Chapter 7

There is another point of view, in which slavery must be viewed by every patriot, as a national curse. I allude to the agitation and sectional hatred, which it engenders. This is a grievous misfortune. It is folly to attempt to conceal the fact, that it has originated sectional jealousy and prejudice, which endangers the perpetuity of the Union. This is a serious view of the subject, and it demands the sober consideration of every friend of this glorious Union. _The Union must be preserved_; should be the motto of every one who has a spark of patriotism in his breast. All those questions of national policy, which have separated the great political parties in this country, when compared with this great question, sink into utter insignificance. Whatever endangers the perpetuity of this Union, demands the attention of every friend of his country; every man who is worthy the name of an American citizen. It calls loudly for prompt and effectual action, to avert the calamitous catastrophe. _God save the Union_, should be the prayer of every Christian. This petition, should begin and end their devotional exercises. _God save the Union_, should be the first lesson taught to the child in the cradle; and from infancy to old age, the reverential aspirations of our hearts should ascend to him who holds the destinies of nations in his hands; to save and bless our common country.

From morn till eve, our hearts should breathe, Father of mercies, God of love preserve-- Oh! preserve, our blood bought liberties; Preserve them unalloyed, unimpaired While time shall last.

If we all could be animated by this spirit, then would peace, prosperity and good will, abound more and more, throughout the length and breadth of our land. Bound together by cords of love; as a band of brothers; we should know "no North, no South;" the prime object of all would then be, the prosperity and preservation of our common country. We are the conservators of liberty. We hold it as a trust, and the oppressed of all nations expect here to find a refuge from tyranny; and here they may find it, so long as we preserve our Federal Union unimpaired.

But unfortunately for us, ambitious demagogues have seized upon the subject of slavery, and are convulsing the country from one end to the other. Slavery is the demagogue's hobby, and he mounts it, raises his hat, kicks and spurs, as if the salvation of the universe was suspended on his elevation, to some petty, insignificant office. Slavery is to us, as a great subterraneous fire, which is ever ready to burst upon us with volcanic violence, deluging our country with boiling lava, red hot stones, smoke and flames; carrying devastation, death and destruction in its train. But the subject will be agitated, more or less, and unless the people of this country become better informed on this subject, and peaceably adopt some practicable means for its final extirpation; sooner or later the Union will be endangered thereby. The North should cease to vex the South, and the South should cease to vex the North, and patriotic men North and South, should devise some means, by which the end might be accomplished at some future day. The question now presents itself to every friend of humanity--to every philanthropist; is there no remedy for these evils, or must we groan under their pestilential influence forever?

I know that the subject of slavery is a perplexing question, and that its abolition will be attended with dangers and difficulties, take what course we may; but shall we for that reason, fold our arms, sit still and do nothing? Or else flee from its hydra-headed ghost in dismay? No, my friends and fellow citizens; to those who put their trust in God, and have the wisdom to plan, and the will to work, all things are possible. It is, however, folly for us to flatter ourselves, that slavery can be extirpated in the United States in a short time. It will require time and patience to attain an object, so desirable. Hasty and inconsiderate action will be likely to prove abortive, and result in no good to either master or slave; if not in irretrievable ruin to both. We should avoid everything in word or deed, which has a tendency to irritate the South and arouse them to resistance. Abolitionists by their low abuse and vile misrepresentations, have done everything in their power to excite and irritate them; hence, there is an impassable gulf between them and Southern men. We should beware lest we fall into the same error. The course of the North towards the South, should be kind and conciliatory. We should consult her interests, and appeal to her patriotism, and thus may the North and South as a band of brothers, heartily co-operate in the great and glorious work, of restoring liberty to the enslaved Africans, and of enlightening their minds and thereby qualifying them for the enjoyment of freedom. What patriot, what philanthropist, does not respond a hearty Amen? Not one. Show me the man who says no, and you show me a man in whose bosom a patriotic, or philanthropic sentiment never found a resting place--a man who is an entire stranger to every sentiment of humanity--to every tender and sympathetic emotion of the soul--to all the kindlier and better feelings of our nature.

I have in the preceding pages endeavored to show, that the visionary schemes of abolitionists can never accomplish anything for the slave; but that they are on the contrary, potent for evil, and powerless for good. It is therefore incumbent on me to reply to the interrogatory, what can be done? By what means can slavery be abolished in the United States? Is it practicable? Yes; it can be done; and the only means by which it can be accomplished, is by colonization. There is no other safe and practicable method, or way, by which slavery can be abolished in the United States. It is probable that an objector will point to the African colonization society, and ask, what has it accomplished towards the abolition of slavery? But little, I admit. The reason is obvious. It grows out of the immense distance of Africa from the United States and the vast difficulties, and expenditures, consequent upon the transportation of free blacks from the United States, to the colony in Africa, and also the unwillingness of a majority of the free blacks to leave this country, or at least, to be transported to Africa.

