The Knickerbocker, Vol. 22, No. 2, August 1843Various
General
The Knickerbocker, Vol. 22, No. 2, August 1843
Various
Periodicals
though undeniably severe when compared with the war-laws of our
day yet most essential modifications, tending to the progress of
refinement and humanity, were introduced into his military code. The
severities exercised toward the Canaanites formed no part of the
general war-system, having been employed by special warrant and for
a specific purpose--the punishment and prevention of idolatry and
unnatural lusts.
The institution of slavery was next discussed at considerable
length; and an interesting and instructive contrast was drawn
between the condition of bond-service as it existed among the
Hebrews and in the other nations. The relation of slavery is so
ancient that its origin is lost amid the shadows and uncertainties
of early legendary traditions. It is, however, a most curious fact,
that probably more than one half of the human family have at all
times been in bondage to the other, and have been looked upon as
the rightful properly of their masters. Gibbon estimates the slave
population of the Roman Empire at sixty millions, fully a moiety of
the whole; and the proportion of the slaves to the free citizens
in Greece almost exceeds belief, being, according to the accurate
Mitford, more than four to one. In reference to Eastern nations,
we are without these exact statistics; but we have every reason
to believe that the slave population was immense. In all these
nations the slaves were reduced to the lowest possible depression;
and were, in every sense, at the absolute disposal of capricious,
greedy, imperious, and merciless owners. They might be tortured,
maimed, or put to death, without let or hindrance from the civil
power. Mr. WINES gave a variety of deeply interesting details in
illustration of these positions. Moses did not abolish slavery; he
could not do it, without a miracle wrought upon men's minds. He
was too wise to make the attempt, when failure would have been the
certain consequence. But he so modified and softened the relation;
he so fenced it about with checks, and restrictions, and guaranties;
that it was disarmed of most of the evils flowing from it in other
countries. Servitude, under the institutes of Moses, at least so
far as Hebrew servants were concerned, resembled the system of
_apprenticeship_ in vogue in this country, where a child is bound
out for a certain number of years for a stipulated compensation,
to be paid to the parent at the end of that period. In no nation,
either ancient or modern, has slavery existed under so mild a form,
and guarding the rights and persons of the slaves with such jealous
care, as among the ancient Hebrews. These topics, and some to which
we have not had space to allude, were discussed in the opening
lecture. In his second, the learned Professor drew a portrait of
the illustrious Hebrew sage and law-giver, developed the general
policy of his laws, and traced the obligations of other nations,
in their legislation and philosophy, to his institutes. Moses was
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