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West Indies, which slaves labored less, and were better fed, clothed and lodged, than half the operatives of England; by which their masters were ruined, the condition of the slaves made rather worse; and the poor laborer of England must work harder, eat less, and sleep less in order to raise those 20,000,000, by which no body was benefited but the agents who managed this ridiculous farce. This is benevolence with a vengeance.
Time would fail me in noticing all such benevolent transactions of this age. The age of humbugs would be a more appropriate designation.
There are other features in the question of slavery that are of great importance, on which I have not touched, as they belong rather to the statesman and political economist than the divine and moralist. We have considered the question only in its moral, legal and constitutional bearing, and found ourselves sustained by the truth of God, the laws and constitution of our country. Emancipation would be the ruin of the south, and the ruin of the south would involve the ruin of the north: and the abolitionists would be ruined by the consummation of their wishes. But I apprehend no such an event. Any one who has watched the movements of the age, must have discovered that one excitement, whether political or religious, is soon run down by another. These are nothing more than “hobbies”—and be the ostensible objects what they may, political or religious, power and place are the jails for which the riders aim. But where there are so many riders, and all equally acquainted with the tricks of the turf, they jocky each other out of the course, and out of the purse: then another hobby (alias anti) of some kind, must be procured; and another race, and another failure. This, to the philosophic and close observer of human nature and human life, is cause of more amusement than alarm. For certainly it is cause of rejoicing and thanksgiving to see demagogues of any kind tripping up each other’s heels. And give me many demagogues, or give me none: one may destroy a country—many destroy each other.
In conclusion, let me urge upon you the necessity of ever viewing calmly and dispassionately all those agitating measures that distract our country. Never be led away by first appearances; nor let the magic words “benevolence, philanthropy and religion,” charm you into every ephemeral excitement and movement of the day.
