CHAPTER XLII. THE RESULT.

oughallthehistoryandliteratureoftheoldbotherersofallages,andhecomesdownonthefatherslikeforty.There'sChrysostomandTertullian,andalltherestofthoseoldcocks,andtheoldGreekphilosophers,besides,—PlatoandAristotle,andalltherestofthem.Ifafellowwantslearning,therehe'llgetit.Ideclare,I'drathercutmywaythroughtheDismalSwampindog-days!ButIwasdeterminedtobethoroughsoIoffcoat,andwentatit.And,there'snomistakeaboutit,Cushing,youmustgetthebook.You'llfeelsomuchbetter,ifyou'llsettleyourmindonthatpoint.Ineverallowmyselftogotrailingalongwithanythinghangingbythegills.Iamanout-and-outer.Walkuptothecaptain'sofficeandsettle!That'swhatIsay." "Weshallallhavetodothat,oneofthesedays,"saidfatherDickson,"andmaybeweshallfinditonethingtosettlewiththeclerk,andanothertosettlewiththecaptain!" "Well,brotherDickson,youneedn'tlookatmewithanyofyoursolemnfaces!I'msettled,now." "Formypart,"saidDr.Packthread,"Ithink,insteadofcondemningslaveryintheabstract,weoughttodirectourattentiontoitsabuses." "Andwhatdoyouconsideritsabuses?"saidClayton. "Why,theseparationoffamilies,forinstance,"saidDr.Packthread,"andtheforbiddingofeducation." "Youthink,then,"saidClayton,"thattheslaveoughttohavealegalrighttohisfamily?" "Yes." "Ofcourse,heoughttohavethelegalmeansofmaintainingit?" "Yes." "Then,ofcourse,heoughttobeabletoentersuitwhenthisrightisviolated,andtobeartestimonyinacourtofjustice?" "Yes." "Anddoyouthinkthatthemasteroughttogivehimwhatisjustandequal,inthewayofwages?" "Certainly,inoneshapeoranother,"saidDr.Packthread. "Andoughttheslavetohavethemeansofenforcingthisright?" "Certainly." "Thentheslaveoughttobeabletoholdproperty?" "Yes." "Andheshouldhavethelegalrighttosecureeducation,ifhedesiresit?" "Yes." "Well,"saidClayton,"whentheslavehasalegalexistenceandlegalrights,canholdpropertyanddefendit,acquireeducationandprotecthisfamilyrelations,heceasestobeaslaveforslaveryconsistsinthefactoflegalincapacityforanyofthesethings.Itconsistsinmakingamanadead,inertsubstanceinthehandsofanother,holdingmenpronullis,promortuis.Whatyoucallreformingabusesisabolishingslavery.ItisinthisverywaythatIwishtoseekitsabolition,andIdesiretheaidofthechurchandministryindoingit.Now,Dr.Packthread,whateffortshasthechurchasyetmadetoreformtheseabusesofslavery?" Therewasasilenceofsomeminutes.AtlastDr.Cushingreplied,— "Therehasbeenagooddealofeffortmadeinoralreligiousinstruction." "Oh,yes,"saidfatherBonnie,"ourpeoplehavebeenatitwithgreatzealinourpartofthecountry.Ihaveaclass,myself,thatIhavebeeninstructingintheAssembly'sCatechism,intheoralwayandthesynodshavetakenitup,andtheyarepreachingtheGospeltothem,andwritingcatechismsforthem." "But,"saidClayton,"woulditnotbebesttogivethemalegalabilitytoobeytheGospel?Isthereanyuseinteachingthesanctityofmarriage,unlessyouobtainforhusbandsandwivesthelegalrighttolivefaithfultoeachother?Itseemstomeonlycrueltytoawakenconscienceonthatsubject,withoutgivingtheprotectionandassistanceoflaw." "Whathesaysisverytrue,"saidDr.Cushing,withemphasis."Weministersarecalledtofeelthenecessityofthatwithregardtoourslavechurch-members.Yousee,weareobligedtopreachunlimitedobediencetomastersandyet,—why,itwasonly