The Liberator

CHRISTIAN SLAVEHOLDERS!

Suffer me a word on the objection brought against abolitionists, that there are many kind-hearted christian slaveholders, and to denounce such with the cruel and avaricious is wrong in itself, and prejudicial to our cause.' Answer. 1. If this be true. (which we deny as to 'many,') why are not these slaveholders so 'kind-hearted and christian' as to be seen making some effort, at least, to obey that 'kind-hearted' injunction of the Lord of Christians, 'whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even the same to them?' And why are they found justifying and applauding even the breach of that injunction? 2. If 'there are many such slaveholders,' they deserve the heaviest denunciation and rebuke from us: not only because christians should be dealt with fully on this subject before their impenitent co-adjutors—and such slaveholders, being so 'christian,' can better endure and the better profit by our admonitions. But, 3. They ought to be rebuked thus severely, and shown up before a frowning and indignant world, because they do most to hinder the consummation of that errand of Christ to earth, 'to preach deliverance to the captives and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound.' Not the profane, the murderous-hearted, violent whipper and mangler of human flesh at the south, those who win a reputation for cruelty and ferocity, give respectability and consequent permanence to the master sin of the world. It is your kind-hearted, your christian, your mild and tender-souled slaveholders that give an honorable and justifiable character to this God-and-man robbery. These are the men who screen slavery from the exposures and indignation due to it from all good men. Were there only the furious and cannibal engaged in the business, the world would soon abhor and thunder it down. So in regard to intemperance. Who was ever allured into this vice by the revolting habits of the drunkard? And had none but drunkards ever used the death-agent, when would the habitual drinking of intoxicating liquors have become a respectable business; and the mass of intemperance been entailed on generation after generation? No: it was your 'christian' men, your honorable, good men, who sustained the monster. And it is precisely the same with slavery. And hence we refrain not to rebuke the kind-hearted, the christian slave-holder.

AN ABOLITIONIST.