Observations on a Passage in the Politics of Aristotle Relative to Slavery (review) [pp. 193-205]

SOUTH_E-RNON LITERY__ iSSEEi IT.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM-JNO. R. THOMPSON, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
VOL. XVI. RICHMOND, APRIL, 1850. NO. 4.
Observations on a Passage in the Politics of
Aristotle relative to Slavery,*
"Esse igitur nonnullos alios liberos, alios servos natura, perspicuum est: quibus expediat, quosque justum sit
servire."-Aristot. Pol., lib. I, c. V. Interp. Dion:
Lambini.'
At the present juncture, when every mind is
agitated or disturbed by the vexed question of
slavery, and malignity, hypocrisy, fraud, fanaticism, false philanthropy, and imbecility, on the
one side, are too often met by the scruples and
doubts of the weak or the unreflecting, on the
other, our time cannot be more profitably em)ployed than in a calm and philosophic investigation of the causes which originate, the circumstances which perpetuate, the influences which
modify, and the reasons which justify that institution. Mr. Toombs, of Georgia, in the course of
a most eloquent and thrilling speech, remarked
on the floor of Congress, that the time had come
when every man should bear his principles openly
upon his brow-happily applying the bold motto
which has been borrowed from Ennius by the
Southern Quarterly Review. Much, and to
many it might seem enough, has already been
done in illustration of the question of Slavery,
by Speeches and Reports, by the Instructions of
Mr. Calhoun, and by the profound and varied
arguments of Chancellor Harper, President Dew,
Bishop England, Dr. Fuller, Dr. Cartwright,
Gov. Hammond, Gen. Jamison, and Mr. Fisher.
But, in a matter of such vital importance to the
safety of the Union, and the existence of the
Southern States, it would be unwise to neglect
the considerations which presented themselves
to John Locke, in regard to a subject less apt
to be encountered with inveterate prejudices.
" Every thing," says he, "does not alike hit
upon every man's imagination. We have our
understandings no less different than our palates: and he that thinks the same truth shall be
equally relished by every one in the same dress,
may as welJ hope to feast every one with the
same sort of cookery: the meat may be the
same, and the nourishment good, yet every one
not be able to receive it with that seasoning:
Apropos of An Essay on Slavery. By Thomas R.
Dew, late President of William and Mary College, Williamsburg, Va. Second Edition. Richmond, Va. J. W.
Randolph. 1849.
VOL. XVI-25
and it must be dressed another way, if you will
have it go down with some even of strong constitutions." It is not, then, in consequence of
any dissent from the opinions of the able writers whom we have mentioned, nor from any
distrust of the soundness, the cogency, or the
sufficiency of their arguments, that we avail ourselves of the opportunity afforded by the welcome republication of President Dew's Essay on
Slavery, to offer a few remarks upon the same
subject, and to strengthen the Southern doctrine
by a somewhat different mode of proof. But
we take Locke's wvords as our excuse for what
might otherwise appear tedious repetition; and
trust that our observations may have some weight
in satisfying those whose minds may not yet be
fully satisfied of the abstract justice of Slavery,
o:ir at leastmay e efficient in adding some confirmation to the conclusions o,f our precursors.
In the performance of our design we shall endeavor to confine ourselves to those broad and
general views and principles, which are suggested by a comprehensive study of the phenomena
of societies, and the history of nations; and
shall avoid, as far as may be practicable, any
needles encr oahment uponI the angry arena'of
political ""controversy:
Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites.
Before proceeding with our remarks, we would
suggest to any enterprizing publisher the policy
of collecting and publishing in one volume the
various able Essays on Slavery, which have been
written by the several gentlemen whom we have
mentioned. It would be rendering good service
to the South, and would, we are convinced, meet
with adequate remuneration.
The main thesis in regard to Slavery is laid
down in the most precise terms, and in the form
most convenient for discussion, by Aristotle in
his Politics. His position is that "Nature has
cTery desgne for fi-eedom and others for slavery:-and with respect to the latter,
slavery is bothi jus anbii eneli'ciaf Tiai.s is the
* Esse igitur nonnullos alios liberos, alios servos natura
perspicuum est: quibus expediat quosque justum sit servire." Aristot. Pol. lib. i, c. v. This passage is referred
to by Mr. Dew. Essay, p. 13. We have not Gillies' translation of the Politics, but use the edition of Aristotle's
whole works, edited by Bekker & Brandis, under the auspices of the Berlin Academy. We have used the Greek
Text, but for the convenience of the printer, and the majority of readers, we cite from the Latin interpretation of
Dionysius Lambinus.
0 0 m I m m I
ll'
I
,,, A-i
,IF
I
IIi
c