Those philanthropists, who originated the African colonization society, had another object in view. Their prime object was, the regeneration of Africa; and in this they will probably succeed. We must colonize the free blacks nearer home. We must have territory set apart for that purpose, somewhere on this continent; if we expect to accomplish anything toward the abolition of slavery by colonization. Slaveholders must get their eyes open. They must have light on the subject. They must become satisfied that it is not only their duty, but their interest, to prepare and qualify the rising generation of slaves for the enjoyment of freedom. Slaves must be educated and enlightened before they are liberated.

We of the North must approach our Southern brethren in a spirit of kindness, conciliation and concession; and talk to them as brothers, and not denounce and stigmatize them as murderers, rogues, rascals, slave-catchers and kidnappers. We have mistaken Southern men and Southern character.

We may lead Southern men, but we cannot drive them. We must treat them as gentlemen; we must approach them as friends, holding the olive branch of peace in our hands, and treat them with that civility, kindness and condescension, to which they are accustomed, and to which they think themselves entitled. Don't talk to Southern men about liberating slaves, until some provision is made for manumitted slaves--an asylum provided where they can quietly repose in peace, and enjoy the blessings of freedom. Don't urge them to liberate their slaves, when both the condition of the master and the slave is made worse thereby. 'Tis folly--'tis sheer nonsense; and well informed men ought to be ashamed thus to conduct themselves. If you know anything, you ought to know better; and if you know nothing, you ought to say nothing, until you are better informed. Congress should be memorialized in every town, city, and village in the United States, to set apart territory for the colonization of free blacks. It should be done speedily. It matters not what it might cost this government, it should be done. Talk not of dollars and cents. Mountains of gold are lighter than a feather, if thrown into the balance against a cause which disturbs the peace, and endangers the perpetuity of this Union. Territory should be secured and set apart, near the Southern border of the United States. I repeat that it should be done speedily. Humanity and justice demand it at our hands. What can the free blacks do? Where can they go? They will soon be legislated out of the free states, and their condition in the slave states, must necessarily be one of wretchedness and degradation. Reader, what say you to the above proposition? It is offered for your sober and prayerful consideration. Does it commend itself to your judgment? Is it safe? Is it practicable? Is it suitable, proper and right? Consult that inward monitor conscience. Ask him if all is right; if all is well within you? Ask him if something should not be done for the African.

Thousands of slaveholders at this time would cheerfully liberate their slaves, if they could be removed beyond the limits of the United States, and provision made for them, that would conduce to their peace, happiness, and well being. Knowing, as I do, the feelings and views of Southern men; I here confidently assert, that if our national legislature will colonize the free blacks somewhere on this continent, contiguous to the Southern border of the United States, and make suitable provision for them; in less than twenty years from this time, at least one fourth of the slaves, now in bondage in the United States, will be manumitted and colonized. Don't talk to us about colonizing the free blacks in Africa; it can't be done; it never will be done; the majority of them are unwilling to go to Africa. They prefer bondage in the United States, to transportation to Africa, During my residence in the States of Virginia and Tennessee, I had knowledge of several instances, in which masters proposed to liberate slaves, provided they were willing to be removed to the colony in Africa, and in most cases they refused, declaring that they preferred bondage in the United States to a removal to Africa. I interrogated at different times hundreds of slaves, old and young, male and female, as to whether they would consent to a removal to Africa; provided their masters would liberate them, and in at least, nine cases out of ten, they would promptly and emphatically answer, No; they would not go to Africa--they would rather continue slaves--they would rather die, &c.

Make provision then for liberated slaves, and cease, oh! cease, ye fanatics and fools, to agitate the country by your clamor; and then shall we behold the noble and generous sons and daughters of Kentucky and Tennessee, conferring the boon of freedom on the African race, within their borders. Missouri and Maryland will soon follow their example; nor will North Carolina and Virginia long lag behind; South Carolina will straggle long and hard, but she must ultimately yield; and the soft zephyr of freedom will then fan the fair fields of Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas; Louisiana will feel its refreshing influence; and the Lone Star, (Texas), cannot long stand alone, in her opposition, to the rights of man, and the impulsive calls of humanity. The shades of Washington and Clay will then hover over the states of Virginia and Kentucky, and around them will cluster, a convoy of angels, and the spirits of the fathers of American freedom; all watching with intense interest the great and godlike movement.