What of the Night?
HOPE THOU IN GOD.
Are there any prospects that the long and dreary night of American
despotism will speedily end in a joyous morning?
If we turn our eye towards the political horizon we shall find it
overspread with heavy clouds portentous of evil to the oppressed. The
government of the United States is intensely pro-slavery. The great
political parties, with which the masses of the people act, vie with
each other in their supple and obsequious devotion to the slaveocracy.
The wise policy of the fathers of the Republic to confine slavery
within very narrow limits, so that it would speedily die out and be
supplanted by freedom, has been abandoned; the whole spirit of our
policy has been reversed--and our national government seems chiefly
concerned for the honor, perpetuation and extension of slavery.
The powerful religious denominations have been following in the wake
of the state. Their ancient and bold testimony against slavery has
been expurgated from their confessions and disciplines, or completely
neutralized.--Slavery _as it is_ receives their unqualified sanction.
The giant Christian publication societies of the day so completely
ignore the question of slavery that a reader of all their books would
not suspect that millions of slaves are groaning under an iron yoke
in this country. Dark as a starless, moonless midnight, is the aspect
presented by the heavens of the popular religious denominations.
American prejudice is yet very powerful. The polite, educated, and
talented free colored traveler is exposed, in most parts of the Union,
to the coarsest insults from this gaunt demon. He feels everywhere its
hellish power. One who was more than twenty years a slave presents in
the following eloquent language a true picture of the present anomalous
condition of the children of Ham in the midst of the general joy of
freedom:
"The Hungarian, the Italian, the Irishman, the Jew and the Gentile,
all find in this goodly land a home; and when any of them, or all of
them, desire to speak, they find willing ears, warm hearts, and open
hands. For these people, the Americans have principles of justice,
maxims of mercy, sentiments of religion, and feelings of brotherhood
in abundance. But for _my_ poor people, (alas, how poor!)--enslaved,
scourged, blasted, overwhelmed, and ruined, it would appear that
America had neither justice, mercy, nor religion. She has no scales
in which to weigh our wrongs, and no standard by which to measure our
rights.... Here, upon the soil of our birth, in a country which has
known us for two centuries, among a people who did not wait for us
to seek them, but who sought us, found us, and brought us to their
own chosen land,--a people for whom we have performed the humblest
services, and whose greatest comforts and luxuries have been won from
the soil by our sable and sinewy arms,--I say, sir, among such a
people, and with such obvious recommendations to favor, we are far less
esteemed than the veriest stranger and sojourner.... We are literally
scourged beyond the beneficent range of both authorities--human
and divine. We plead for our rights, in the name of the immortal
declaration of independence, and of the written constitution of
government, and we are answered with imprecations and curses. In the
sacred name of Jesus we beg for mercy, and the slave-whip, red with
blood, cracks over us in mockery.... We cry for help to humanity--a
common humanity, and here too we are repulsed. American humanity
hates us, scorns us, disowns and denies, in a thousand ways, our very
personality. The outspread wing of American christianity, apparently
broad enough to give shelter to a perishing world, refuses to cover us.
To us, its bones are brass, and its feathers iron. In running thither
for shelter and succor, we have only fled from the hungry bloodhound to
the devouring wolf,--from a corrupt and selfish world to a hollow and
hypocritical church."--_Fred. Douglass._
But dark as is this picture, there is still hope. The exorbitant
demands of the slave power, the extreme measures it adopts, the deep
humiliation to which it subjects political aspirants, will produce a
reaction. Inflated with past success it is throwing off its mask and
revealing its hideous proportions. It is now proving itself the enemy
of _all_ freedom.
The extreme servility of the popular churches is opening the eyes of
many earnest people to the importance of taking a bolder position.
They are finding out that it is a duty to come out from churches which
sanction the vilest iniquity that ever existed, or exhaust their zeal
for the oppressed in tame resolves, never to be executed.
The truth is gaining ground that slaveholding is a great sin, that
slaveholders are great sinners, and that he who apologises for the
system is a participator in the guilt and shame.
