E 449 .H847 Copy 1 ii SLAYEHOLDim NOT SINFUL : " A EEPLY /i^, W TO THE ARGUMENT OF REY. DR. HOW. BY JOHN VAN DYKE, ESQ. NEW-BRUNSWICK, N. J. : J>RJSTEO AT THE PREDONIAN AND JDAILY NEW-BRUNSWICKER OFFICE. 1856. E'-ff u ^f/ TO THE KEY. SAMUEL B. HOW, D. D., NEW-BRUNSWJCK, NEW-JERSE^: Dear Sir, — I have just examined the speech published in pamphlet form, entitled "Slaveholding not Sinful," delivered by you before the Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church in New- York, in October 1855 on the subject of admitting a Classis from North Carolina into that body. Had you been content with the expression of your views before the Synod on the particular subject then pending, I should simply have supposed that an excited zeal for the extension of the borders of the particular church to which you belong, had involuntarily led you into indiscreet and erroneous positions, which, upon calm reflection you would have hastened to retract, or at least to have let the subject slept in silence without further "agitation," and which would have rendered it unnecessary to do any thing more than to admire it as au elaborate and somewhat ingenious argument in favor of a bad cause. But, when after months of reflection, and amid much excitement on the subject in the country, we find j^ou making that argument the basis of a laboriously prepared volume, with additions and improvements, apologizing for supporting, sustaining, and giving aid and comfort, in all its length and breadth, to the shocking and loathsome system of human slavery as it exists in the United States ; and when I see the book, thus filled with heresies, evasions and misapplications, with copyright secured, scattered far and wide over the land, by and among the friends of bondao-e and the foes of freedom, and sent forth as the orthodox sentiment of this community on the subject of which it treats, I feel that something should be done to counteract, if possible, the mischief so likely to fol- low such a publication. Whatever you may have intended, you have in fact given your honored name and the best of your talents to the support and mainte- nance and perpetual duration of what you yourself admit to be " an evil much to lamented," — and which I do not hesitate to pronounce the- blackest, foulest and most disgraceful stain which rests on the country of which we are so justly proud, and which we all love so well. I am quite aware, that in terms, you say but little in favor of Amer-* lean Slavery as such. Your eulogies of the divine institution were confined mostly to the regions of Palestine ; but no one can kn.ow bet- ter than you that it was not the slavery of Abraham and his descendant*, of which the Synod were afraid, and which its members were prepjired. to pronounce sinful. You must have knpwn^Jiat thq Synad were uofc. \yar.« 4 " SLAVEHOLDING KOT SINFUL:" ring with the ghost of the miserable system of bondage practised among the Jews thousands of years ago, and wliich perished with their nation centuries gone by, under the terrific visitations of the Almighty, pro- voked by their numerous sins. You must have known, also, that it was the slavery of this country, over the disgusting exhibitions of which the stars and stripes of freedom float in mockery — tlie slavery that exists in North Carolina, and within the limits of the Classis seek- ing admission into the Dutch church — which that body shrunk from participating in. This, and this only, was the slavery which you de- fended so valiantly, for this was the only slavery in question — none other needed defence. It is true, that in making your onset upon the friends of freedom, you found it much easier to raise a false issue, than to defend the true one. The only question was in regard to American Slavery, but to defend this, I presume, seemed too Herculean an under- taking to attempt directly^ and so you carefully threw over it the flimsy mantles of Abraham and Paul, and coolly transferred the scene of the conflict from the cotton fields and rice swamps, the slave pens, the auction blocks and whipping posts of the South, where it properly be- longed, to the land of the olive and the vine, Avhere the great ruler of tlie Universe, for reasons of his own, granted privileges to, and tolera- ted practices among, his peculiar and chosen people ; not sanctioned anywhere else, before or since; and although it is extremely difficult to find any analogy between the tAvo systems, except in a very doubtful use of the same term to designate them both, yet so adroitly have you presented your case, that if it had not been for certain modern express- ions wdiich you made use of, found only in the present pro-slavery vocabulary, we might, in fact, have been led into the impression that it was after all only the cmcient slavery that you was justifying. But the term " Abolitionists,''^ to mention no other, as applied to your adversa- ries, is unmistakeable on the subject, and leaves no doubt as to your true position. This expression, with all the aid of " Cruden's Concor- dance," I could not find in the Scriptures. It is decidedly modern. It is