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winning lustre, not only for his own country, but for our age, M. Tourgueneff. Originally a Slave-master himself, with numerous slaves, and residing where Slavery prevailed, he saw, with the instincts of a noble character, the essential Barbarism of this relation, and in an elaborate work on Russia, which is now before me, he exposed it with rare ability and courage. Thus he speaks of its influence on Slave-masters

is is

" But if Slavery degrades the slave, it degrades more the master. This is an old adage, and long observations have proved to me that this adage is not a paradox. In fact, how can that man respect his own dignity, his own rights, who has learned not to respect either the rights or the dignity of his fellow-man ? What control can the moral and religious sentiments have over a man who sees himself invested with a power so eminently contrary to morals and religion ? The continual exercise of an unjust claim, even when it is moderated, finishes by corrupting the character The possession of a slave being of the man, and spoiling his judgment the result of injustice, the relations of the master with the slave can not be otherwise than a succession of injustices. Among good masters, (and it is agreed to call so those who do not abuse their power as much as they might,) these relations are clothed with forms less repugnant than among others but here the difference stops. could remain always pure, when, carried away by his disposition, excited by his temper, drawn by caprice, he can with impunity oppress, insult, humiliate his fellows ? And, let it be carefully remarked, that intelligence, civilization, do not avail. The enlightened man, the civilized man, is none the less a man that he should not oppress, it is necessary that it should be impossible for him to oppress. All men can not, like Louis XIV., throw their stick from the window, when they feel a desire to strike." LaRussle et Les Russes, Vol. II. pp. 15*7-58.

Who



Another

authority, unimpeachable at all points,

whose

for-

has been, from extensive travels, to see Slavery in the most various forms, and Slave-masters under the most various

tune

it

—I the great African —thus touches the character of Slave-masters

conditions stone

traveler, Dr. Living-

refer to



cease to be unfeignedly thankful that I was not born in a land of slaves. No one can understand the unutterable meanness of the slave-system on the minds of those who, but for the strange obliquity which prevents them from feeling the degradation of not being gentlemen enough to fay for services rendered, would be equal in virtue to ourselves. Fraud becomes as natural to them as paying one's way' is to the rest of mankind." Livingstone's Travels, Chap. II., p. 33.

"I can never

'

Thus does the experience of Slavery among us.

in other countries con-

firm the sad experience

Second Assumption. boasts for Slavery,

—Discarding now

and bearing in mind

its

all

the presumptuous

essential Barbarism,

on the which is, of course, inspired by the first, even if not its immediate consequence, that, under the Constitution, Slavemasters may take their slaves into the national Territories, and I

come

other

to consider that second assumption of Senators

side,

there continue to hold them, as at

home

in the Slave States