what inducement should they have to ed to keep them in ignorance, as is the make slavery worse than it is? It is ad- case generally in the slave States? Mr. mitted, that a portion of the slaves have Birney was formerly a resident of Mersome religious instruction. There are cer county, Ky.—some time a Coloniza70,000 slaves in the M. E. Church. tion agent, and all his life a slave holder Suppose there are as many in our con- till within three or four years. He has gregations, we should then have 140,000 had, therefore, a good opportunity to (generally without Bibles,) who have understand this "delicate subject" in some religious instruction. Suppose all its bearings.

say,

there are as many connected with In addition to the foregoing testimoother churches and congregations in nies touching the moral and mental conproportion to their number. The whole dition of the slaves, permit me to lay number, after the most liberal calcula- before you a few extracts from "An Adtion, will be found to be less than 500,- dress to the Presbyterians of Kentucky, 000; which would leave four times that proposing a plan for the instruction and amount, or about 2,000,000, in total emancipation of their slaves, by a Comdarkness and heathenism! The probabili-mittee of the Synod of Kentucky." ty however is, that not more than 250,000, It was requested by the committee, or about one in ten, enjoy the blessings that this address should be read by all of religious instructions at all. The the Presbyterian ministers in Kentucky, Synod of South Carolina and Georgia to their congregations respectively, on "not more than one in twenty attend the Sabbath. I have made large exdivine service! And they certainly know tracts from this valuable and very able better than we in the North. Now what document, and wish my limits would a horrid picture is this? Are we not permit me to insert the whole. Most of much worse than the Roman Catholics? those who will read this appeal have They only withhold the Bible from their never seen that address. While you people,-but we withhold all knowledge read these extracts, brethren, please bear of letters from the slaves! And yet the in mind two things. 1. That this docuphlegmatic Northern divine can look ment was put forth in a slave State, and upon this awful state of things with in- addressed to slave holders. And, 2dly, difference; or perhaps sneeringly talk That it is a description of slavery in its about "raw-head and bloody bones!" mildest form. The authors of this adMr. Birney, in his Letter to the dress, be it remembered, knew all about Churches gives it as his opinion, that slavery. After an introduction, they

out of 200,000 colored people in Ken- proceed as follows: tucky, which is one of the mildest slave "We earnestly entreat you, brethren, to reStates, there are not one in forty who ceive our communication in the same spirit of are receiving elementary instruction in kindness, in which it is made; and permit neireading, from all private efforts and Sab-ther prejudice nor interest to close your minds bath schools together-not one in eighty against the reception of truth, or steel your hearts against the convictions of conscience. who can read the Bible understandingly Very soon it will be a matter of no moment and with ease-not one in two hundred whether we have had large or small possesswho can write a hand sufficiently legible ions on the earth; but it will be of infinite imfor the transaction of the plainest busi-portance whether or not we have conscientiously sought out the will of God and done it. ness-not one in 2000 who have a com- "We all admit that the system of slavery, petent knowledge of arithmetic as far as which exists among us, is not right. Why, the rule of three; and he adds, "I know then, do we assist in perpetuating it? Why not one, either personally or from infor- do we make no serious efforts to terminate it? Is it nct because our perception of its sinfulmation, who can read, write and cypher." ness is very feeble and indistinct, while our He admits there may be such an in-perception of the difficulties of instructing stance; but if there is, he knows it not. and emancipating our slaves is strong and clear? As long as we believe that slavery, as And yet there are no laws to prevent the it exists among us, is a light evil in the sight of education of the slaves in Kentucky! God, so long will we feel inclined to pronounce And if such be the facts in this State, every plan that can be devised for its terminawhat must be the mental and moral tion, inexpedient or impracticable. Before, then, we unfold our plan, we wish to examine condition of the slaves in those States the system, and try it by the principles which where the whole civil authority is pledg-religion teaches.

WHAT SLAVERY IS.

their hearts and voices in social prayer and

God alone

"Slavery is not the same all the world over. praise to Him who created them. The system as it exists among us, and is con-is Lord over the conscience. Yet our system, stituted by our laws, consists of three distinct defrauding alike our Creator and our slaves, parts-a deprivation of the right of property, confers upon men this prerogative of Deity a deprivation of personal liberty, and a depri- Argument is unnecessary, to show the guilt vation of personal security. In all its parts it and madness of such a system. is, manifestly, a violation of the laws of God, not participate in its criminality, if we uphold as revealed by the light of nature, as well as it ? the light of revelation.

DEPRIVES OF THE RIGHT OF PROPERTY.

