The Barbarism of Slavery Persuasive Speech
I meet them both. To the first I oppose the essential Barbarism of Slavery, in all its influences,
whether high or low, as Satan is Satan still, whether towering in the sky or squatting in the toad.
Founded in violence, sustained only by violence, such a wrong must by a sure law of compensation
blast the master as well as the slave; blast the lands on which they live; blast the community of
which they are a part; blast the Government which does not forbid the outrage; and the longer it
exists and the more completely it prevails, must its blasting influences penetrate the whole social
system.
Barbarous in origin; barbarous in its law; barbarous in all its pretensions; barbarous in the
instruments it employs; barbarous in consequences; barbarous in spirit; barbarous wherever it
shows itself, Slavery must breed Barbarians, while it develops everywhere, alike in the individual
and in the society to which he belongs, the essential elements of Barbarism.
The Barbarism of Slavery appears; first in the character of Slavery, and secondly in the character of
Slave-masters.
The slave is held simply for the use of his master, to whose behests, his life, liberty, and happiness
are devoted, and by whom he may be bartered, leased, mortgaged, bequeathed, invoiced, shipped
as cargo, stored as goods, sold on execution, knocked off at public auction, and even staked at the
gamingtable on the hazard of a card or a die; all according to law.
Such is Slavery in its five special elements of Barbarism, as recognized by law; first, assuming that
man can hold property in man; secondly, abrogating the relation of husband and wife; thirdly,
abrogating the parental tie; fourthly, closing the gates of knowledge; and fifthly, appropriating the
unpaid labor of another.
Take away these elements, sometimes called "abuses," and Slavery will cease to exist, for it is
these very "abuses" which constitute Slavery.
American Slavery, as defined by existing law, stands forth as the greatest organized Barbarism on
which the sun now shines. It is without a single peer.
The denial of all rights in the slave can be sustained only by a disregard of other rights, common to
the whole community, whether of the person, of the press, or of speech.
Nobody in the Slave States can speak or print against Slavery, except at the peril of life or liberty.
Only one word. I exposed to-day the Barbarism of Slavery. What the Senator has said in reply to
me, I may well print in an Appendix to my speech as an additional illustration. That is all.
