He may supply the slave with such food and clothing only, both as to quantity and quality, as may suit his own pleasure or convenience. All the power of the master over his slave may be exercised not by himself, but only by any other person whom he may appoint as his agent.

Slaves have no legal right of property, not even in themselves, nor in anything else, real or personal, but whatever they may acquire, by labor, belongs, in point of law, to their masters.

The slave, being a personal chattel, is at all times liable to be leased, mortgaged, or sold absolutely at the mere will of his master; or he may be sold by process of law for the satisfaction of the debts of a living, or the debts and bequests of a deceased master, at the suit of creditors or legatees.

A slave cannot be a party before a judicial tribunal, in any species of action against his master, no matter how atrocious may have been the injury received from him.

Slaves cannot redeem themselves, nor obtain a change of masters, though the most cruel treatment may have rendered such a change necessary for their personal safety.

Slaves being objects of property, if injured by third persons, their owners may bring suit, and recover damages for the injury.

Slaves can make no contracts.

Slavery is hereditary and perpetual.*

Here, then, we see that Slavery is not servitude merely, nor the right to the service of another, where there is an equivalent, or considerations which render the demand for service just; but it is the assumption and exercise of that power which holds and treats the human species as property.

It does not allow to the slave the rights of his own reason and conscience.

It annihilates the family state; prevents the parents from obeying the command of God, with regard to their children; it prohibits, or nullifies, the marriage rites, and prevents husbands and wives from obeying the command of God with regard to each other.

It enjoins, or sanctions, promiscuous intercourse between the sexes, without the rites of marriage.

It holds all the religious privileges of the slave at the mere mercy of his master, whether that master be infidel, papist, or protestant.

It prevents the slaves from obeying that command of God which makes it the duty of all men to "search the Scriptures."

Its direct tendency is to crush the mind of God's intelligent creatures, by forbidding and preventing all schools for "mental instruction."

It withholds the hire of the laborer.

* Stroud.

It sanctions and covers the breach of the eighth commandment. It justifies the very same thing which our laws and the laws of nations punish as piracy, if committed on the coast of Africa, or on the high seas. It originates and justifies what the Bible calls Man-stealing."

It denies to the slave adequate protection for his character, his health and life, and more or less endangers his present and eternal salvation.

Such, then, is the condition of millions of our species in this Christian land; and against that assumed power which keeps them in this state, God has left the instructions, warnings, and threatenings of His unerring word.

CHAPTER II.

MOSES.

The bondage of the Israelites in Egypt, and the measures which God took to liberate them.

1. And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters; for I know their sorrows. Ex. iii, 7.

1. Now, therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Ex. iii, 9.

3. And it came to pass, in process of time, that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God, by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant, and God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them. Ex. ii, 23.

4. Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, let my people go, that they may serve me. Ex. ix, 1. 5. Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? my people go that they may serve me. Ex. x, 3.

let

6. And Pharaoh commanded, the same day, the task-masters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Ex. v, 6.

7. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to get their stubble instead of straw. And the task-masters hasted them, saying,

Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there Ex. v, 12.

was straw.

8. And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's task-masters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore? Ex. v, 14.

9. And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks of your daily task. And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh; and they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants to put a sword in their hand to slay us. Ex. v, 19.

10. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast thou so evil-entreated this people? Why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I come to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people: neither hast thou delivered thy people at all. Ex. v, 22.

11. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I