let us arise then with one heart, and with -united voice, and with ready hands, do our utmost, to deliver the -oppressed from their wrongs. - -But it may still be asked, what do you expect to accomplish? We expect -to make the slaveholder feel, that when he crushes an immortal soul down -to the depths of hell, to gratify his own abominable selfishness, God -will hold him accountable for that soul at the judgment day. We expect -to make him see, that the short-lived gratification, which he can have -derived from enslaving his fellow man, will but poorly compensate him, -for the eternal damnation which he must hereafter endure, if he does not -repent of his abominable sin. We expect to open to him the broad claims -of the infinite God, and to make him see that in his present course of -conduct, he is holding himself in open exposure to the Almighty's wrath; -and having thus bared his conscience to the arrows of truth, we expect -to call down the Holy Spirit by our prayers, to fix these arrows deep in -his heart; to reprove him of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, and -thus to bring him to unfeigned repentance before God. We expect not to -accomplish what we aim at with our unaided strength--but we believe that -the Lord of hosts is with us, and trusting in his strength we cannot -fail. Christians of every name, shall we not have your aid? Lovers of -your fellow men, look at the wrongs of the slave, and weep and toil for -him, that he may go free. Open your hearts and your hands to him, and -remember that 'He that hath pity on the poor, lendeth to the Lord, and -that which he hath given he will pay him again.' - -Let no one think to rid himself of obligation, on this momentous -subject. Every man has a tongue, and he can use it; he has influence, -and he can exert it; he has moral power, and he can put it forth; and -this is all the power we need. Our efforts are aimed, not at the life of -the slaveholder, but at his conscience--his moral feelings, and with the -help of God, we do expect them to prevail. But, perhaps you will say, -that slaveholders have no conscience on this subject. Doubtless their -conscience may be dead and buried; it may have been sleeping these fifty -years in its grave; but come on, one and all, let us raise the trump of -truth, and blow a resurrection blast above it, that shall call it forth -from its dust, to take up its whip of scorpions, and scourge the guilty -men into obedience to the commands of God. Slavery cannot long live -among them. 'Behold, the hire of the laborers, who have reaped down -their fields, which is of them kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries -of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of -Sabaoth.' The Lord of armies, is the fearful signification of that term; -and if they cease not from their oppression, they may well expect, that -the Lord of armies will not long withhold his hand. Up, my friends, and -do your duty, to deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, -lest the fire of God's fury kindle ere long upon you. - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Read Bourne's Picture of Slavery. - -[2] This occurrence was not very far South, otherwise, there would have -been no shame. - -[3] The author disapproves of interference at the expense of human life, -but believes that all possible means short of the shedding of blood, are -justifiable. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Slaveholding, by Charles Fitch - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLAVEHOLDING *** - -***** This file should be named 51371.txt or 51371.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/3/7/51371/ - -Produced by Heiko Evermann, Martin Pettit and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -book was produced from scanned images of public domain -material from the Google Books project.) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - diff --git a/old/51371.zip b/old/51371.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index f065bb7..0000000 --- a/old/51371.zip +++ /dev/null |