And do we

DEPRIVATION OF PERSONAL SECURITY.

3d. The deprivation of personal security "1st. A part of our system of s'avery con- is the remaining constituent of our system of slasists in depriving human beings of the right cery. The life of a bondman cannot be taken to acquire and hold property. Does it need any with impunity. But the law extends its proproof to show that God has given to all human tection no further. Cruelty may be carried beings a right to the proceeds of their own la- to any extent, provided life be spared. Manbor? The heathen acknowledge it-every gling, imprisonment, starvation, every species man feels it. The Bible is full of denuncia-of torture may be inflicted upon him, and he tions against those who withhold from others has no redress. But not content with thus the fruits of their exertions. Wo unto him laying the body of the slave defenceless at the that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, foot of the master, our system proceeds still and his chambers by wrong; that useth his further, and strips him in a great measure of neighbor's service without wages, and giveth all protection against the inhumanity of any him not for his work.' Does an act which is other white man who may choose to maltreat wrong, when done once and toward one indi- him. The laws prohibit the evidence of a vidual, become right because it is practised slave against a white man from being received daily and hourly, and towards thousands? in a court of justice. So that wantonness and Does the just and holy One frown the less up-cruelty may be exercised by any man with inon injustice, because it is systematically prac- punity, upon these unfortunate people, provitised, and is sanctioned by the laws of the ded none witness it but those of their own land? No: we all recognize the principle, color. In describing such a condition, we may that the laws of the God of nature can never be well adopt the language of sacred writ: replaced by any legislature under heaven. These laws will endure, when the statutes of earth shall have crumbled with the parchments on which they are enrolled-and by these laws we know that we must be judged, in the day in which the destinies of our souls shall be determined.

DEPRIVATION OF PERSONAL LIBERTY.

"2d.

Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment."

"Such is the essential character of our slavery. Without any crime on the part of its unfortunate subjects, they are deprived for life, and their posterity after them, of the right The deprivation of personal liberty to property, of the right to liberty, and of the forms another part of our system of slavery. right to personal security. These odious feaNot only has the slave no right to his wife and tures are not the excrescences upon the syschildren, he has no right even to himself. His tem-they are the system itself-they are its very body, his muscles, his bones, his flesh, essential constituent parts. And can any man are all the property of another. The move believe that such a thing as this is not sinful ments of his limbs are regulated by the will of-that it is not hated by God-and ought not a master. He may be sold, like a beast of the to be abhorred and abolished by man? field-he may be transported, in chains, like a felon. Was the blood of our Revolution shed to establish a false principle, when it was poured out in defence of the assertion, that "But there are certain effects, springing na"all men are created equal;" that "they are turally and necessarily out of such a system, endowed by their Creator with certain inalien- which must also be considered in formning a able rights; that among these are life, liberty, proper estimate of its character.

EFFECTS OF SLAVERY,

DEPRAVES AND DEGRADES ITS SUBJECTS.

and the pursuit of happiness?" If it be a violation of the rights of nature to deprive men of their political freedom, the injustice is "1. Its most striking effect is, to deprave surely much more flagrant when we rob them and degrade its subjects by removing from them of personal liberty. The condition of a sub-the strongest natural check to human corrupject is enviable compared with the condition of tion. Character, property, destination, power, a slave. and family respectability, are all withdrawn

"Still further, the deprivation of personal lib- from the reach of the slave. No object is preerty is so complete that it destroys the right of sented to excite and cultivate those higher conscience. Our system, as established by law, feelings, whose exercises would repress his arms the master with power to prevent his passions and regulate his appetites. Thus slaslave from worshipping God according to the very deranges and ruins the moral machinery dictates of his own conscience. The owner of of man-it cuts the sinews of the soul-it exhuman beings among us may legally restrain tracts from human nature the salt that purifies them from assembling to hear the instructions and preserves it, and leaves it a corrupting of divine truth, or even from ever uniting mass of appetite and passion.

IGNORANCE OF THE SLAVES.

Domestic means of grace are still more rare

CRUELTY OF THE SYSTEM.

