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Untitled Article
auxiliary police for suppressing even the mention of emancipation . "The word massacre , " says Dr . Charming , " lias resounded through the land , striking terror into strong as well as tender hearts , and awakening indignation against whatever may seem to threaten such a consummation . The
consequence is , that not a few dread all discussion of the subject , and if not reconciled to the continuance of slavery , at least believe that they have no duty to perform , no testimony to bear , no influence to exert , no sentiments to cherish and spread , in relation to this evil . What is still wx > rse opinions either favouring or extenuating it are heard with little or no disapprobation . Concessions are made to it which would once have shocked the community ; whilst to assail it
is pronounced unwise and perilous . No stronger reason for a calm exposition of its true character can be given than this very state of the public mind . " ( p . 3 . ) True ; to such a man as Dr . Channing ; but the bearing of the argument would have been the other way to any one not gifted with a considerable portion of moral intrepidity .
Equally characteristic with the fact of his engaging in the discussion at the present moment , is the mode in which the author has treated it . And this , too , is likely not to be appreciated . He goes into it mainly , or rather exclusively , as a moral question . His appeal is made to principle—broad and abstract principle . There is no getting up of pathetic or horrible stories . There are no carefully-worked calculations , with the results in dollars and cents , of the balance between
slavery and emancipation . The pamphlet is as unlike as possible to the report of a speech on the same subject in our House of Commons or in their Hall of Congress . It proceeds on the assumption of there being other realities in the world besides pounds , shillings , and pence ; and more facts connected with human happiness than are to be found in Macculloch's Dictionary of Commerce and Manufacturer . This
assumption is heresy on both sides of the Atlantic ; and scarcely finds more favour with many Reformers than with Conservatives . They reckon argument of this description as bad as poetry , in which they never could see any use . To them , it savours of religion , taste , feeling , sentiment , Saint Simonianism ,
and all such vanities . These worshippers in the outer court of the Utilitarian temple have so blocked up the portal as to make some folks believe , and Dr . Channing himself amongst them , in the non-existence of any inner sanctuary . He should have seen that this pretended p hilosophy was onl y the pragmatical repetition of an English vulgarism ; whicn is also an
Americanism , and likely to remain so . Be that as it may , we rejoice in his having- discussed the great question of slavery in reference to universal and enduring principles , rather than
Untitled Article
194 ? Channing j > n Slavery ,
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1836, page 194, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2656/page/2/
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