Divine Being gave Ham one talent, Japheth two, and Shem four; he, in so doing, inflicted no wrong on Ham.  To whom much is given, of the same much is required.  In order to secure the blessing of God, it was only necessary for Ham to improve what he had received.  God required no more at his hands.  But it is evident, from the manner in which he conducted himself toward his heaven favored and pious father, that he was an egregious sinner, and the curse of God fell upon him, and his progeny.  “The curse causeless shall not come.”

When the Almighty in his providence suffers a punishment to fall on a man, or a race of men, he has a good and sufficient reason for it.  If He hides his face, or withhold his blessings, we may search for the cause in our own hearts.  “It is your iniquities,” (said the prophet), “that have separated you and your God.”  But to return to the sovereignty of God.  He has the power.—­He has the right.  He, alone, is competent to decide what is best for us.  “Hath not the potter power over the same lump of clay, to make one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor.”  He is under no obligation to any one; the best of us having forfeited all right, title, or claim to his mercy.  Whatever mercies or blessings we may receive at the hands of Divine Benificence, are unmerited; undeserved on our part.  The Divine Being is debtor to no one.  There is no merit on our part, there can be none.  God nevertheless has respect to character.  Shem and Japheth, acted in accordance with Divine will, and He chose to confer on them certain favors and benefits.  Ham incurred his displeasure, by violating his laws; and He left his posterity to those temporal misfortunes, which must necessarily grow out of moral infirmities, and mental disabilities.

I think I have clearly shown that African slavery originated in the inferiority of the African race; and that the inferiority of the African race, originated in the violation of God’s laws.  Slavery is perpetuated by the cause that brought it into existence.  I have alluded in the preceding pages to the mental disabilities and the moral defects and infirmities of the posterity of Ham; as subjecting them to degradation and slavery.  Physical conformation and color, viz., the curly hair, the black skin, the flat nose, the broad flat foot, &c., have had no small share in subjecting the negro race to degradation and slavery.  All other races of men shun and despise them on account of their physical peculiarities.  This is the key to that universal prejudice against the African race, the world over.  The negro race are then, slaves from necessity, viz., they are slaves because they are incapable of attaining to the rights and privilege of free men.  And those rights and privileges they never can enjoy in the midst of the Anglo-Saxon race.