"2. It dooms thousands of human beings to among them." hopeless ignorance. The impression is almost universal, that intellectual elevation unfits men for servitude, and renders it impossible to "4. This system licenses and produces great retain them in this condition. This impres- cruelty. The law places the whip in the hands sion is unquestionably correct. The weakness of the master, and its use, provided he avoid deand ignorance of their victims is the only safe stroying life, is limited only by his own pleasure. foundation on which injustice and oppression There are, in our land, hundreds of thousands ean rest. We may as soon expect to fetter the clothed with arbitrary powers over those, winds, seal up the clouds, or extinguish the whom they are educated to regard as their fires of the volcano, as to prevent enlightened property, as instruments of their will, as crea minds from recovering their natural condition tures beneath their sympathy, devoid of all the of freedom. Hence, in some of our states, feelings which dignity humanity, and but one laws have been enacted, prohibiting, under se- remove above cattle. Is it not certain that vere penalties, the instruction of the blacks; many of these hundreds of thousands will inand even where such laws do not exist, there flict outrages on their despised dependants?— are formidable numbers who oppose, with deep There are now, in our whole land, two millhostility, every effort to enlighten the mind of ions of human beings, exposed, defenceless, to the negro. These men are determined that every insult and every injury short of maimslavery shall be perpetuated; and they know ing or death, which their fellow men may that their universal education must be followed choose to inflict. They suffer all that can be by their universal emancipation. How horri- inflicted by wanton caprice, by grasping avable must be that system, which, in the opinion rice, by brutal lust, by malignant spite, and by of even its strongest advocates, demands as insane anger. Their happiness is the sport of the necessary condition of its existence, that every whim, and the prey of every passion, knowledge should be shut out from the minds that may, occasionally, or habitually, intest of those who live under it—that they should the master's bosom. If we could calculate the be reduced as nearly as possible to the level of amount of wo endured by ill-treated slaves, it brutes or living machines-that the powers of would overwhelm every compassionate heart, their souls should be crushed! Let each one it would move even the obdurate to sympathy. of us ask, can such a system be aided or even tolerated without deep criminality?

DEPRIVED OF THE GOSPEL.

Brutal stripes, and all the varied kinds of personal indignities, are not the only species of cruelty which slavery licenses. The law does not recognize the family relations of a slave, "3. It deprives its subjects, in a great mea- and extends to him no protection in the enjoy sure, of the privileges of the gospel. The privi- ment of domestic endearments. The members leges of the gospel, as enjoyed by the white of a slave family may be forcibly separated, so population in this land, consist in free access that they shall never more meet until the to the scriptures, a regular gospel ministry, and final judgment. And cupidity often induces domestic means of grace. Neither of these is, the masters to practise what the law allows.to any extent worth naming, enjoyed by slaves, Brothers and sisters, parents and children, as a moment's consideration will satisfactorily husbands and wives, are torn asunder, and pershow. The law, as it is here, does not prevent mitted to see each other no more. These acts free access to the scriptures-but ignorance, the are daily occurring in the midst of us. The natural result of their condition, does. The shrieks and the agony often witnessed on such Bible is before them, but it is to them a sealed occasions, proclaim with a trumpet tongue the book. The light shineth in the darkness, iniquity and cruelty of our system. The cry but the darkness comprehendeth it not.' of these sufferers goes up to the ears of the

"It has been proposed by some zealous and Lord of Sabaoth. There is not a neighbordevoted friends of the colored race, to supply hood where these heart-rending scenes are not the deficiency of gospel ministrations among displayed. There is not a village or road that them, by the employment of suitable missiona- does not behold the sad procession of manacled ries, who may labor exclusively among them. outcasts, whose chains and mournful counteWe need not here speculate on the probable re-nances tell that they are exiled by force from sults of such a scheme if carried into effect, in all that their hearts held dear. Our churches a community where there is no intention to cannot be entirely pure, even from the grossest emancipate; for before there is found among pollutions of slavery, until we are willing to us benevolence enough to adopt and execute pledge ourselves to the destruction of the whole it, on a scale large enough to effect any highly system. valuable purpose, the community will be already ripe for measures of emancipation. Such a spirit of kindness towards this unfortunate "5. It produces general licentiousness race as this scheme pre-supposes, can never co- among the slaves. Marriage, as a civil ordiexist with a determination to keep them in hope-nance, they cannot enjoy. Our laws do not less bondage. Further, there are no houses of recognize this relation as existing among them; worship exclusively devoted to the colored and, of course, do not enforce by any sanction, population. The galleries of our own churches, the observance of its duties. Indeed, until slavewhich are set apart to their use, would not hold ry waxeth old and tendeth to decay,' there the tenth part of their numbers-and even these cannot be any legal recognition of the marriage few seats are, in general, thinly occupied. So rite, or the enforcement of the consequent duthat, as a body, it is evident that our slaves do ties. For all regulations on this subject would not enjoy the public ordinances of religion. limit the master's absolute right of property in

·

LICENTIOUSNESS OF THE SLAVES.