the same that is used in derision and reproach by every rampant pro-slavery man in the South, and by every doughftice of the North, to characterize all men, either North or South, who do not move quietly and submissively to the crack of the slavedrivers' whip, who find no soothing music in the clank of hand-cufts and chains with which men's limbs are fettered, and who cannot raise a heartfelt hosanna to the fugitive slave law, nor praise it as the " perfection of human wisdom " and the ne plus ultra of humanity and benevolence. I should be glad to believe that you had not condescended to use the term in this oflensive sense, particularly in the presence in which yoti ?;poke, but the manner and connection in which you used it, leave but little chance for escape from the unfortunate and jnortifying conclusion. And besides this, there is no party nor class of men who call them- selves by this name. It is a designation given by others, and is used to caricature and reproach them in the absence of better arguments. It was American slavery, then, and not Je\nsh slaverj^, tliat you wag laboring to introduce into the Dutch church — which you not only A REPLY TO REV. DR. HOW. § assert to be " without sin," but if your argument is sound, you prove to be without a stain. You unhesitatingly assert, not only that it is not sinful, not contrary to the Declaration of Independence, not con- trary to the Constitution of the United States, not a crime against man, but is in every respect " without spot or wrinkle or any such thing." I have not forgotten that you make the general remark that slavery is a great evil, but in its particulars you find nothing to condemn. Now, my dear sir, what is this system of American slavery which receives such extravagant laudations at your hands? It is quite useless to tell us that the relation of master and slave may exist Avithout sin, and without wrong. I do not doubt it. There are probably cases of the kind in New-Jersey, Avhere old and worn out slaves are cast by the law of the land upon their master or his estate, for maintenance and support. Here the owner could not sever the relationship if he would, and if in that condition he cares for them properly, such relationship cannot be considered sinful, but such cases prove nothing, except that n slaveholder may be humane, and that the laws of the land may im- pose some obligations on him which he would be very glad to be free from. But wo must look at slavery in this country as it is, not as it might be made — at its origin, its practices, its incidents, its consequences and traffic — the laws by which it is sanctioned — not merely what slave- liolders may do contrary to law, but Avhat they may do according to law, in all the States of the Union where it is tolerated. Let us look at a few of these features and see if it is the pure and immaculate thing- which you have described it to be, and which in your opinion should be taken, without further challenge, into the fraternal and affectionate embrace of the church of the world's Redeemer. Do not, I entreat you, be too anxious to get away to the "green shores of Jordan " for a rest- ing-place and for ground on which to stand and fight the battle which you have voluntarily commenced — we shall probably get there soon enough for your argument — but patiently accompany me along the dreary shores and burning sands of unfortunate and down-trodden Africa. Thence between decks to this land of the free, but home of the slave \ go with me to the slave-markets, and auction-blocks, and whippiufj- posts, and harems, and " slave-hells," established according to law. If you do not care to look upon the woolly-headed, and flat-nosed descend- ants of the " ebony kings," you may turn your attention to that more imposing Anglo-Saxon- African, with but a sixteenth of negro blood in his veins, with brow as broad, and heart as free, and skin as white, per- haps, as either of us ; but he, too, is bound in helpless, hopeless, and eternal bondage — bound to labor and toil and sweat and waste his wearv life out in ministering to the pleasures or profits of others — bound to be tortured and lashed and starved and sold and torn from home and friends and wife and children, at the will and caprice of the wretch whom the law makes his master. And if he attempt to gain the lib-, erty to which by nature all men are entitled, not only his master with his minions and bloodhounds are upon his track, but the judiciary of the nation and the police force of tlie nation and the armv of the nation SLAVEHOLDING NOT SINFUL:" and the navy of the nation, and you and I sir, if commanded by the Marshal, at the peril of fine and imprisonment, concentrate our mighty eners^ies upon this miserable fugitive, until he is " caught and caged," and carried back to his inhuman tormentor, to be newly striped and scourged and chained and starved, until with crushed spirit and lacer-^ ated body, in the agony of despair he yields to his fate, without a friend who dares to sympathize with him, or a single ray of hope to cheer or relieve his desolate and miserable existence. This