THE ANARCHICAL PRINCIPLES OF ABOLITIONISM.
_Nous verrons_--Onward! seems to be alike the maxim and tendency of
all violent reforms. It may be said, that Abolitionism has at last
come to a fair and palpable _denoument_, in the formation of the _New
England Non-resistence Society_, which was organized at Boston, in
September, 1838, with William Lloyd Garrison, and such others, men and
_women_, leaders. The fundamental principle of this new association is
_identical_ with that of the Abolition movement. Both hinge upon the
same pivot. Indeed, it will be found, that all the violent reforms of
our country are based upon this. It is stated in the Constitution of
the Non-resistence Society in the following terms: “It appears to us a
self-evident truth, that whatever the Gospel is designed to _destroy_
at any period of the world, being contrary to it, ought _now_ to be
abandoned.” The mischievous element of this proposition, as reduced to
practice by the violent reformers, is _occult_, and would appear in
its naked form by substituting for the last word “_abandoned_,” that
of _destroyed_--“ought _now_ to be _destroyed_;” for these reformers
do not admit, that those customs and laws, judged by their
interpretation of the Gospel unlawful, may be retained till
_persuasion_ shall produce reform, and simply preach, that they
“_ought_ to be _abandoned_.” But they clearly show their meaning is,
that they “ought to be _destroyed_” and that it is not only lawful,
but praiseworthy and a duty, to destroy them. _Destruction_ is the
ruling power of the code; and society, the world, is to take its
chances for the setting up of a better state of things.
Now, we maintain, that this is a fair statement of the principles of
Abolitionism, and of all other of the violent movements. Their
doctrine of _immediatism_--if we may invent a new term--is always one
and the same, and always has been. Wherever they find an evil, or
wrong--_Down with it_--is the rule. _Fiat Justitia, ruat calum_--a
sound principle, certainly; and a good maxim, in prudent hands; but a
terrible one, in rash hands.
It is a good thing, and a very instructive result, that the principles
of these Destructives have at last come out, and been openly published
to the world, in the Constitution and “Bill of sentiments,” adopted by
the New England Non-resistance Society. There is now no longer a
disguise. They openly renounce allegiance to all government: “_We
cannot acknowledge allegiance to any human government!_” Here, then,
it is, fairly ushered into the light of day--_a condition of universal
anarchy_, the proclaimed Jubilee of these reformers. We have only to
say, that this new Society has come honestly and openly to the end, to
which all the _Immediatists_ of whatever name, are rapidly advancing.
The maxim--_Down with it_--which governs them all, and which is the
soul, body, and foundation of their enterprise--cannot stop short of
anarchy. There is nothing of importance in the avowed principles of
this new Society, revolting and shocking as they are, which is not a
legitimate consequence of Abolitionism; or, by the remotest degree of
relationship, cousin-german to it. In the first place, they renounce
allegiance to human government; the Abolitionists, to be consistent,
ought to do the same; for they have made open war against it. _They_
have announced the doctrine of _Immediatism_[1] as their fundamental
principle; that also is the fundamental principle of the
Abolitionists. _They_ have levelled all distinctions in society, of
rank, color, caste, and _sex_; and the doctrines of Abolitionism,
carried out, have legitimately led them to this. _They_ have
proclaimed the Agrarian principle, in all forms of application, and
denied the right of defending property, or any civil inheritance, by
human authority, or force of arms; and Abolitionism requires the
sanction of this principle to affect its designs. _They_ recognise but
one ruler--the King of heaven; it is equally necessary for the
Abolitionists to set aside the authorities of earth. _They_ have no
country but the world, and no countrymen but mankind; the
Abolitionists seem to be equally devoid of patriotism. _They_ avow
that neither nations, nor individuals, have a right to defend
themselves against aggression; this will be convenient, and even
necessary, to Abolitionists, in the execution of their plans. _They_
pronounce the doctrine, that “the powers that be are ordained of God,”
“an absurd and impious dogma;” this, too, will be convenient to the
Abolitionists, and it might be supposed, they had adopted it. _They_
declare against all military preparations; we presume the
Abolitionists are equally unfriendly to them, as they might prove
uncomfortable opponents in their career. “As every human government is
upheld by physical strength, and its laws enforced virtually at the
point of the bayonet,” _they_ “repudiate all human politics” and
legislation; the Abolitionists are equally averse to the “politics”
and legislation of the slave-holding States, and of course to the
political fabric of the Union. _They_ deny the right of prosecution
and indemnification for felony, which of course would be impossible,
where there is no law; the Abolitionists deny the right of
indemnification for the deprivation of property in slaves. _They_ deny
the right of all punishment for crimes; this would be extremely
convenient for Abolitionists. _They_ deny that their “doctrines are
Jacobinical;” and why set up this defence before they are accused,
except from the consciousness, that all the world will pronounce them
so? The Abolitionists, too, as we think, are somewhat involved in this
predicament. The members of this new Society are advocates of
Non-resistance, _on one side_; and so are the Abolitionists: both are
averse to being _opposed_, except so far as it may afford them the
opportunity and title to plead the rights of the honest Connecticut
negro’s conscience, who, being asked by his master, what it said,
replied, “Why, Massa, it says, I _won’t_.” But the members of this
Society are to be great fighters, after all, and that, too, in the way
of _aggression_, as they claim the right and declare the purpose of
making war “boldly, by the application of their principles, upon all
existing civil, political, legal, and ecclesiastical institutions;”
that is, as one, remarking well on their scheme, hath it, “to take the
greatest possible pains to get mobbed, persecuted, imprisoned, hung,
and murdered.” And little pity would they get. They, of course, are
the framers of their own conscience, and its interpreters; and that is
the empire, the rights of which they claim, under their professions of
_Non-resistance_. Allow any man that, and what, repudiating the
restraints of law, could he ask more?
