Page:The Barbarism of Slavery - Sumner - 1863.pdf/39

 ;

33 II.

From

illustrated

the consideration of Slavery in

by the

its

practical results,

contrast between the Free States

and Slave and proceed to exhibit Slavery in its influence on the Character of Slave-masters. Nothing could I undertake more painful, and yet there is nothing which is more essential to the discussion, especially in response to the pretensions of Senators on this floor, nor is there any point on which the evidence is more States, I pass

now

to another stage of the argument,

complete. It is in the Character of Slavery itself that we are to find the Character of Slave-masters; but I need not go back to the golden lips of Chrysostom, to learn that " Slavery is the fruit

of covetousness, of extravagance, of insatiable greediness " for we have already seen that this five-fold enormity is inspired

by

the single idea of compelling

spirit

must naturally appear

men

to

work without wages.

But the

in the Slave-master.

This elo-

quent Christian Saint did not disclose the whole truth. Slavery is founded on violence, as we have already too clearly seen of course it can be sustained only by kindred violence, sometimes against the defenseless slave, sometimes against the freeman whose indignation is aroused at the outrage. It is founded on brutal and vulgar pretensions, as we have already too clearly seen; of course it can be sustained only by kindred brutality

and vulgarity.

The

denial of all rights in the slave

can be sustained only by a disregard of other rights, common to the whole community, whether of the person, of the press, or of speech. Where this exists there can be but one supreme law, to which all other laws, legislative or social, are subordinate,

and

this is the

pretended law of Slavery.

All these

things must be manifest in Slave-masters, and yet, unconscious

of their true condition, they

unhappy

make

boasts

which reveal

still

fur-

Barbarous standards of conduct are unblushingly avowed. The swagger of a bully is called chivalry a swiftness to quarrel is called courage the bludgeon is adopted as the substitute for argument and assassination is lifted to be one of the Fine Arts. Long ago it was fixed certain that the day which made man a slave " took half his worth away " words from the ancient harp of Homer, resounding through long generations. Nothing here is said of the human ther the

influence.







—

being at the other end of the chain. 3

To

aver that, on this