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ors, who availed themselves of the privileges which the usages of war give; and who preferred selling to killing them. Now keep in mind that these prisoners had, as already stated, Jost all personal liberty forever, by the fortune of war—and that they were as much the property of their captors as any other property their captors had; there was neither violence nor wrong done in selling them; and whether there was any wrong done in buying them, resolves itself into this simple question, whether it would have been better to have suffered those prisoners to have been butchered in cold blood, or to buy them, and thereby save their lives: by the latter alternative their condition remained as it was; but by the former it was a death with no alternative. This is the question at issue, and, like all similar questions, its answer will depend upon the moral temperaments of the casuists who agitate it. There are but few men, however, who will not prefer the loss of liberty to the loss of life: for this simple and all-sufficient reason, that the captive may recover his liberty—but from death’s domain there is no return.
These, then, were the circumstances under which slavery was introduced into our country. But afterward the most iniquitous measures were adopted to procure the requisite number—measures that none but a demon incarnate, would either use or justify—and measures too still pursued. But we must discriminate justly between the manner in which slaves were first obtained, and subsequently procured.
But, seeing they are among us, let us see whether the retaining of them in slavery is consistent with Christianity or not. And we are assured that a question of such importance can be answered in no other way than by a reference to scriptural statement and scriptural practice.
But I am well aware of the difficulty that lies in our path, from the fact that scriptural statements and examples are often lost sight of and disregarded, when sectarian and partizan measures are to be carried into effect, and men find it very convenient to erect a standard and frame rules founded upon abstract biblical propositions, and inferential deductions that shall suit their purposes, and arm them with authority to carry out all their plans, and justify themselves in all their conduct; although, by so doing, they nullify some of the first and best principles of Christianity, as well as violate the essential laws of humanity, of which all persecutions for conscience’ sake are the proof. The Bible is very far from being the only rule of faith and
