Our Northern friends.
We have often expressed the opinion that the Northern gentlemen, a minority as they are, who have uniformly upheld the rights of the States, are the most disinterested and noble champions of truth and justice to be found in all this land. It may seem strange to Southern men that there should be in the North men who are as sound on the subject of slavery as the most ardent Carolinian, yet, it is nevertheless a fact, and, though the waves of fanaticism have of late years increased around them, and they appear like a solitary rock in the midst of a tumultuous ocean, still they stand like a rock, beating back the angry billows and never yielding an inch to their furious assaults.The North was originally settled by different races, English, Dutch, Swedes, &c., the English being the predominant element — an element, however, which had more dissimilar and conflicting properties than any which distinguished it from other races. The Puritans formed the great body of the New England population, with some exceptions, even then. There was a Cavalier settlement even in New England, and here and there, scattered throughout the country, Cavalier families who never to this day have become assimilated either in religion or polities with their Puritan neighbors. In the Middle States, the better class of Englishmen were always more numerous than in New England, and, there as elsewhere, where the descendants of the Cavaliers are found, they are with few exceptions at swords points in polities, morals and religion with the descendants of the Roundheads. The Episcopal Church of the North which has been persecuted and abused by the Puritans from the first settlement of this country, has always been a stumbling block in their way, not only on the subject of slavery, but in regard to every species of fanaticism with which they sought to tyrannize over the minds of men.
We are not surprised, therefore, to see her ablest divines coming forward at this time to vindicate truth and justice, as they have always done from the beginning. These remarks are elicited by the announcement of a late work: ‘"American Slavery Distinguished from the Slavery of English Theorists and Justified by the Law of Nations. By Rev. Samuel Seabury, D. D., author of 'Discourses on the Supremacy and Obligations of Conscience,' &c."’
We have not seen the book, but from the emphatic comments of the New York press, and the high reputation of its author, we have no doubt it is one of the books of the day. Dr. Seabury comes of an illustrious line of clergymen — his grandfather the first Bishop of Connecticut, his father an exemplary parish priest, and himself the ablest polemic and one of the most exemplary and excellent men in the Episcopal Church. In these times of change and tergiversation and fanaticism, it is refreshing to the soul to look upon whole generations of men, such as we can point to at this moment in the Northern States, who have battled for the truth for centuries, whose descendants stand now upon the same principles in regard to all truths that their ancestors did, and who have never changed in anything except from good to better. A contemporary makes the following extract from Dr. Seabury's preface:
‘ "No bridge of compromise can be thrown over the chasm that separates truth, justice and honor from falsehood, injustice and shame. The relation of master and slave, and the claim of property involved in it, are either just and honorable, or unjust and base; and hence I see no other way to adjust the differences that exist in reference to this phase of the subject than to induce men to examine and decide on rational grounds the right or wrong of the question, before they attempt to heal the exacerbations that grow out of it.
"The decision to which i am brought on this point by an investigation, as careful as I am capable of making, is adverse to the general sentiment in the Northern States. I hope, however, this will be nobar to an impartial consideration of the reasons on which I shall endeavor to sustain it.--With candid and ingenious minds, I am sure it will not be. And if ever candor and ingenuousness were needful for any person, on any subject, they are needful for us at the North on this subject at the present time. Slavery at the South is an immovable fact, accepted at first from necessity, and cherished now (as its patrons tell us, and I readily believe them,) from conviction. With the views which at present prevail on this subject at the North, it is neither desirable nor possible that our Union should much longer continue; not desirable, for antagonistic opinions on a subject of morality, religion and daily life, must breed constant and rancorous irritation; not possible, for no government, however well-intentioned or however strong, can give permanent effect to laws designed for the protection of slavery, among a free and intelligent people who believe slavery to be morally unjust and socially degrading. The love of country, therefore, the love of peace, the love of liberty for ourselves, our posterity, and for all nations, no less than the love of truth, should persuade us to lay aside the bias of party, our prepossessions in favor of great names, and all our prejudices, that we may calmly and candidly review a subject which, in the present crisis of affairs, involves more momentous interests than any other of a worldly nature that can occupy our attention."
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