you maintain is neither sinful nor Avrong, only " an evil greatly to be lamented," But^ let us be a little more specific on this subject of American-Negro slavery. First, then, it has its very origin in man-stealincf. This may not be a sin at the present day, and it may not be contained in the eighth com- mandment, but I recollect that in the time of Moses and since, it was decidedly denounced and severely punished. Kow^, I presume, you wall not contend that the negroes were originally the natives of this coun- try, nor will it be pretended that they come here voluntarily. How, then, came they here in this enslaved condition ? The answer every one knows. Our ancestors both of Europe and America went to Africa and stole them, brought them hither in chains and enslaved them. Or if they did not steal them themselves, for a trifle they bought them of those who did, knowing them to have been stolen. The receiver is as bad as the thief. We of this country received the stolen goods, know- ing them to have been stolen. Whether, therefore, we stole them ourselves or obtained them of those Avho did, no matter how many degrees removed, our title is simply one of larceny. Deeply mortify- ing as this reflection is, and struggle though we may to evade and avoid the overwhelming fact, yet every eflbrt and every struggle brings us back to the certain and undeniable conclusion, that the title of every slaveholder in the land to his human chattels is a title whose founda- tion rests in the blackest crime, and has been developed and carried out with a fiendish cruelty and outrage, with which the world has long- been shocked — whilst the only right by which l^at title has been and still is maintained and enforced, is simply the right Avhich power gives to the strong to oppress, crush and enslave the weak. Only this and nothing more. I know quite well, that the laws of ^he States can, and have rendered titles thus acquired perfectly secure, but a title conceived in sin and brought forth in the foulest iniquity, can never by long con- tinuance nor by human laws be made rir/ht. It may be said, however, that this traflfic in human flesh has been long since prohibited. It is so when applied to the traflic between this country and Africa. It is now made piracy and punishable with death, but it is the basis of all our slave titles nevertheless ; and yet the slave traflic is a necessary incident to slavery. The latter cannot exist with- out the former, and at this very day and hour, the traffic in human beings, which, when carried on between this country and Africa, is punished with death, is allowed to be carried on between the States of the Union, between Baltimore and Charleston, between Louisville, St. Louis and New Orleans -with perfect impunity, accompanied by as many i. REPLY TO REV. DR. HOW. 1 frightful horrors as ever marked the African slave trade, and there is not a member of the Classis of North Carolina, who dares in his own pulpit to raise his voice against it. Is all this sinless ? Again, Is it sinful or is it not, to separate forever a husband and wife? You know it is perfectly laioful to do so in the slave States ; and you know, also, that it is the daily practice, whenever it is the will of the master to do so, but is it sinless and right in the sight of either God or man ? You, doubtless, when discharging the duties of a christian min- ister in the " Sunny South," joined many a male and female slave in what you then and there declared the holy bonds of matrimony. You invoked the divine blessing upon the union, and announced in the language of Omnipotence himself, "What therefore God has joined together let no man put asunder." I ask again, is it lawful in the sight of heaven, without cause, to sever unions thus created? Either such separations are highly criminal, or the Almighty takes no notice of the marriage of negroes, or else the above announcement of his is mean- ingless jargon — one or the other of these conclusions we cannot escape. Again, Are adultery and fornication among slaves sinful, or are they not? We know they are perfectly lawful in that system, and for pur- poses of gain are encouraged by it. We know, also, that they are of constant occurrence, and no one presumes to call them in question. But, further, Avhile you hold I believe to the good old doctrine of election, you also hold, I think, to the necessity of man's working out, in some measure, his own salvation with fear and trembling. To ena- ble us to do this, we are commanded to search the Scriptures, for they are they which testify of the means of salvation. Is it right then, or is it not — is it a sin, or is it otherwise, for a master wholly to deprive his slaves of the channels through which salvation is to be sought, by obstinately depriving them of the means and capacity of searching the Scriptures ? The laws of slavery not only justify this, but in all, or nearly so, of the slave States, they absolutely require it. There is probably not a slave State in the Union, wher« it is not made a crime to teach a slave to read. This you prove by a quotation in your own book, from