his slaves. In his disposal of them, he would "Not a sparrow falls to the ground, we are no longer be at liberty to consult merely his told, without the notice of God: how much own interest. He could no longer separate the more doth he mark the abuse and oppression of wife and husband to suit the convenience or in-a creature who bears his own peculiar image! terest of the purchaser, no matter how advan- The very hairs of our head are all numbered;" tageous might be the terms offered. And as much more are the groanings of the oppressed the wife and husband do not always belong to and the signings of the prisoner recorded by the same owner, and are not often wanted by Him who says that his ear is ever open to the the same purchaser, their duties to each other cry of the poor and needy.' The sore cry of would thus, if enforced by law, frequently con- millions of the down-trodden has gone up to flict with the interests of the master. Hence, Heaven from the midst of us; this cry is still all the marriage that could ever be allowed to swelling upward, and if there be righteousness them would be a mere contract, voidable at the on the throne of the universe, it must bring master's pleasure. Their present quasi mar-down vials of wrath upon the heads of all who riages are just such contracts, and are continuare engaged in this guilty work. ally thus voided. Many of them are united "Brethren, we profess to be Christians; we without even the sham and forceless ceremony reverence the holy revelation which God has which is sometimes used. This wretched sys- given; we look to its precepts for guidance, tem of concubinage inevitably produces revolt- and to its denunciations for warnings. We ing licentiousness. Can this system be tolerat-know that the principles of the divine dealings ed without sin?

DEMORALIZING TO THE WHITES.

are the same in every age, and that what God said to those of old, when we are in similar circumstances, he saith unto us. Listen, then, to "6. This system demoralizes the whites as one of the many intimations he has given us of well as the blacks. Masters are, in a great de- the way in which he will punish it. The peogree, irresponsible for the exercise of their ple of the land have used oppression, and exer. power; and they generally feel that their ob- cised robbery, and have vexed the poor and ject in possessing and exercising their dominion needy; yea, they have oppressed the stranger is their own utility, and not the good of those wrongfully, and I sought for a man among them over whom they rule. The hand of one of our that should stand in the gap before me for the greatest statesmen has strikingly portrayed the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found demoralizing effects of this system on the minds none. Therefore have I poured out mine indig. and manners of the ruling class. There must nation upon them; I have consumed them with doubtless,' says Mr. Jefferson, be an unhappy the fire of my wrath; their own way have I influence on the manners of our people, pro- recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord.' duced by the existence of slavery among us. Can we despise the instructions of the AlmighThe whole commerce between master and slave ty? Shall we shut our eyes and close our ears is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous against the admonitions of the great Judge of the passions-the most unrelenting despotism on earth? Shall we not arise, and stand in the the one part, and degrading submission on the gap before him for the land, that he may not other. Our children see this, and learn to imi- destroy it?' Though our nest may be built on tate it; for man is an imitative animal. This high,' and our defence be the munitions of quality is the germ of all education in him. rocks,' we cannot escape, if God rise up against From his cradle to his grave he is learning to do us: He can blast our prosperity; He can drown what he sees others do. If a parent could find us in blood; He can blot out our existence and no motive either in his philanthropy or his self our name from under heaven. love, for restraining the intemperance of pas- "We have now exhibited, fairly, but briefly, sion toward his slave, it should always be a the nature and effects of slavery. For the sufficient one that his child is present. But, truth of our facts, we refer to your own observagenerally, it is not sufficient. The parent tions; for the correctness of our reasoning, we storms, the child looks on, catches the linea- appeal to your judgments and consciences. ments of wrath, puts on the same airs, in the What, then, must we conclude? Is slavery a circle of smaller slaves, gives a loose to the system which Christians should sanction, or worst of passions, and, thus nursed, educated, even tolerate, if their efforts can avail to abolish and daily exercised in tyranny, cannot but be it?" stamped by it with odious peculiarities. The man must be a prodigy who can retain his manners and morals undepraved by such circumstances. Such, according to the testimony of one who had marked its operation with a philosopher's eye, is the character which slavery forms-a character perfectly the reverse of that which the Gospel requires."

THE VENGEANCE OF GOD.

A short extract from this address, touching the Bible argument, I shall insert in another place.

After recommending a thorough course of instruction, mental and moral, in connection with kind treatment, the committee propose a plan of gradual emancipation, somewhat similar to that con"7. This system draws down upon us the vengeance of Heaven. God is just,' and he tained in the Methodist Discipline in will render to every one according to his 1801. But Kentucky will set every slave works.' Oppression can never escape unpun- in the State free within five yearsished, while He who hath emphatically declar-" mark that." Perhaps within three ed that He is the Judge of the widow,' and the Father of the fatherless,' is on the throne years. She is now inviting the discussion of slavery in the newspapers. She

of the universe.

will come out on the "plan" of imme-have done justice to those whom you now hold diateism, soon.

