,' says the
anti-slavery people. So say we all. . . . . .

"But even Lord Brougham would not ask us to believe that there is any
proximate hope that the free cotton raised in Africa will, within any
reasonable time, drive out of culture the slave-grown cotton of America.
If this be so, of what use can it be to make irritating speeches in the
House of Lords against a state of things by which we are content to
profit? Lord Brougham and Lord Grey are not men of such illogical minds
as to be incapable of understanding that it is the demand of the English
manufacturers which stimulates the produce of slave-grown American
cotton. They are, neither of them, we apprehend, so reckless or so
wicked as to close our factories and to throw some two millions of our
manufacturing population out of bread. Why, then, these inconsequent and
these irritating denunciations? Let us create new fields of produce of
we can; but, meanwile, it is neither just nor dignified to buy the raw
material from the Americans, and to revile them for producing it."

We have said that the more popular belief, in reference to the moral
character of slavery, now prevailing throughout the world, ranks it as
identical in principle with despotic forms of government. Here arises a
question of importance. Can despotism be acknowledged by Christians as a
lawful form of government? Those who hold the view of slavery under
consideration, answer in the affirmative. The necessity of civil
government, they say, is denied by none. Society can not exist in its
absence. Republicanism can be sustained only where the majority are
intelligent and moral. In no other condition can free government be
maintained. Hence, despotism establishes itself, of necessity, more or
less absolutely, over an ignorant or depraved people; obtaining the
acquiescence of the enlightened, by offering them security to person and
property. Few nations, indeed, possess moral elevation sufficient to
maintain republicanism. Many have tried it, have failed, and relapsed
into despotism. Republican nations, therefore, must forego all
intercourse with despotic governments, or acknowledge them to be lawful.
This can be done, it is claimed, without being accountable for moral
evils connected with their administration. Elevated examples of such
recognitions are on record. Christ paid tribute to Caesar; and Paul, by
appealing to Caesar's tribunal, admitted the validity of the despotic
government of Rome, with i