that Joseph was the only one who was sold
into slavery there. How did the Hebrews
get into Egypt? Joseph was sold by his
brethren into slavery there. What was the
design of Providence in that? When, long
years afterwards, the denouement appeared,
and Joseph's brethren were very repentant,
and at the death of their father made a great
many most abject apologies and beseechings
for pardon,—Joseph said to them—"ye
meant it for evil, but God meant it for good."
Now, sir, I have my theory in reference to
this problem of African slavery upon this
continent, and I have desired an opportunity
of stating it here. I do not believe that it
was the design of Providence that this institution
should be perpetual here. I have ex-
amined this question; I have studied it in the
light of revelation, and in the light of history,
sacred and profane, and I as firmly believe,
as I believe in any tenet of the Scriptures, as I
believe in my Bible, as well as my feeble judg-
ment will allow me to penetrate the designs
of Providence, that there was a wise and
grand design in permitting African slavery to
be introduced into this country. For two
centuries there had been efforts to christianize
and civilize the African in his own home;
those efforts have been continued to the pre-
sent day. But they have been total failures,
and though it may be found that cupidity
and avarice, operating upon the Puritans and
others who brought them here, may have
been at the foundation of the institution, as
malevolence and envy prompted the brethren
of Joseph to sell him into slavery, yet being
brought here in contact with Christianity, it
may be that they have been civilized and chris-
tianized to a far greater extent than they could
have been in Africa. And I verily believe that
when the time arrives, when by contact with
and under the tuition, guidance and control
of the superior race under whom Providence
has placed them, they shall have become eleva-
ted in the scale of Christianity and civiliza-
tion, the Almighty will open the way for their
return to the land of their ancestors, and they
Will carry there the blessings of civilization
and Christianity, and become the missionaries
to enavgelize Africa. That is my view. But
the abolitionists have undertaken to take the
business out of the hands of the Almighty,
and to hurry on the fulfilment of what they
suppose to be the designs of Providence, and
possibly to defeat them for a time by having
these people remain here. As God is my
judge, I believe they will fail in their effort. I
do not believe this is in accordance with the
designs of Providence. I believe they are inter-
fering against the designs of Heaven in regard
to this race, I believe this fever of madness
will pass away, and that this face will be re-
stored to their native land, after having been
educated by the superior race to read and
write and understand the Scriptures and
taught to worship God as they ought. |
Mr. SANDS. I would just ask the gentle-
man this question. After all, the question be-
tween him and me is whether God's time has
come or not. Now, if my friend is so firmly
impressed with his belief, that if we are
working against God's designs we will come
to naught, then can he not rest easy that all
will come right in the end? I do not recol-
lect the exact particulars, but the Scriptures
contain an account of a gathering together of
the long heads among the Jews in relation to
the new-fangled notions of religion that were
being talked about a great deal. One of the
old fellows in the Sanhedrim got up and
said—" You better let this alone, because if
it is of God it will prosper, and if it is not, it
will all come to naught; there is no use in
our blowing about it." If my friend is really
impressed with this opinion, why all this
fight against the abolitionists? If the Lord
is against us He will whip us, without a bit of
assistance from this convention.
Mr. JONES, of Somerset. Still that does
not relieve those who believe the abolition-
ists are running things to destruction, from
the obligation of exerting all the powers
that God and nature have given them to re-
sist their acts. And I will say to my friend
from Howard (Mr. Sands,) in regard to the
Israelites in Egypt, that Jacob and his
children were moat affectionately invited as
guests and emigrants to settle in Egypt by
the king. They were encouraged to come by
the promise of the good of the land, the beat
of the land, the fat of the land to eat. And
wagons harnessed, and mules loaded were
sent with the invitation to bring them down
into Egypt, and they were brought down
there as guests and as emigrants. They
lived there in honor and comfort during the
whole of Joseph's life. And Jacob, when he
died, would be buried in the land where Ra-
chel was buried; and the king sent his body
there with great pomp. It was not until that
king died, and another king arose in Egypt
that knew not Joseph, that there arose a po-
litical jealousy against the Israelites for fear
that in the future they might join with the
enemies of Egypt. And the king sought to
put heavy task-masters over them—provost
marshals in all probability, or something of
that sort—and burden them with heavy
burdens that they were not able to bear;
which ultimately carried out the designs of
Providence in accomplishing their exodus
from Egypt. My friend from Howard better
read that whole history; he will find many
most excellent things in it. There are a
great many good things in the Bible; and I
am alire my friend from Caroline (Mr. Todd)
will be glad to give him instruction on any
point. The Hebrews were invited to go to
Egypt; and having been oppressed by a
subsequent king, I think there was great
justice that they were led out of the land ;
but they were not permitted to go until after |
