er the absolute necessity of procuring it; but as
free labor is incapable of increasing its production, slave labor must
be made to remedy the defect.

The reason can now be clearly comprehended, why abolitionists have had
so little moral power over the conscience of the slaveholder. Their
practice has been inconsistent with their precepts; or, at least, their
conduct has been liable to this construction. Nor do we perceive how
they can exert a more potent influence, in the future, unless their
energies are directed to efforts such as will relieve them from a
position so inconsistent with their professions, as that of constantly
purchasing products which they, themselves, declare to be the fruits of
robbery. While, therefore, things remain as they are, with the world so
largely dependent upon slave labor, how can it be otherwise, than that
the system will continue to flourish? And while its products are used by
all classes, of every sentiment, and country, nearly, how can the
slaveholder be brought to see any thing, in the practice of the world,
to alarm his conscience, and make him cringe, before his fellow-men, as
a guilty robber?

But, has nothing worse occurred from the advocacy of the _per se_
doctrine, than an exhibition of inconsistency on the part of
abolitionists, and the perpetuation of slavery resulting from their
conduct? This has occurred. Three highly respectable religious
denominations, now limited to the North, had once many flourishing
congregations in the South. On the adoption of the _per se_ doctrine, by
their respective Synods, their congregations became disturbed, were soon
after broken up, or the ministers in charge had to seek other fields of
labor. Their system of religious instruction, for the family, being
quite thorough, the slaves were deriving much advantage from the
influence of these bodies. But when they resolved to withhold the gospel
from the master, unless he would emancipate, they also withdrew the
means of grace from the slave; and, so far as they were concerned, left
him to perish eternally! Whether this course was proper, or whether it
would have been better to have passed by the morality of the legal
relation, in the creation of which the master had no agency, and
considered him, under Providence, as the moral guardian of the slave,
bound to discharge a guardian's duty to an immortal being, we shall not
undertake to determine. Attention is called to the facts, merely to show
th