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.
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