d shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in
the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." As the Japhetic
race is to dwell in the tents of Shem, for example, England occupying
India, so I believe the black race is under the divine sentence of
servitude. Moreover, being perfectly convinced of the wrongfulness and
the infinite mischief to all concerned of the forcible liberation of our
slaves, I am assisted in settling, in my own mind, the question as to me
right of individual slaves to escape from service, and our right to
continue in this relationship, conforming ourselves in it always to the
golden rule.

"'If it be the right of one, under ordinary circumstances, to depart, it
is the right of all. But the government under which they live, in this
commonwealth, recognizes slavery. The constitution and the general
government protect us in maintaining it. The right of our servants to
leave us at pleasure, which could not of course be done without
violence, on both sides, implies the right of insurrection. It is
impossible to define the cases in which insurrection is justifiable, but
the general rule is that it is wrong. Government is a divine ordinance;
men cannot capriciously overthrow or change it, at every turn of affairs
which proves burdensome or even oppressive. God is jealous to maintain
human government as an important element in his own administration. Men
justly in authority, or established in it by time, or by consent, or by
necessity, or by expediency, may properly feel that they are God's
vicegerents. He is on their side; a parent, a teacher, a commander,--in
short, he who rules, is, as it were, dispensing a law of the divine
government, as truly as though he directed a force in nature. Hence, to
disturb existing government is, in the sight of God, a heinous offence,
unless circumstances plainly justify a revolution; otherwise, one might
as well think to interfere with impunity and change the equinoxes, or
the laws of refraction. It is well to consider what forms of government,
and what forms of oppression under them, existed, when that divine word
was written: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God;
and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." This was
written in view of the throne of the Caesars.

"'But it is very clear that