a Southern publication. Let me ask again, briefly, for I can do little more than refer to the numerous points. Is it right or is it wrong, for masters or any other white man, to hold the power of life and d^ath over slaves ? This is not wholly the case, but iu certain v^ry usual circumstances it is exactly true. A master or other white man may take tlie life of one or a dozen slaves o-r do them other injury, in the presence of a hundred other slaves, and no law can reach him, provided he was cautious enough not to commit the act in the presence of a white or free person — for no slave can be a witness in any case where a white man is a party. They are not only defenceless, but wholly without remedy at law. Now, the points to whi'ch I have referred, ,are not merely isolated instances which occur but seldom, but they are of daily occurrence— they are part and parcel of the system. They are found wherever slavery is found, and are inseparable froi^ it. The saipe laws that sustam 8 " SLAVEHOLDING NOT SINFUL*." slavery sustain the crimes to which I have referred. They are not committed against law, but are done in accordance with it. I will refer to but one other of the sins of slavery, and I do so because you have yourself introduced it. I mean the violation of the Saviour's Golden Rule — a palpable, Avilful and unnecessary violation of which is a sin. This rule, by the aid of a most extraordinary interpreta- tion, you cite in support of slavery. I certainly could not have believed that you had done so, if I had not read it in your published remarks. I did not suppose there could be two opinions as to its proper meaning. Though not a theologian by profession, I will venture to give my under- standing of it. It clearly means to inculcate justice and fairness among men, and suggests the adoption of a rule which they would be willing should operate both ways. It applies of course to all lawful and proper desires and transactions, and not to unlawful and improper ones. It simply, but expressly requires that man in his dealings with his fellow man, should not knowingly exact any thing from him that he would bo unwilling to yield, if the same were demanded of him under similar circumstances. That we should do no injury to, nor impose any bur- thens on, our brother man which we would be unwilling to receive from him ; on the other hand, whatever Ave might lawfully and properly ex- pect and desire from others, in circumstances of distress or otherwise, we should be willing to extend to them. If we are hungry, naked, sick, or heavily and unjustly oppressed, we would have a right to desire and expect relief from our neighbors, and should therefore be willing to extend the same favors to them if thus afflicted. The murderer or other criminal on trial has no right to ask or expect or desire the juror to acquit him if guilty ; therefore the juror is not called upon by the rule to do so, on the ground that if he were the culprit, he " would '^ that the juror should acquit him, guilty though he was known and proved to be ; consequently your list of instances of criminal applica- tions for relief can have no proper application to the case. If they were meant to be embraced they must have been strangely overlooked in the announcement of the rule. This injunction contains the very essence and soul of Christianity, and Christ himself adds in regard to it, " For this is the law and the prophets." How, then, does slaveholding as practiced here, violate this rule ? We will take a common case, not extravagant either way, nor imusual. A man, no matter whether he professes to be Christian, Infidel, Mor- mon or Turk, desires the services of another to cultivate his fields, to drive his horses, to " fan him when he sleeps," or for some other lawful purpose : instead of contracting with some one to perform the services and to pay him a reasonable compensation therefor, he betakes himself to the slave-ship, or the slave-market, or the auction-room, or some- wiiere else, where slaves are to be sold. He there finds a man in fetters, who has never harmed a human being in his life, and is guilty of no crime whatever, except that of being a negro, or partially so. He says nothing to the unfortunate victim, but of the man who claims to own him. he buvs him. He carries him to his home and thus ad- A REPLY TO REV. DR. HOW. 9 dresses him, " Xow Onesimus, I liave bought you. I am your master (and you are my slave, my will is your supreme law. From morning V until niglit you are to work for me, as long as you live. My orders are in all cases to be promptly obeyed. You are not to absent your- self from my service for an hour without my permission. If you diso- bey me or refuse to perform what I require of you, or in any other way seriously offend me, I shall flog you into submission, or if I cannot do it myself, the public authorities will help me. If you attempt to run away I will hunt you with bloodhounds, and the whole nation will assist me in retaking you." All these things the master has a perfect right to do and proceeds to carry them out, and actually does so without b