[Footnote 1: The abstract notion, that whatever is judged to be wrong
in the customs or laws of society, _may_ and _must_ be broken down, or
rooted out, _forthwith_, without any regard to consequences.]
But, notwithstanding the magisterial offices of society, they say, “We
believe that the penal code of the old Covenant, ‘_An eye for an eye,
and a tooth for a tooth_,’ has been abrogated by Jesus Christ,” &c. In
other words, we suppose, they mean to set aside the authority of the
Old Testament Scriptures; of course, the Decalogue: and _in_ course,
proceeding onward, the whole Bible. In this way, the Abolitionists
would gain an important point, and procure the right of making a Bible
to suit themselves. Thus endeth the career of violent reform--_in
universal anarchy_. The New England Non-resistance Society is the
climax; and it is remarkable, that there is scarcely a principle
involved in the public declaration of their Creed, which, in some
form of application, does not exactly suit the case and cause of the
Abolitionists.--None, we apprehend, which does not very naturally and
legitimately flow from it. _They were_ Abolitionists in the previous
stage of their career, and one of them was the founder of
Abolitionism.[2] It only happens, that he still keeps the lead; and he
and his present associates are only more consistent and more honest,
in having opened the entire budget to the public gaze. There are,
indeed, some few _outré_ peculiarities of this new Association,
ingeniously appended and incorporated, just enough to attract
attention, and make it interesting as a curiosity. But there is
nothing surprising in it, when we inquire into the causes which have
generated the extravagant opinions, and set on foot the violent
reforms, of our country. They may all be traced backward, through all
their stages, and in all their connexions, under the broad and clear
sun light of philosophical research.
[Footnote 2: Of Abolitionism in its modern garb of a violent reform--a
totally, radically, and essentially, different thing from Emancipation
in the sense attached to it before this agitation commenced.
Abolitionism is now identified with an unconstitutional, and as we
have proved, seditious interference of a combination of people in the
free States, with the domestic condition of the slave States. It is
shorn of the honors, both of a humane and patriotic enterprise, and
merged in the responsibility of a political misdemeanor. This is the
sense in which we use the term throughout this work; and we have
supposed there was some foundation for ascribing the authorship of
this movement to the gentleman above alluded to. Certainly, he was the
most conspicuous actor, when it began to attract public attention. And
behold! he is at the head, and we suppose at the bottom--(for we take
for granted he must be the leader wherever he is)--of an Association
set up professedly and without disguise, to overthrow all Government.
This last stage--for we see not how it can go any further--is, in our
esteem, an open and fair _denoument_ of the principles of
Abolitionism. Not, indeed, that the Abolitionists, as a body, have any
such designs--for we charitably suppose, and fully believe, they have
not--but the action of their fundamental principle of _immediatism_,
to gain, by a _coup de main_, a visionary state of _perfectionism_,
cannot stop short of this.]
It is proper to remark, that, in the comprehensive picture given in
this chapter, of the principles of the New England Non-resistance
Society, we have taken the liberty to lay aside the garb in which they
have presented them, except here and there a literal quotation, not
only for brevity’s sake, but to show them in their naked form. We
think, however, that we have not misrepresented; and even if we have
done so, in any slight shades, the moiety of this delicious _morceau_,
is enough to show the _taste_ of those who have swallowed it, and
how the _physic_ is likely to operate. As to the feature of
_non-resistance_, it is what is vulgarly called a “fudge,” they having
reserved to themselves the privilege of conscience, according to their
own interpretation of its prerogatives, and moreover declared their
resolute and unflinching purpose to “_assail_ all existing
institutions.” Besides, this _pretension_, to adopt their own
language, is “a measure of sound policy;” for they could not otherwise
be tolerated for a moment; and they hope to gain sympathy by
_appearing_ not to resist, while they themselves are engaged in _open
war_ on every thing that is valuable and dear to society. To show the
connexion between this and things that had gone before, it is only
necessary to quote one sentence from their own hand: “The triumphant
progress of the cause of _Temperance_ and _Abolition_ in our land ...
_encourages us_ to _combine_ our own means and efforts for the
promotion of a STILL GREATER CAUSE.” Far be it from us, however, by
this allusion, to disparage the Temperance reformation, any farther
than the violent and overstrained part of it is concerned. And this
qualification, we trust, will be satisfactory to all, whose good
opinion we have any hope of enjoying.