"
"Has not God a right," said I, "to place one human being over another as
his owner?"
"Has God a right," said he, "to countenance theft and oppression?"
I said to him: "I might follow your example, and answer you by asking,
Has God a right to countenance war? But I will relieve all your
disagreeable apprehensions as to our conversation at once, by saying
that I am not to argue in favor of oppression. If holding a slave is
oppression, it is a sin. And if it be inconsistent with the golden rule,
it is a sin."
"If that be your doctrine," said he, "we shall soon agree. Now apply the
golden rule to slavery. Are there any circumstances in which you would
yourself be willing to be 'owned'?"
"Certainly," I replied.
He rose, and put some lumps of coal upon the fire with the tongs, and
said, "I presume you mean what you say, and that you do not wish to
trifle with the subject."
"Mr. North," said I, "would you be willing that any one should make you
head-cook in a hotel, engineer in a steamboat, or keeper of a floating
light?"
"No, Sir," said he.
"You would, Mr. North," said I, "under given circumstances. You would
petition for such places, get recommendations for them, and count
yourself perfectly happy, if you succeeded in obtaining them.
Pages:
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172