manize than to brutalize.
The accounts of travelers in oriental countries, give a very favorable
representation of the kindly relations which exist between the master
and slave; the latter being often the friend, and sometimes the heir of
the former. Generally, however, especially if they be English
travelers--if they say any thing which may seem to give a favorable
complexion to slavery, they think it necessary to enter their protest,
that they shall not be taken to give any sanction to slavery as it
exists in America. Yet human nature is the same in all countries. There
are very obvious reasons why in those countries there should be a nearer
approach to equality in their manners. The master and slave are often of
cognate races, and therefore tend more to assimilate. There is, in fact,
less inequality in mind and character, where the master is but
imperfectly civilized. Less labor is exacted, because the master has
fewer motives to accumulate. But is it an injury to a human being, that
regular, if not excessive labor, should be required of him? The primeval
curse, with the usual benignity of providential contrivance, has been
turned into the solace of an existence that would be much more
intolerable without it. If they labor less, they are much more subject
to the outrages of capricious passions. If it were put to the choice of
any human being, would he prefer to be the slave of a civilized man, or
of a barbarian or semi-barbarian? But if the general tendency of the
institution in those countries is to create kindly relations, can it be
imagined why it should operate differently in this? It is true, as
suggested by President Dew--with the exception of the ties of close
consanguinity, it forms one of the most intimate relations of society.
And it will be more and more so, the longer it continues to exist. The
harshest features of slavery were created by those who were strangers to
slavery--who supposed that it consisted in keeping savages in subjection
by violence and terror. The severest laws to be found on our statute
book, were enacted by such, and such are still found to be the severest
masters. As society becomes settled, and the wandering habits of our
countrymen altered, there will be a larger and larger proportion of
those who were reared by the owner, or derived to him from his
ancestors, and who therefore will be more and more intimately regarded,
as forming a portion of his family.
It is true that the slav
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