A LECTURE BEFORE THE BOSTON MERCANTILE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION,
FEBRUARY 17, 1847.
Mutato nomine, de te
Fabula narratur.--HOR. _Sat._ I. i. 69, 70.
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such
things, and doest the same, that thou shall escape the judgment of
God?--_Rom._ ii. 3.
There are individuals in the United States who hold more of
their fellow-creatures in slavery than either of the Barbary
Powers.--HUMPHREYS, _Valedictory Discourse before the
Cincinnati of Connecticut_, p. 34.
This was another attempt to expose Slavery before a promiscuous
audience at a time when the subject was too delicate to be treated
directly. Mr. Sumner commenced in the course at Boston, and
afterwards gave the substance of his Lecture before many of the
Lyceums of Massachusetts. Professedly historical in character, and
carefully avoiding any discussion of slavery in our country, it
escaped "censure," although jealous defenders of compromise were
disturbed. Others were pleased to find their sentiments against
slavery represented in the lecture-room.
It was easy to see, that, under the guise of condemning the slavery
of whites, he condemned the slavery of blacks. While showing how
the first came to prevail, he naturally exposed the origin of all
slavery; nor does he for a moment lose sight of slavery among
us, which is constantly present under an _alias_. The outrage is
exhibited not only in its original wrong and oppression, but in the
constant efforts against it by all civilized nations, sometimes
by ransom, sometimes by war, ending at last in bloody overthrow.
Conspiracies and escapes are described. At that time there was
intense interest in fugitive slaves, which was gratified by the
stories here introduced, showing how human sympathies attend all
seeking freedom. Elsewhere, as well as here, the North Star had
been a guide. It was common to doubt the hardships of slavery in
our country; but there were persons who doubted the hardships
of slavery in the Barbary States. Nothing more common among
compromisers than to say that our slaves did not desire freedom,
and that they were better off than free negroes; but there were
persons, professing to know the condition of the Barbary States,
who insisted that there were white slaves who left with regret, and
that they were better off than free Christians there. Thus at each
point is this historical lecture an argument against Slavery, and
an answer to its defenders.