the anti-slavery crusade-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




The　Anti…Slavery　Crusade；　A　Chronicle　of　the　Gathering　Storm
by　Jesse　Macy



CONTENTS
I。　INTRODUCTION
II。　THE　GEOGRAPHY　OF　THE　CRUSADE
III。　EARLY　CRUSADERS
IV。　THE　TURNING…POINT
V。　THE　VINDICATION　OF　LIBERTY
VI。　THE　SLAVERY　ISSUE　IN　POLITICS
VII。　THE　PASSING　OF　THE　WHIG　PARTY
VIII。　THE　UNDERGROUND　RAILROAD
IX。　BOOKS　AS　ANTI…SLAVERY　WEAPONS
X。　〃BLEEDING　KANSAS〃
XI。　CHARLES　SUMNER
XII。　KANSAS　AND　BUCHANAN
XIII。　THE　SUPREME　COURT　IN　POLITICS
XIV。　JOHN　BROWN
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL　NOTE



THE　ANTI…SLAVERY　CRUSADE
CHAPTER　I。　INTRODUCTION　The　Emancipation　Proclamation　of　President　Lincoln　marks　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　a　long　chapter　in　human　history。　Among　the　earliest　forms　of　private　property　was　the　ownership　of　slaves。　Slavery　as　an　institution　had　persisted　throughout　the　ages；　always　under　protest；　always　provoking　opposition；　insurrection；　social　and　civil　war；　and　ever　bearing　within　itself　the　seeds　of　its　own　destruction。　Among　the　historic　powers　of　the　world　the　United　States　was　the　last　to　uphold　slavery；　and　when；　a　few　years　after　Lincoln's　proclamation；　Brazil　emancipated　her　slaves；　property　in　man　as　a　legally　recognized　institution　came　to　an　end　in　all　civilized　countries。　Emancipation　in　the　United　States　marked　the　conclusion　of　a　century　of　continuous　debate；　in　which　the　entire　history　of　western　civilization　was　traversed。　The　literature　of　American　slavery　is；　indeed；　a　summary　of　the　literature　of　the　world　on　the　subject。　The　Bible　was　made　a　standard　text…book　both　for　and　against　slavery。　Hebrew　and　Christian　experiences　were　exploited　in　the　interest　of　the　contending　parties　in　this　crucial　controversy。　Churches　of　the　same　name　and　order　were　divided　among　themselves　and　became　half　pro…slavery　and　half　anti…slavery。　Greek　experience　and　Greek　literature　were　likewise　drawn　into　the　controversy。　The　Greeks　themselves　had　set　the　example　of　arguing　both　for　and　against　slavery。　Their　practice　and　their　prevailing　teaching；　however；　gave　support　to　this　institution。　They　clearly　enunciated　the　doctrine　that　there　is　a　natural　division　among　human　beings；　that　some　are　born　to　command　and　others　to　obey；　that　it　is　natural　to　some　men　to　be　masters　and　to　others　to　be　slaves；　that　each　of　these　classes　should　fulfill　the　destiny　which　nature　assigns。　The　Greeks　also　recognized　a　difference　between　races　and　held　that　some　were　by　nature　fitted　to　serve　as　slaves；　and　others　to　command　as　masters。　The　defenders　of　American　slavery　therefore　found　among　the　writings　of　the　Greeks　their　chief　arguments　already　stated　in　classic　form。　Though　the　Romans　added　little　to　the　theory　of　the　fundamental　problem　involved；　their　history　proved　rich　in　practical　experience。　There　were　times；　in　parts　of　the　Roman　Empire；　when　personal　slavery　either　did　not　exist　or　was　limited　and　insignificant　in　extent。　But　the　institution　grew　with　Roman　wars　and　conquests。　In　rural　districts；　slave　labor　displaced　free　labor；　and　in　the　cities　servants　multiplied　with　the　concentration　of　wealth。　The　size　and　character　of　the　slave　population　eventually　became　a　perpetual　menace　to　the　State。　Insurrections　proved　formidable；　and　every　slave　came　to　be　looked　upon　as　an　enemy　to　the　public。　It　is　generally　conceded　that　the　extension　of　slavery　was　a　primary　cause　of　the　decline　and　fall　of　Rome。　In　the　American　controversy；　therefore；　the　lesson　to　be　drawn　from　Roman　experience　was　utilized　to　support　the　cause　of　free　labor。　After　the　Middle　Ages；　in　which　slavery　under　the　modified　form　of　feudalism　ran　its　course；　there　was　a　reversion　to　the　ancient　classical　controversy。　The　issue　became　clearly　defined　in　the　hands　of　the　English　and　French　philosophers　of　the　seventeenth　and　eighteenth　centuries。　In　place　of　the　time…honored　doctrine　that　the　masses　of　mankind　are　by　nature　subject　to　the　few　who　are　born　to　rule；　the　contradictory　dogma　that　all　men　are　by　nature　free　and　equal　was　clearly　enunciated。　According　to　this　later　view；　it　is　of　the　very　nature　of　spirit；　or　personality；　to　be　free。　