am Few and Abraham
Baldwin, of Georgia; and last, but not least, James Madison, of
Virginia." Yet from not one of these framers of the Constitution--from
not one of these illustrious guardians of freedom--was a syllable heard
in regard to the right of trial by jury in connection with the Fugitive
Slave Law then passed. The more pity it is, no doubt, the abolitionist
will think, that neither Mr. Chase, nor Mr. Sumner, nor Mr. Seward, was
there to enlighten them on the subject of trial by jury and to save the
country from the infamy of such an Act. Alas! for the poor, blind
fathers!

[227] This crime of kidnapping, says Mr. Chase, of Ohio, is "not
unfrequent" in his section of country; that is, about Cincinnati.

[228] Appendix to Congressional Globe, vol. xxii., part ii., p. 1587.

THE

BIBLE ARGUMENT:

OR,

SLAVERY IN THE LIGHT OF DIVINE REVELATION.

BY

THORNTON STRINGFELLOW, D. D.,

OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

THE BIBLE ARGUMENT:

OR,

SLAVERY IN THE LIGHT OF DIVINE REVELATION.

CIRCUMSTANCES exist among the inhabitants of these United States, which
make it proper that the Scriptures should be carefully examined by
Christians in reference to the institution of slavery, which exists in
several of the States, with the approbation of those who profess
unlimited subjection to God's revealed will.

It is branded by one portion of people, who take their rule of moral
rectitude from the Scriptures, as a great sin; nay, the greatest of sins
that exist in the nation. And they hold the obligation to exterminate
it, to be paramount to all others.

If slavery be thus sinful, it behooves all Christians who are involved
in the sin, to repent in dust and ashes, and wash their hands of it,
without consulting with flesh and blood. Sin in the sight of God is
something which God in his word makes known to be wrong, either by
preceptive prohibition, by principles of moral fitness, or examples of
inspired men, contained in the sacred volume. When these furnish no law
to condemn human conduct, there is no transgression. Christians should
produce a "thus saith the Lord," both for what they condemn as sinful,
and for what they approve as lawful, in the sight of heaven.

It is to be hoped, that on a question of such vital importance as this
to the peace and safety of our common country, as well as to the welfare
of the church, we shall be seen cleaving to the Bible, and taking all
our decisions about this matt