What if I were to observe history, and speak as though government is a necessary evil. What if we said that without it, society would fall into chaos and ruin. That without it, people would run amok doing all sorts of wrong because people are not capable of being peaceful or moral without some sort of system to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. Now, what if I were to say, these are the same exact justifications for slavery used in the 19th century, and almost every century before-then. What if I were to say that these justifications have existed ever since the foundation of government, which we simultaneously observe as the foundations to all institutional or systemic slavery. What if I were to say that the most pro-slavery advocates were the most pro-government advocates. Finally, what if I were to say that these advocates even admitted that government is based on violence and not true consent, yet still claiming their necessity because they saw slavery as good.
During the times of 19th century, pro-slavery advocate Sen. Hammond, of South Carolina stated, “the great strength of the South arises from the harmony of her political and social institutions. This harmony gives her a frame of society, the best in the world, and an extent of political freedom combined with entire security, and as no other people ever enjoyed upon the face of the earth... In all social systems there must be a class to do the mean duties, to perform the drudgery of life — that is a class requiring but a low order of intellect and but little skill… Such a class you must have, or you would not have the other class which leads progress, refinement and civilization. It constitutes the very mud-sills of society and of political government... Fortunately for the South, she has found a race adapted to that purpose to her hand. A race inferior to herself, but eminently qualified in temper, in vigor, in docility, in capacity, to stand the climate, to answer all her purposes. We use them for the purpose, and call them slaves. We are old fashioned in the South yet; it is a word discarded now by ears polite; but I will not characterize that class at the North with that term; but you have it; it is there; it is everywhere; it is eternal. Northern Laborers are but Slaves.”
Many pro-slavery newspapers would attack the efforts of Abolitionists, such as the N.Y. Courier & Enquirer, having an article titled “Shall the Government be Preserved, or the Abolitionists Have Their Will” saying “do you, fellow citizens, feel this disregard for the constitution of your country? Are you ready to do an act that from the very nature of things must plunge this great nation into confusion and disaster, and then stand with impious lips to charge the calamity upon your God! We trust not — we will not suffer ourselves to entertain so foul a suspicion of our countrymen.”
The pro-slavery advocate Thornton Stringfellow (1788) states “What is Slavery in the United States? It is a system of personal servitude, under a form of government adopted for the African race, the leading principle of which belongs to every form of government among men. What is that leading principle? It is submission to, and control by the will of another. This is the essential principle of all forms of government; and without it there an be no government... What is government? And what is its origin? Government is control; it is the opposite of freedom, or a right to do as we please. It is power to compel obedience to the will of a superior. Where did it originate? It originated in the will of God... Government must begin in absolute despotism, instead of absolute freedom... The principle of subordination sought to be overthrown, is vital in church and state. The infidel principle of ‘freedom and equality’ sought to be established on its ruins, is unknown to the Bible, contradicted by all experience, and subversive of all government among men... One teaches ‘freedom and equality;’ the other teaches inequality and subordination. One leads to anarchy—the other to order. One leads to love—the other to hatred. One leads to war—the other to peace. Either liberty, or civilization, or both, must die when the world is subjected to the control of their leading principle of ‘freedom and equality’ among men. It is self destroying when adopted, and seeks to destroy all governments which do not recognize it.”
Arguments aside from god, government, economy and natural inequality, would also include the idea that we are slaves to many things within our lives, and that slavery is alike the family and business structure. Even on the Wayback Machine Website Archive, a modern website called “SlaveryAdvocate” as “the only pro-slavery website on the internet” collects anti-abolitionist literature, and it states as it’s motto, “slavery, hierarchy, virtue” and that “absolute liberty is the death of morality.” The website features hundreds of materials, even some modern sources, and it explains that “humanity has embraced a doctrine of freedom, individual autonomy, and the goal of mass emancipation from fixed hierarchy. We oppose these pursuits.”
George Fitzhugh was a leading pro-slavery advocate in the 19th century, and he is known for coining the term “sociology” or socialism. He tells us, “With thinking men, the question can never arise, who ought to be free? Because no one ought to be free. All government is slavery. The proper subject of investigation for philosophers and philanthropists is, ‘Is the existing mode of government adapted to the wants of its subjects?’” “It is the duty of society to protect all its members, and it can only do so by subjecting each to that degree of government constraint or slavery, which will best advance the good of each and of the whole.” “Liberty is an evil which government is intended to correct. This is the sole object of government.” “Adopt the slavery principle, vindicate the institution in the abstract, tighten the reins of government, restrain and punish licentiousness in every form, scout and repudiate the doctrines of let alone... and govern much and rigorously. This is the new world that we want.” “There is no such thing as natural human liberty, because it is unnatural for man to live alone and without the pale and government of society.” “The slavery principle is almost the only principle of government, the distinctive feature of man’s social and dependent nature, and the only cement that binds society together and wards off anarchy.” “The need of law and government is just in proportion to man’s wealth and enlightenment. Barbarians and savages need and will submit to but few and simple laws, and little of government. The love of personal liberty and freedom from all restraint, are distinguishing traits of wild men and wild beasts.” “No wonder the abolitionists loved to quote the Declaration of Independence! Its precepts are wholly at war with slavery and equally at war with all government, all subordination, all order... Life and liberty are not inalienable. Jefferson in sum, was the architect of ruin, the inaugurator of anarchy.”
Robert Lewis Dabney, another pro-slavery advocate, stated “Domestic servitude, as we define and defend it, is but civil government in one of its forms. All government is restraint; and this is but one form of restraint.”
In conclusion, we see a clear distinction in those who see liberty as order, and those who see slavery as order. One being the abolitionists, and the other being the pro-slavery advocates. One stands with voluntary interaction, encouraging the moral and intellectual development of the individual, and the other stands with coercive interaction, encouraging the debasement and dehumanization of the individual. When these two views came face-to-face with the mass public, it became clear which was evidential for truth, or true order. Chattel slavery was ended in the aggregate. The problem is, the mass public has not yet come face-to-face with the slavery caused by governments, which the abolitionists called political slavery. We now stand, as abolitionist-voluntaryists, against pro-slavery-statists.
Many more quotes and untold history and action: https://theliberator.us/book