The address closes as follows:

CONCLUSION.

་

in bondage? Are you prepared to say, 'As I have done unto these, so let it be done unto me -as I have showed mercy, so let me receive mercy at the hands of my Judge ? Anticipate, we beseech you, the feelings and decision of "Brethren, there are three courses before that great day which is fast hastening on-try you, one of which you must choose-either to yourselves now, as God will then try you. emancipate immediately and without preparaWhat doth the Lord require of thee, but to do tion, or to pursue some such plan of gradual justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with emancipation as we propose, or to continue to your God?' Are you doing justly,' while you lend your example and influence to perpetuate retain your fellow-men in hopeless bondage? slavery. It is improbable that you will adopt Are you loving mercy,' while you are supthe first course: if, then, you refuse to concur porting a system that degrades and brutalizes in the plan of gradual emancipation, and act beings whom God created in his own image? upon it, however you may lull conscience, you These are solemn questions. Let reason answer are lending your aid to perpetuate a demoraliz them; and let conscience decide your future ing and cruel system, which it would be an in- course. sult to God to imagine that he does not abhorJOHN BROWN, Chairman. "JOHN C. YOUNG, Secretary." a system which exhibits power without responsibility, toil without recompense, life without liberty, law without justice, wrongs without re- ments to the sentiments expressed at our How unlike are the foregoing sentidress, infamy without crime, punishment with

see a General

out guilt, and families without marriage-alast General Conference. Here we see system which will not only make victims of the Presbyterian ministers in a slave holdpresent unhappy generation, inflicting upon them ing State standing almost as erect as the the degradation, the contempt, the lassitude and abolitionists, while we the anguish of hopeless oppression, but which even aims at transmitting this heritage of injury Conference of Methodist ministers bowand wo to their children, and their children's ing and crouching to slavery! And a children, down to their latest posterity. Can large majority of this General Conferany Christian contemplate, without trembling, ence were from the free States! In no his own agency in the perpetuation of such a

system? And what will be the end of these manner could they be prevailed upon to scenes of misery and vice? Shall we wait until express any sentiment against slavery. worldly politicians and legislators may rise up And yet they must not be called proand bid them cease? We will wait in vain. Already have we heard the sentiment proclaim- slavery. O no: But when I refuse to ed from high places, and by the voice of author-express ity, that a race of slaves is necessary to the every where, I will give any person leave a sentiment against slavery, existence of freedom. Is it from those who to post me as a pro-slavery man all over utter such sentiments that we expect deliverance to come? No. Reformation must comthe world. That would be my appro

mence where we are divinely taught that priate name. 'judgment must begin-at the house of God.' This work must be done; and Christians must of anti-abolition in the North, than in I verily believe there is a worse kind begin it, and begin it soon, or wrath will come

upon us. The groans of millions do not rise for the South. A slave holder can, in most ever unheard before the throne of the Almighty. cases, feel the force of an argument— The hour of doom must soon arrive-the storm but many of our Northern opponents must soon gather-the bolt of destruction must either cannot or will not. soon be hurled-and the guilty must soon be State facts dashed in pieces. The voice of past history, about slavery to a slave holder, and he and the voice of inspiration, both warn us that feels their force-state them to an antithe catastrophe must come, unless averted by abolitionist in the North, and he will not repentance. And let us remember that we are believe. No matter how well they are each of us individually responsible. We are

individually assisting to pile up this mountain of authenticated, he will not believe them. guilt. The sophistry and false reasoning by And yet he is ready to believe any thing which we may delude our own souls, will not from slave holders. Brethren, what do blind the eyes which are as a flame of fire.' A few years, at most, will place us where we you think of such a spirit? We ask would gladly give all the slaves of a universe, our opponents to read-but no, they to buy off the punishment that oppression brings know all about the subject now. Abodown upon the soul. It may be difficult to do litionism is not right, it cannot be right, our duty; but it will be far more difficult to stand in the judgment without having done it. it shall not be right. "Brethren, we have done. The hour is I coming, in which the slave and his master must and candid Letter to Mr. Smylie, to a gave a copy of Gerrit Smith's able stand together before the tribunal of God-a Presiding Elder not many months ago; God who judges righteously. Are you prepar

ed to place yourselves before him who will de- but he threw it on the floor with discide upon your eternal destiny, and say that you dain! Another Presiding Elder at the

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