CHAPTER XLIII. THE SLAVE'S ARGUMENT.

Onhisreturnhome,Claytontookfromthepost-officealetter,whichwewillgivetoourreaders:— "Mr.Clayton:Iamnowanoutcast.Icannotshowmyfaceintheworld,Icannotgoabroadbydaylightfornocrime,asIcansee,exceptresistingoppression.Mr.Clayton,ifitwereproperforyourfatherstofightandshedbloodfortheoppressionthatcameuponthem,whyisn'titrightforus?Theyhadnothalftheprovocationthatwehave.Theirwivesandfamilieswerenevertouched.Theywerenotbought,andsold,andtraded,likecattleinthemarket,asweare.Infact,whenIwasreadingthathistory,Icouldhardlyunderstandwhatprovocationtheydidhave.Theyhadeverythingeasyandcomfortableaboutthem.Theywereabletosupporttheirfamilies,eveninluxury.Andyettheywerewillingtoplungeintowar,andshedblood.IhavestudiedtheDeclarationofIndependence.Thethingsmentionedtherewerebadanduncomfortable,tobesurebut,afterall,lookatthelawswhichareputoverus!Now,iftheyhadforbiddenthemtoteachtheirchildrentoread,—iftheyhaddividedthemalloutamongmasters,anddeclaredthemasincapableofholdingpropertyasthemulebeforetheplough,—therewouldhavebeensomesenseinthatrevolution. "Well,howwasitwithourpeopleinSouthCarolina?DenmarkVeseywasaman!HishistoryisjustwhatGeorgeWashington'swouldhavebeen,ifyouhadfailed.Whatsethimoninhiscourse?TheBibleandyourDeclarationofIndependence.WhatdoesyourDeclarationsay?'Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequalthattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertaininalienablerights:thatamongthesearelife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness.Thattosecuretheserightsgovernmentsareinstitutedamongmen.Thatwheneveranyformofgovernmentbecomesdestructiveofanyoftheseends,itistherightofthepeopletoalterortoabolishit.Now,whatdoyoumakeofthat?ThisisreadtouseveryFourthofJuly.ItwasreadtoDenmarkVeseyandPeterPoyas,andallthoseotherbrave,goodmen,whodaredtofollowyourexampleandyourprecepts.Well,theyfailed,andyourpeoplehungthem.Andtheysaidtheycouldn'tconceivewhatmotivecouldhaveinducedthemtomaketheeffort.Theyhadfoodenough,andclothesenough,andwerekeptverycomfortable.Well,hadnotyourpeopleclothesenough,andfoodenough?andwouldn'tyoustillhavehadenough,evenifyouhadremainedaprovinceofEnglandtothisday,—muchbetterliving,muchbetterclothes,andmuchbetterlaws,thanwehaveto-day?Iheardyourfather'sinterpretationofthelawIheardMr.Jekyl'sandyet,whenmenriseupagainstsuchlaws,youwonderwhatintheworldcouldhaveinducedthem!That'sperfectlyastonishing! "But,ofalltheinjuriesandinsultsthatareheapeduponus,thereisnothingtomesoperfectlymaddeningastheassumptionofyourreligiousmen,whomaintainanddefendthisenormousinjusticebytheBible.WehavealltherighttoriseagainstthemthattheyhadtoriseagainstEngland.TheytellustheBiblesays,'Servants,obeyyourmasters.'Well,theBiblesays,also,'ThepowersthatbeareordainedofGod,andwhosoresisteththepower,resisteththeordinanceofGod.'IfitwasrightforthemtoresisttheordinanceofGod,itisrightforus.IftheBibledoesjustifyslavery,whydon'ttheyteachtheslavetoreadit?Andwhat'sthereasonthattwoofthegreatestinsurrectionscamefrommenwhoreadscarcelyanythingelsebuttheBible?No,thefactis,theydon'tbelievethisthemselves.Iftheydid,theywouldtrytheexperimentfairlyofgivingtheBibletotheirslaves.IcanassureyoutheBiblelooksasdifferenttoaslavefromwhatitdoestoamaster,aseverythingelseintheworlddoes. "Now,Mr.Clayton,youunderstandthatwhenIsayyou,alonghere,Idonotmeanyoupersonally,butthegeneralityofthecommunityofwhichyouareone.Iwantyoutothinkthesethingsover,and,whatevermyfuturecoursemaybe,remembermyexcuseforitisthesameasthatonwhichyourgovernmentisbuilt. "Iamverygratefultoyouforallyourkindness.PerhapsthetimemaycomewhenIshallbeabletoshowmygratitude.Meanwhile,Imus