Free mission societies, reform publication societies, and free churches
are rising up all over the country, in the free and in the slave
States. They take their stand upon a solid Bible platform, and their
power will be rapidly augmented until the strongholds of oppression
will tremble at their approach.
Literature is coming to the rescue of the slave, and even now is
pleading his cause with astonishing power in all the languages of
christendom.
Christianity is on the side of the slave, and its true spirit is
beginning to be practically applied.
Thousands of devout persons are found day and night pleading with God
for the speedy deliverance of the captive.
But a voice from heaven is heard saying, "HOPE THOU IN GOD." God is
on the side of the oppressed. He will never abandon them. He approves
their cause, hears their cries, and is interested in all their
movements. Those millions of colored Americans are now in the fiery
furnace, but He will bring them out. From their house of bondage they
will come forth, and accomplish a glorious mission on the earth.
God has reserved for them some of the grandest achievements in music,
poetry, science, arts, morals, freedom and religion. Never has he
permitted a people to be more deeply humbled, and none will in the end
be more highly exalted. God's ways are not as our ways. He can make the
wrath of man to praise him.
The day of deliverance is not distant. God is stirring up the nations.
The slavery question is agitating the whole enlightened world. It
cannot be put to rest. Politicians pronounce it dead and solemnly bury
it, but it rises before the third day and confronts them in every
assembly. Church councils resolve to let it alone, but it will not let
them alone. They hate agitation, and cry for peace, but are answered,
"_first pure, then peaceable_."
God of liberty! hasten the hour when the reddening East shall authorize
the joyful announcement to American bondsmen--"_the morning cometh_."
Till then let us "TOIL AND TRUST."
FOOTNOTES:
[1] See Elliott on Slavery, p. 40.
[2] R. Walsh, Encyclopedia Americana, Art. Slavery.
[3] Here are a few advertisements taken from respectable southern
papers, verbatim.
SLAVES WANTED.--We are at all times purchasing Slaves, paying the
highest cash prices. Persons wishing to sell will please call at
242 Pratt St. (Slatter's old stand.) Communications attended to.
B. M. & W. L. CAMPBELL.
A NEGRO FOR SALE.--I wish to sell a black girl about 24 years old,
a good cook and washer, handy with a needle, can spin and weave. I
wish to sell her in the neighborhood of Camden Point; if not sold
there in a short time, I will hunt the best market; or I will trade
her for two small ones, a boy and girl.
November 15, 1852
M. DOYAL.
100 NEGROES FOR SALE, at my depot on Commerce street, immediately
between the Exchange Hotel and F. M. Gilmer, Jr.'s Warehouse,
where I will be receiving constantly, large lots of Negroes during
the season, and will sell on as accommodating terms as any house
in this city. I would respectfully request my old customers, and
friends to call and examine my stock.
MONTGOMERY, November 2, 1852.
JNO. W. LINDSEY.
GREAT SALE OF NEGROES BY J. & L. T. LEVIN.--On Thursday, December
30, at 11 o'clock, will be sold at the Court House in Columbia, one
hundred valuable negroes.
It is seldom such an opportunity occurs as now offers. Among them
are only four beyond 45 years old, and none above 50. There are
twenty five prime young men, between sixteen and thirty; forty of
the most likely young women, and as fine a set of children as can
be shown!
Terms, &c.
December 18, 1852.
[4] Prof. B. B. Edwards says--"From the time of Augustus to Justinian
we may allow three slaves to one free man; we shall thus have a free
population in Italy of 6,944,000; and of slaves 20,832,000."
On the treatment of Roman slaves _Guizot_ remarks that "it would be
easy to give the most frightful and heartrending accounts of the manner
in which the ancient Romans treated their slaves. Entire volumes are
occupied with the details." (_Hist. Civilization._)
[5] These facts are well authenticated. The "Union Point" tragedy
did not occur in 1854, as reported recently, and denied by the "Free
Trader," _but it did occur_ in 1842, and we have quoted the "Trader's"
own account.
