them that God stands committed to second all their plans and purposes.
We will now proceed to file our objections the doctrine of abolitionism. We object to it in the first place, because what it demands is legally and politically unjust. We have disposed of the moral division of this question on biblical grounds, as we will now look at its legal and political aspect. Slaves, as property, are as much legitimated by legislative enactments and safeguards, as any species of property in our country, in lawful possession; and, therefore, it is the height of presumption and injustice to ask the slave-holder to surrender up this species of property, which gives to his other property whatever value it may possess. It is the insolent demand of rank agrarianism. On what principle, then, can the abolitionists rest this demand? They have neither biblical, legal nor constitutional grounds on which to base this demand, for all three are against them; because, when the several states entered into a national confederacy, and when each surrendered up certain rights and powers, the slave-holding States demanded and received the privilege of being unmolested by the General Government of the Confederacy in the permission to retain their slaves; and therefore, by the terms of the compact, the sentiments and demands of the abolitionists, is an impudent, illegal, and unconstitutional intermeddling with the sacred, legal and political rights of others—rights that are secured to them by the Bible, the laws and constitution of their country. And it is sheer mockery, and little short of blasphemy to cover such proceedings and designs with the specious and imposing names of philanthropy and religion. More blood has been shed, more injustice committed, and more cruelty perpetrated, under these names, than in any other way.
But, say the abolitionists, by construction and expediency we can make abolitionism constitutional and right.
The doctrine of construction and expediency, when adopted as the rule of interpretation and action, will destroy any constitution that ever was framed by God or man, and has done it. It is one of the most potent and convenient powers in the world, for it will give you any thing you please, how you please, when you please, and where you please. It is the genteel, the patriotic, and religious mode of gratifying pride, ambition, or any other unsanctified passion of the human mind. It can reconcile all contradictions, render practicable all impossibilities, authorize all kinds of absurdities, sanction all kinds of fooleries, and justify all kinds of cruelties. What has not this doctrine of construction and expediency done with the word of God? and with the church of Christ? It has made the former utter sentiments and doctrines the most absurd—and led to practice the most irrational, not to say wicked—and establish “isms” impossible to folly herself—while it has made the latter an arena for eccleciastical gladiators to
