DENUNCIATION OF SLAVERY.

I trust at length the time has come, when Parliament will no longer bear to
be told, that slave-owners are the best lawgivers on slavery; no longer
suffer our voice to roll across the Atlantic in empty warnings and
fruitless orders. Tell me not of rights,--talk not of the property of the
planter in his slave. I deny his rights,--I acknowledge not the property.
The principles, the feelings of our common nature, rise in rebellion
against it. Be the appeal made to the understanding or to the heart, the
sentence is the same, that rejects it.

In vain you tell me of laws that sanction such a claim! There is a law
above all the enactments of human codes,--the same throughout the
world,--the same in all times; such as it was before the daring genius of
Columbus pierced the night of ages, and opened to one world the source of
power, wealth, and knowledge,--to the others all unutterable woes, such is
it at this day; it is the law written by the finger of God on the heart of
man; and be that law, unchangeable and eternal, while men despise fraud,
and loathe rapine, and hate blood, they shall reject with indignation the
wild and guilty fantasy, that man can hold property in man!

In vain ye appeal to treaties,--to covenants between nations. The covenants
of the Almighty, whether the old covenant or the new, denounce such unholy
pretensions. To these laws did they of old refer, who maintained the
African trade. Such treaties did they cite, and not untruly; for, by one
shameful compact, you bartered the glories of Blenheim for the traffic in
blood. Yet, in despite of law and of treaty, that infernal traffic is now
destroyed, and its votaries put to death like other pirates. How came this
change to pass? Not, assuredly, by Parliament leading the way; but the
country at length awoke; the indignation of the people was kindled; it