[6] Accepting this celebrated curse as an inspired prophecy, and we
are inclined to receive it as such, it finds an easy fulfillment in
the conquests of Joshua over the Canaanites; in the oppression of
the Phoenicians, (who were descendants of Canaan,) by the Chaldeans,
Persians and Greeks; and finally in the subjugation and destruction
of the Carthaginians, by the Romans. This is the opinion of President
Edwards, and it is entitled to respect.
[7] I avail myself in what follows upon this point, of the
investigations of Rev. E. Smith, who has thrown much light upon this
subject. See "_Bible Servitude" pp. 91_, for a full discussion of this
point.
[8] For these criticisms on the Hebrew word the author is indebted to
Albert Barnes' 'Inquiry into the scriptural views of slavery.'
[9] The passage in Ex. 21: 20, 21, applies, as all admit, mainly, if
not exclusively, to _native Hebrew servants_, and as no one finds in
the limited voluntary servitude of the native Hebrews a warrant for
hereditary slavery, I have not thought it necessary to dwell upon it.
It may be observed, however, that the word "_punished_," is rendered
in the marginal reading, "avenged;" and the meaning of the law is that
the interest the master had in the life of the servant should be taken
as _presumptive_ evidence that he did not intend to kill him, unless
the case was very clear, and hence that he should not be _avenged
summarily_, by a relative of the servant, but be regularly tried and
punished by the appointed authorities.
[10] See Barnes' Inquiry.
[11] See Smith.
[12] Tract of the American Reform Book and Tract Society.
[13] Bible Servitude.
[14] These facts are drawn by Jay from Blair's Inquiry into the state
of slavery among the Romans.
[15] Note. One little circumstance, which occurred in the General
Assembly of 1853, indicates a remarkably conservative spirit in that
body. Dr. Judd, in writing the history of the division of the Old
and New-Schools, put in _one_ chapter on slavery. This chapter made
the book _offensive_ to the south. To reconcile all parties, it was
agreed that two editions of the work be printed, one for northern, the
other for southern circulation--the latter to be _minus the chapter on
slavery_!
[16] The "American Missionary Association," which has no fellowship
with slaveholding, and the American Reform Book and Tract Society,
which is doing much for the dissemination of Christian anti-slavery
doctrines, are sustained mainly by Congregationalists. The main body of
the Congregationalists, however, adhere to the old Boards.
[17] Can any one conceive of any _virtuous_ reason which prompted the
passage of such a rule? Is there not a deep and dark iniquity among
slaveholders which makes it not only necessary that slaves should be
excluded from civil, but also from ecclesiastical tribunals?
[18] Amongst these, and at the head of them stands _Mr. Hosmer_, Editor
of the Northern C. Advocate, author of "_Slavery_ and the _Church_,"
and a number of other excellent books.
[19] See Methodist Discipline.
[20] Annual Report of American and Foreign Anti-slavery Society.
[21] Distinguished from the Moravians, or old United Brethren by the
additional phrase--"_in Christ_."
[22] Methodist Quarterly.
[23] Hon. Charles Sumner's speech on the Repeal of the Fugitive Slave
Bill, delivered in the Senate, August 1852, is one of the finest
specimens of eloquence in the English language. Its arguments too, are
unanswerable.
[24] The following estimate of their numbers and localities is taken
from one of the able reports of the British and Foreign Anti-slavery
Society, carefully drawn up by its former Secretary, John Scoble, Esq.:
United States, 3,650,000
Brazil, 4,050,000
Spanish Colonies, 1,470,000
S. Amer. Republics, 1,130,000
British Colonies, 750,000
Hayti, 850,000
French Colonies, 270,000
Dutch Colonies, 50,000
Danish Colonies, 45,000
Mexico, 70,000
Canada, 35,000
----------
Total, 12,370,000
_Rep. Am. and For. Anti. Slav. Society._
Transcriber's Note:
Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as
possible. Some minor corrections of spelling and puctuation have
been made.
Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
OE ligatures have been expanded.