Civil rights, we may remember, are reducible to three primary heads; the right of personal security; the right of personal liberty; and the right of private property. In a state of slavery the two last are wholly abolished, the person of the slave being at the absolute disposal of his master; and property, what he is incapable, in that state, either of acquiring, or holding, to his own use. Hence it will appear how perfectly irreconcilable a state of slavery is to the principles of a democracy, which form the _basis_ and _foundation_ of our government. For our bill of rights declares, "that all men are by nature _equally free_ and independent, and have certain rights of which they cannot deprive or divest their posterity--namely, the enjoyment of life and _liberty_, with the means of _acquiring_ and _possessing property_." This is indeed no more than a recognition of the first principles of the law of nature, which teaches us this equality, and enjoins every man, whatever advantages he may possess over another, as to the various qualities or endowments of body or mind, to practice the precepts of the law of nature to those who are in these respects his _inferiors_, no less than it enjoins his _inferiors_ to practise them towards _him_. Since he has no more right to insult _them_, than they have to injure him. Nor does the _bare unkindness of nature_ or of fortune condemn a man to a _worse_ condition than others, as to the enjoyment of common privileges [Spavan's Puff. vol. 1. c. 17.]. It would be hard to reconcile reducing the Negroes to a state of slavery to these principles, unless we first degrade them below the rank of human beings, not only politically, but also physically and morally.--The Roman lawyers look upon those only properly as _persons_, who are _free_, putting _slaves_ into the rank of _goods_ and _chattels_; and the policy of our legislature, as well as the practice of slave-holders in America in general, seems conformable to that idea: but surely it is time we should admit the evidence of moral truth, and learn to regard them as our fellow men, and equals, except in those particulars where accident, or perhaps nature, may have give us some advantage; a recompence for which they perhaps enjoy in other respects.