Philosophy knows no obligation that binds one man to another without an
equivalent. If one man could be subjected to another, who is not bound
to render any thing in return, it would be subversive to good morals and
political justice. Such a relation cannot exist, only so far as to reach
the immediate death of the subjected. But it has been the error of some
good men to suppose that slavery presented such a case. It has been
their misfortune also to receive the following succedaneums as axioms in
the search for truth:—
“All men are born equal.”
“The rights of men are inalienable.”
“No man has power to alienate a natural right.”
“No man can become property.”
“No man can own property in another.”
“The conscience is a distinct mental faculty.”
“The conscience infallibly distinguishes between right and wrong.”
“No man is under any obligation to obey any law when his conscience
dictates it to be wrong.”
“The conscience empowers any man to nullify any law; because the
conscience is a part and parcel of the Divine mind.”
“Slavery is wholly founded on force.”
“Slavery originates in the power of the strong over the weak.”
“Slavery disqualifies a man to fulfil the great object of his being.”
“The doctrines of the Bible forbid slavery.”
“There is no word, either in the Old or the New Testament, which
expresses the idea of slave or slavery.”
“Slavery places its subjects beyond moral and legal obligation:
therefore, it can never be a legal or moral relation.”
“Slavery is inconsistent with the moral nature of man.”
“To hold in slavery is inconsistent with the present state of morals
and religion.”
“Slavery is contrary to the will of God.”
“No man can hold a slave, and be a Christian.”
Averments of this order are quite numerous. Fanatics receive them; and
some others do not distinguish them from truths.
At any age, and in any country, where such errors are generally adopted,
and become the rules of political action, morals and religion are always
in commotion, and in danger of shipwreck: for, although, where man has
only approached so far towards civilization that even the enlightened
can merely perceive them as rudimental, yet the great principles that
influence human life, morality and religion, are, everywhere, and always
have been the same.
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