Excerpt from The Works of Orestes A. Brownson, Vol. 17: Collected and Arranged
Professor Stuart appears to have written tiffs pamphlet from patriotic motives, with an earnest desire to allay the uncalled for popular agitation on the subject of negro slavery, and to contribute his share towards the maintenance of domestic peace, and the preservation of the Union. His chief purpose appears to have been to remove the scruples of some of his friends, by showing that a man may with a good conscience support the federal constitution although it recognizes slavery, and requires the slave escaping into a non-slaveholding state to be given up on the demand of his owner; and though he is no great proficient in moral theology, and his style is prolix, prosy, and at times even garrulous, he has shown this to the satisfaction of all but mere factionists and cavillers.
We do not think that the learned professor has made out his case as conclusively as he might have done. He is a man of respectable ability and attainments, but not remarkable for the strength or acuteness of his logical powers. He makes now and then a slip, of which an uncandid critic might take advantage. He is strongly opposed to slavery, but wishes at the same time to prove that the Christian may with a good conscience be a slaveholder. In order to prove this, he asserts and proves that slavery is not malum in se, and therefore, if a sin at all. it is so only accidentally. But in order to justify his sincere aversion to slavery, he maintains that it is always and everywhere an evil, and excuses the old patriarchs for holding slaves only on the ground of invincible ignorance! In the darkness of those early ages men knew and could know no better! This we need not say is in contradiction to his assertion that slavery is not malum in se. But passing over slips of this sort, - somewhat common in all Professor Stuart's writings that have fallen under our notice, - and looking only to the main design and argument of the pamphlet, we can very cheerfully commend it to our Protestant readers.
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