those cases where it was the penalty annexed to crime. They sold themselves, i. e. their service, for an equivalent, so they were not slaves; as an equivalent to a state of slavery-is impossible.Lev. xxv. 47; Neh. v. 8; Deut. xxviii. 68; [Expose yourselves for sale,] 1 Kings xxi. 20, 25; 2 Kings xvii. 17; Isa. 1. 1 ; Rom. vii. 14; Jer. xxxiv. 14, margin, sold himself.

But American slavery is involuntary. No one who is now a slave in this land, was ever consulted, before his liberty was taken away, whether he would be a slave or not, and if he had been, he could not have given his master a just and title to his body as his property.

proper

Jewish servants could contend with their masters.

4. Under the Mosaic economy, servants might contend with their masters about their rights; and to depise the cause of which was considered a heinous crime. Job xxxi. 13.

But here, in this land of Christians, slaves can make no contract of any kind, they can have no legal right to any property; all they have and are, belong to their masters.

Jewish servants made free when cruelly treated. 5. The laws of Moses granted freedom to a servant who had been cruelly treated. Exodus xxi. 26 27.

But our Christian laws allow the master to punish his slave as much as he desires, and afford the slave no redress; nay, if the slave makes any resistance, the laws expressly justifies the master in putting

him to death. In Kentucky," any negro, mulatto, or Indian, bond or free," who "shall at any time” even "lift his hand in opposition to ANY white person, shall receive THIRTY LASHES on his or her bare back, WELL LAID ON, by order of the Justice."

Servitude among the Jews did not jeopardize the lives of servants.

6. The master who killed a servant with a rod, or by blows, suffered the penalty of death, as other murderers. Lev. xxiv. 17, 21; Num. xxxv. 30. So that their lives were as safe and as valuable in the eye of the law, as their master's.

In these United States, many a slave has been killed by the treatment he has received from the hand of his master, overseer, or driver; and no instance has been known of a white man's being put to death for such murder.

Domestic relations.

7 Servants were carefully protected among the Jews, in their domestic relations; so that parents and their children must not be separated. And in case the mother did not get her freedom as soon as her husband, the children remained with her; and her master was bound to receive him to service again, in case he chose to live with his wife and children.Ex. xxi. 7, 11. They were entitled to an adequate subsistence Deut. xxv. 4; 1 Tim. v. 18; 1 Cor. ix. 9, and treated with humanity. Lev. xxv. 39, 53.

But here, slaves are entirely unprotected in their social and domestic relations; husbands and wives,

parents and their children may be, and they are separated and parted forever, at the irresponsible will of the master..

It is true that a law in one of the States provides, that "Every owner shall be held to give his slaves one barrel of Indian Corn, or the equivalent thereof in rice, beans or other grain, and a pint of salt; and to deliver the same in kind every month, under the penalty of a fine of ten dollars for every offence." But this law may be as it is, easily evaded, on the ground that the slave cannot be a party in a civil suit, or a colored person a witness against a white person.

A law of North Carolina provides that each slave shall receive at least "one quart of corn per day;" and if any one who does not receive this amount be convicted of stealing corn, cattle, &c., from any person not the owner of such slave, such injured person may maintain an action of trespass against the master, and shall recover his or her damages. Another law provides, that "the slave shall be entitled to receive from his owner one linen shirt and pantaloons for the summer, and a linen shirt and woollen great coat and pantaloons for the winter."

Instruction and consolation.

8. The laws of Moses secured to servants the necessary means of instruction and consolation.— Deut. xxxi. 9, 13; xxix. 10, 13.

But no such laws exist in this land; here the operation of the laws tend directly to deprive the slaves of all "mental" and religious "instruction,"

for their whole power is exerted to keep their slaves in the lowest kind of ignorance.

Laws for the protection of strangers.

9. The laws of Moses required every one to pity and love the strangers who might chance to come among the Jews, and under severe penalties they were forbidden to vex or oppress them in any way. Ex. xxiii. 6, 9; xxi. 20; xii. 48, 50; Lev. xix. 33, 34; xxv. 35, 36; Num. xv. 15, 16, 29; Deut. i. 16, 17; x. 18, 19; Exodus xxii. 21; xxiii. 9.

Here the laws view every colored stranger as an enemy, and they consider him a slave until he proves his freedom.

Fugitive servants.

10. If a servant escaped from his master and fled to the land of Israel, the law of Moses commanded every one to protect him; and forbade any one to deliver such to his master again. Deut. xxiii. 15.

But here, if a slave escape from his master, and flee to any part of the United States, the law forbids any one to protect him, and commands that he be delivered up to his master.

Husbands and wives.

11. If a Jewish servant had taken a wife of his master, and wished still to live with him, he had the privilege. Ex. xxi. 5, 6; Deut. xv. 18.

But it is not thus with American slaves; among them, husbands and wives are parted at the irres

ponsible will of the slaveholder. In point of law, an American slave cannot be married at all.

Time for rest allowed Jewish servants.

12 Those servants among the Jews who had served fifty years had at least seventeen years rest in Sabbaths, feasts, &c. Ex. xx. 10; Deut. v. 14; xii. 17, 18; xvi. 11; Matt. xxv. 21, 23.

But nothing of this kind has ever been known among the Americans held in bondage by the Christians of this nation.

When they were set free, compensation was
allowed them and not to their masters.

13. When Jewish servants went out free, they were to be liberally furnished with means to begin life with. Ex. xxi. 2, 4; Lev. xxv. 17; Dut. xv. 13, 14.

But in this land if any poor slave goes free at all, by the consent of his master, he goes free with nothing but his poor worn-out body, and his master demands a price for his liberation!

Jewish servants held property.

14. They had the fruits of the rest years, and gleanings of harvests. Lev. xix. 9, 10; xxv. 6; Ex. xxiii. 11; 1 Sam. ix. 8; Matt. xviii. 25.

But here a slave can possess nothing but what is made by law to belong to his master.

They were endowed with authority.

15. Eligible to offices. 1 Chron. xv. 18; xvi. 5, 38; xxvi. 12, 14; Matt. xxv. 21; 2 Sam, ix. 9, 10; Neh. v. 15.