“2. Again, by this precept it is made our duty to cherish a tender and
delicate respect for the right the meanest individual possesses over the
means of happiness bestowed on him by God, as we cherish for our own
right over our own means of happiness, or as we desire any other
individual to cherish for it. Now, were this precept obeyed, it is
manifest that slavery could not in fact exist for a single instant. The
principle of the precept is absolutely subversive of the principle of
slavery. That of the one is the entire equality of right; that of the
other, the entire absorption of the rights of one in the rights of the
other.”
We propose to make no comment upon these arguments. We cannot do battle
against phantoms. But we shall take this golden rule, which we most
devoutly reverence, and show that it inculcates slavery, upon a
statement of facts.
The 28th chapter of Deuteronomy contains the revelations of blessings
and curses promised the Jews, and, we may add, all mankind, for
obedience to the laws of God, and for disobedience to the same. At the
68th verse, they were told that they should again be sent to Egypt; or
that they should be exposed for sale; or that they should expose
themselves for sale, as the passage may be read, and that no man should
buy them; or that there should not be buyers enough to give them the
benefit even of being slaves, whereby they could be assured of
protection and sustenance. This was most signally verified at the time
Jerusalem was sacked by Titus; and not only in Egypt, but in many other
places, thousands of the Hebrew captives were exposed for sale as
slaves. But thousands of them, thus exposed, died of starvation, because
purchasers could not be found for them. The Romans, considered them too
stubborn, too degraded, to be worthy of being slaves to them, refused to
buy them. Their numbers, compared to the numbers of their purchasers,
were so great that the price became merely nominal; and thousands were
suffered to die, because purchasers could not be had at any price. Their
death was the consequence.
Now let us apply the truly golden rule or precept, relied upon by Dr.
Wayland in support of abolitionism. Would it teach to buy these slaves,
or not?
The same incident happened once again to all the Jews, who were freemen
in Spain, during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, when 800,000 Jews
were driven from that kingdom in one day; vast multitudes of whom
famished to death because, although anxious to do so, they could not
find for themselves even a master! Let us ask, what would the precept
teach in this case?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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