DRAGON-LIKE ACTION

“Slaves shall be deemed sold, taken, reputed, and adjudged in law, to be CHATTELS PERSONAL, in the hands of their owners and possessors, and their executors, administrators and assigns, to all intents and purposes whatever.” Law of South Carolina, 2 Brev. Dig. 229.FT 61.2

56b

Judge Mclean of the Supreme Court of the United States, says:FT 61.3

“While the State statutes treat the slaves as chattels, the Constitution can only treat and act on them as persons”FT 61.4

“All negroes, Indians, (free Indians in amity with this government, and negroes, mulattoes and mestizoes, who are now free, excepted,) mulattoes or mestizoes, who now are or shall hereafter be in this province, and all their issue and offspring born or to be born, shall be, and they are hereby declared to be and remain for ever hereafter, absolute slaves, and shall follow the condition of the mother.”—Act of 1740, 2 Brevard’s Digest, ??FT 61.5

“With the consent of their masters, slaves may marry, and their moral power to agree to such a contract or connection as that of marriage, cannot be doubted; but whilst in a state of slavery, it cannot produce any civil effect, because slaves are deprived of all civil rights”—Judge Matthews of Louisiana; Martin’s Rep. VI, 550.FT 61.6

The following will illustrate the action of both Republicans and Protestants:FT 61.7

“A Slave burned to Death.FT 61.8

57b

—A mob was collected together, and a lynch court was held to determine what was best to be done with a negro who had the impudence to raise his hand against a white man. The lynch court decided that he should be burned at the stake.FT 61.9

“Nearly four thousand slaves were collected from the plantations in the neighborhood to witness this scene. Numerous speeches were made by the magistrates, and ministers of religion, to the large concourse of slaves, warning them, and telling them that the same fate awaited them if they should prove rebellious to their owners.” N. Y. Tribune, of February, 1854.FT 61.10

A Boston paper speaking of the return of BURNS into slavery, says:FT 61.11

“We have seen our Court House in chains, two battalions of dragoons, eight companies of artillery, twelve companies of infantry, the whole constabulary force of the city police, the entire disposable marine of the United States, with its artillery loaded for action, all marching in support of a Praetorian band, consisting of one hundred and twenty friends and associates of theFT 61.12

58b

United States Marshal, with loaded pistols and drawn swords, and in military costume and array—for what purpose? To escort and conduct a poor trembling slave from a Boston Court House to the fetters and lash of his master! This display of military force the Mayor of the city officially declared to be necessary on the occasion. Nay, more, at a public festival he openly took to himself the glory of this display, declaring that by it life and liberty had been saved, and the honor of Boston vindicated.”FT 61.13

Mr. Robert Mclean, Presbyterian minister of Mississippi, says:FT 61.14

“We have men in our church who buy slaves and work them, because they can make more money by it than in any other way.—And the more we have of such men the better. All who can, own slaves; and those who cannot, want to.”FT 61.15

Law of the state of New York.—“There shall be no shooting, hunting, fishing, sporting, playing, horse racing, gaming, frequenting of tippling-houses, or any other unlawful exercises or pastimes, on the first day of the week, called Sunday; nor shall any person travel on that 59b day, unless in cases of charity or necessity, or in going to or returning from some church or place of worship; nor shall there be any servile laboring or working on that day, excepting works of necessity and charity.”FT 61.16

Most, if not all the States in the Union have laws essentially agreeing with the above.FT 61.17

“The legislature of Texas, has passed a bill to establish the ‘christian Sabbath,’ which provides for the punishment, by fine, or imprisonment of such persons as may perform any labor or procure any to be done on Sunday.”—Watchman and Reflector.FT 61.18

The following “Notice” was published in the Northern Republic, of Wisconsin:FT 61.19

“NOTICE.—Whereas by the 21st section of chapter 139, of the revised statutes of the State of Wisconsin, it is enacted among other things, that ‘No person shall open his shop, warehouse or work-house on the Lord’s day, commonly called Sunday,’ and whereas Justices of the peace have jurisdiction of offences mentioned in said section, now, therefore, we the undersigned,FT 61.20

60b

Justice of the peace, in and for the town of Fort Winnebago, Columbia Co., give notice that we shall take judicial notice of all offences against the provisions of said section 21, as specified above, without respect to persons, from and after the date of the publication of this notice. H. R. PEttibone. A. Dunn. L. Vanslyk. W. E. Waite. Fort Winnebago, July 21, 1852.FT 61.21

A late writer acquainted with the circumstances, says:FT 61.22

“Eight seventh-day Baptists, at one time, in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, were fined each four dollars, and if they refused to pay the same, were subject to imprisonment. The great crime alleged to them, was working on Sunday—obeying their own consciences. How shall we explain the acts of Pennsylvania, and other States of this Union, unless it be a fulfillment of the text, ‘and he spake as a dragon.’”FT 61.23

Dred Scott case.—The Independent of the 11th publishes the following letter from the well known English preacher and author,FT 61.24

61b

John Angel James, dated Binghampton, May 9, 1857, to his friend, W. Patton, D. D., of New York City:FT 61.25

“The decision of your Supreme Court fills us with astonishment, horror, and indignation. It is, indeed, the most terrible outrage upon humanity that has been perpetrated for ages, and will do more to lower the moral character of your country than even the present system of slavery. All Europe and the whole civilized world will blush for you. It is the first time that I know of, when a whole race was put without the pale of social life on account of the color of their skin. Will your country submit to it? Can it be perceived that the descendants of the Pilgrim Fathers will bow to so horrible a rebellion against the precepts of Christianity and the dictates of reason?FT 61.26

Are you republicans?—away!FT 61.27

’Tis blasphemy the word to say.
You talk of freedom? Out for shame!
Your lips contaminate the name.
How dare you prate of public good,
Your hands besmear’d with human blood?
How dare you lift those hand to heaven,
And ask, or hope to be forgiven?
How dare you breathe the wounded air,
That wafts to heaven the negroe’s prayer?FT 61.28

How dare you tread the conscious earth,FT 62.1

That gave mankind an equal birth?
And while you thus inflict the rod,
How dare you say there is a God
That will, in justice, from the skies,
Hear and avenge his creatures’ cries?
“Slaves to be sold!” hark, what a sound!
Ye give America a wound,
A sear, a stigma of disgrace,
Which you nor time can e’er efface.—[Ray.FT 62.2