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MONTHLY RETROSPECT of PUBLIC AFFAIRS ; ' ¦ ¦*- "¦ •¦:¦ • -. ¦ .. j Si r u OR, ! • ' ' The Christians Sw~veij of the Political ff^ orld. ¦ f S . , : ¦ . . .:
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Monthly Retrospect Of Public Affairs ; ' ¦ ¦*- "¦ •¦:¦ • -. ¦ .. J Si R U Or, ! • ' ' The Christians Sw~Veij Of The Political Ff^ Orld. ¦ F S . , : ¦ . . .:
MONTHLY RETROSPECT of PUBLIC AFFAIRS ; ' ¦ ¦* - " ¦ •¦ : ¦ -. ¦ .. j Si u OR , ! ' ' The Christians Sw ~ veij of the Political ff ^ orld . ¦ f S . , ¦ . . .:
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* THE exj > losit > n has fa ^ en place which lias been so long Areaderf . ' EVery 6 ne connected with the West Iqdies had prognbstVeated that the efforts used by Mr . Wilberforce and his friends to get a bill passed by the parliament of the empire to enforce Certain regulations respectingvtfye blacks ,
must produce some fatal effects in the colonies . The language used by the favourers of the measure was of a _ most unhappy tendency . It raised expectations in the slaves that there was an authority here highly paramount above that or * tjfieir masters , and
that Mr . Wilberforce Was so great a man ^ frnd so touch their friend ' , that their servitude Was * soon to be broken , and a gejieral emancipation wasr to take place . Highly culpable indeed was the language of some of the -writers upon this question . ' They took a delight ia representing the
planter in the most odious colours , in exaggerating every instance of ill-treatment that might have occurred , concealing all the kindness that is continually displayed , and has for" many years been increasing in the islands ; and in fact doing every thftig to excite a spirit of discontent in the minds o £ the slaves , and depreciating the character f the musters .
fliat man in every part of the world , whatever may be his colour , should a ** in to t he dignity of his nature , should be free in the highest sense of the word , is the great c $ j ^ t of Christianity , * aod the desire of every reader of this Miscellany . But till his mind is improved and hie is capable of < understanding an 4 appreciating the blessilgjtgs qf this fTeedoin ^ it is in vain that he is , released from certain yokes laid upon him
by t& § . rules oif < fivil society .: » ¦* Many a king upon his throne is as niucn an object of eur pity as the slave under the lash of his driver ^ and ? who would wish to pnjoy Jthe liberty ©/ tjie . savage iii , the wilds of Anie-, rica ^ ^ Jtt is an p ljf and a good adage , ' JVatura nihii- jTacif per saltum . A greater evil could not possibly befall the' blacks ,
tban that they should be instantly declared fr ^ cjEi ,. for the only result of this freedom Wp ^ dld l > e . $ be tearing of each oth er to pieces and the' dedtniHtva ^ bf the mastets . in what manner tttey kr « % && tt >' bte- brought forward tq a higher degree in the scale of
nature , is a problem worthy of the consideration of the true politician ; but of this ~ we may be sure , that Mr- Wilberforce and bis friends are taking the worst methods possible for the attainment of this end * If
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the slave is to look up to the authority of this island , and to conceive that he has a party in the House of Commons in his favour , if Bffr . Wilberforce is to be his patron and tK © ' local' legislature to be set at nought , it will be in vain to expect any thing but what has already taken place —~ i the burning of plantations and the destruction of life .
The error of Mr . Wilberforce consists in not attending to the state of society which exists in that ' country over which he attempts to regulate . He does not recollect that slavery existed at the first propagation of Christianity , and that it took several ages before the maxims of our holy religion could prevail over the principles of the world . In this state , however , no violent efforts were
tried by the apostles and first teachers of Christianity . They did not attempt to excite an outcry against the holders of slaves , » or to use any irritating language respecting slavery . They saw clearly that the emancipation would be produced in a better manner by teaching slaves to obey their masters , not from eye-service , but from a
regard to duty , and in like manner by inculcating on the masters the duty of being kind to their slaves Thus gradually both parties were- "broiaght nearer tp % each other , and at last slavish services , were exchanged for a better tetfure ^—the compact between master and servant . ;
The ab ol ition of the slave trade and the emancipation of the blactcs are two distiriet questions , and they ought to be kept entirely distinct in our iflinds . On the first question , the parliament of the kingdom had an undoubted , right to interfere , for it might assiu ? edl ^ dictate that an ( Englishman should .. t * & carrion a trade in the persons
of l ^ iJjcUs , as Delias i , t prohibited his tradiqg iu , other Nicies . To this , laly the Wesf I p di . aiis aubmitljed equally with all otjj ^ r subjects ; arid the advqeat ^ s for the abolitien of * the slave tradtj ' having ^ gained tin s point , were interested wily in seeing that the law wafc not brdlceh . * ^ Buf ttie eniancipkfion of ther blajcks infolirte ^ a 4 kriety : 6 f questions on whi < i : H 4 ; liei * a ( idetts of England irfe not cbmpetterii judges ' . Ther ^ * r £ tntee condttiofM-ib the wWlrtdies , t | ifitt ofthei * Wft > who must be the ruler ^—^ the free d man—
and the slave . / The white enjoys all the -prhrHeges of Englishmen , the other twp parties are necessarily deprived of some of them ; but alj are tinder certain laws liable to be changed at the discretion of the $ o *
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* .. \ -, \ C 370 ) -. . .. ;¦¦
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1816, page 370, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2453/page/62/
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