a negro from his master, would not hesitate
to steal any other property if he could do it with equal safety to
himself. The fact that slaveholding is a sin does not change the
nature of the offense, because the Bible doctrine of submission to
the powers that be, is a plain and unequivocal duty. Negro stealing
is as much a violation of the law of God as of the law of a
Southern State.

"But we have not much faith in the Christianity of those abolitionists
who steal negroes. And the receiver of stolen goods is equally
guilty with the thief. Tom Corwin was not far out of the way (and
it must be conceded that Mr. Corwin has had abundant opportunities
to know) when he declared that 'they (the abolitionists) are a
whining, canting, praying set of fellows who keep regular books of
debit and credit with the Almighty.' 'They will,' he says, 'lie and
cheat all the week, and pray off their sins on Sunday. If they
steal a negro, that makes a very large entry to their credit, and
will cover a multitude of peccadilloes and frauds. This kind of
entry they are always glad to make, because it costs them nothing.'
'But,' adds Mr. Corwin, and this is the severest cut of all, 'when
they cannot steal a negro they give something in charity for the
extension of the gospel, and then commence a system of fraud and
cheating, till they think they have balanced accounts with their God.'
For once we believe Mr. Corwin has told the truth."

CHAPTER IV.

Would the condition of the slaves be ameliorated by emancipation,
under existing circumstances; supposing they continue, either in the
slave, or free States? This is a grave question, and so far as I am
capable, I shall endeavor to give it a candid and impartial answer.
Having resided both in slave and free States, I presume that I have
had as good an opportunity of forming a correct opinion on the subject
as most of others. It has long been my settled conviction, that the
condition of the slaves in the United States, would be in no respect
bettered by emancipation in their present condition, under existing
circumstances; supposing that they continue residents of the United
States. It is in my view, no longer problematical; for I consider it a
settled question, that their condition would in no respect be improved
by emancipation; but on the contrary, I contend, that the condition of
the free negroes in both the slave and free States, is far worse