All　men　are　endowed　with　personal　qualities　of　will　and　choice　and　a　conscious　sense　of　right　and　wrong。　To　subject　these　native　faculties　to　an　alien　force　is　to　make　war　upon　human　nature。　Slavery　and　despotism　are；　therefore；　in　their　nature　but　a　species　of　warfare。　They　involve　the　forcing　of　men　to　act　in　violation　of　their　true　selves。　The　older　doctrine　makes　government　a　matter　of　force。　The　strong　command　the　weak；　or　the　rich　exercise　lordship　over　the　poor。　The　new　doctrine　makes　of　government　an　achievement　of　adult　citizens　who　agree　among　themselves　as　to　what　is　fit　and　proper　for　the　good　of　the　State　and　who　freely　observe　the　rules　adopted　and　apply　force　only　to　the　abnormal；　the　delinquent；　and　the　defective。　Between　the　upholders　of　these　contradictory　views　of　human　nature　there　always　has　been　and　there　always　must　be　perpetual　warfare。　Their　difference　is　such　as　to　admit　of　no　compromise；　no　middle　ground　is　possible。　The　conflict　is　indeed　irresistible。　The　chief　interest　in　the　American　crusade　against　slavery　arises　from　its　relation　to　this　general　world　conflict　between　liberty　and　despotism。　The　Athenians　could　be　democrats　and　at　the　same　time　could　uphold　and　defend　the　institution　of　slavery。　They　were　committed　to　the　doctrine　that　the　masses　of　the　people　were　slaves　by　nature。　By　definition；　they　made　slaves　creatures　void　of　will　and　personality；　and　they　conveniently　ignored　them　in　matters　of　state。　But　Americans　living　in　States　founded　in　the　era　of　the　Declaration　of　Independence　could　not　be　good　democrats　and　at　the　same　time　uphold　and　defend　the　institution　of　slavery；　for　the　Declaration　gives　the　lie　to　all　such　assumptions　of　human　inequality　by　accepting　the　cardinal　axiom　that　all　men　are　created　equal　and　are　endowed　with　certain　inalienable　rights；　among　which　are　life；　liberty；　and　the　pursuit　of　happiness。　The　doctrine　of　equality　had　been　developed　in　Europe　without　special　reference　to　questions　of　distinct　race　or　color。　But　the　terms；　which　are　universal　and　as　broad　as　humanity　in　their　denotation；　came　to　be　applied　to　black　men　as　well　as　to　white　men。　Massachusetts　embodied　in　her　state　constitution　in　1780　the　words；　〃All　men　are　born　free　and　equal；〃　and　the　courts　ruled　that　these　words　in　the　state　constitution　had　the　effect　of　liberating　the　slaves　and　of　giving　to　them　the　same　rights　as　other　citizens。　This　is　a　perfectly　logical　application　of　the　doctrine　of　the　Revolution。　The　African　slave…trade；　however；　developed　earlier　than　the　doctrine　of　the　Declaration　of　Independence。　Negro　slavery　had　long　been　an　established　institution　in　all　the　American　colonies。　Opposition　to　the　slave…trade　and　to　slavery　was　an　integral　part　of　the　evolution　of　the　doctrine　of　equal　rights。　As　the　colonists　contended　for　their　own　freedom；　they　became　anti…slavery　in　sentiment。　A　standard　complaint　against　British　rule　was　the　continued　imposition　of　the　slave…trade　upon　the　colonists　against　their　oft…repeated　protest。　In　the　original　draft　of　the　Declaration　of　Independence；　there　appeared　the　following　charges　against　the　King　of　Great　Britain：　〃He　has　waged　cruel　war　against　human　nature　itself；　violating　its　most　sacred　rights　of　life　and　liberty　in　the　persons　of　distant　people　who　never　offended　him；　captivating　and　carrying　them　into　slavery　in　another　hemisphere；　or　to　incur　miserable　death　in　their　transportation　thither。　This　piratical　warfare；　the　opprobrium　of　infidel　powers；　is　the　warfare　of　the　Christian　King　of　Great　Britain。　Determined　to　keep　open　a　market　where　men　should　be　bought　and　sold；　he　has　prostituted　his　negative　for　suppressing　every　legislative　attempt　to　prohibit　or　to　restrain　this　execrable　commerce。〃　Though　this　clause　was　omitted　from　the　document　as　finally　adopted；　the　evidence　is　abundant　that　the　language　expressed　the　prevailing　sentiment　of　the　country。　To　the　believer　in　liberty　and　equality；　slavery　and　the　slave…trade　are　instances　of　war　against　human　nature。　No　one　attempted　to　justify　slavery　or　to　reconcile　it　with　the　principles　of　free　government。　Slavery　was　accepted　as　an　inheritance　for　which　other