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The Source of Rights

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Actually, no.

The Declaration of Independence opened the door for emancipation.;.. read it again and look at the wording.
Do you know what Somerset v. Stewart is?

From the decision:

The state of slavery is of such a nature that it is incapable of being introduced on any reasons, moral or political, but only by positive law, which preserves its force long after the reasons, occasions, and time itself from whence it was created, is erased from memory. It is so odious, that nothing can be suffered to support it, but positive law. Whatever inconveniences, therefore, may follow from the decision, I cannot say this case is allowed or approved by the law of England; and therefore the black must be discharged.

Whatever hypocritical language was in the Declaration of Independence, the effect of it was to remove the American colonies from under the jurisdiction of a court system that had just established the precedent that slaves had human rights.

The British Empire was already on a course to emancipation of slaves. It got there through a series of measures that ended with full emancipation in 1831.

... 34 years before the US finally passed the 13th Amendment in 1865.

We can debate the intent behind the Declaration of Independence - and one school of thought that a major factor behind why independence was declared when it was was the desire of slave states to preserve slavery in light of the Somerset decision - but the effect if the Declaration of Independence was to prolong slavery and delay liberty.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Do you know what Somerset v. Stewart is?

From the decision:



Whatever hypocritical language was in the Declaration of Independence, the effect of it was to remove the American colonies from under the jurisdiction of a court system that had just established the precedent that slaves had human rights.

The British Empire was already on a course to emancipation of slaves. It got there through a series of measures that ended with full emancipation in 1831.

... 34 years before the US finally passed the 13th Amendment in 1865.

We can debate the intent behind the Declaration of Independence - and one school of thought that a major factor behind why independence was declared when it was was the desire of slave states to preserve slavery in light of the Somerset decision - but the effect if the Declaration of Independence was to prolong slavery and delay liberty.
I disagree... the effect of it was the 13th Amendment. You might want to read the wording again.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I disagree... the effect of it was the 13th Amendment. You might want to read the wording again.
It's like talking to a brick wall. :facepalm:

If there had been no Declaration of Independence, slavery would have ended in the American colonies more than 3 decades before the 13th Amendment.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
It's like talking to a brick wall. :facepalm:

If there had been no Declaration of Independence, slavery would have ended in the American colonies more than 3 decades before the 13th Amendment.
It's like someone who keeps driving when there are signs saying "bridge out"; "stop", "turn around" and a man waving the driver down but he keeps going forward.

What part of "all men are created equal" did you not understand? They saw it WAY before it was abolished.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
It's like someone who keeps driving when there are signs saying "bridge out"; "stop", "turn around" and a man waving the driver down but he keeps going forward.

What part of "all men are created equal" did you not understand? They saw it WAY before it was abolished.
But they didn't. We know that they didn't see things this way because they owned human beings as property and denied them their liberty.

These were the words of either:

- a hypocrite, or
- someone who didn't view their slaves as "men".

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You see the real character and value of people in their actions, and the actions of most of those who signed the Declaration of Independence was to oppose liberty.

... and the effect of the Declaration of Independence was to delay emancipation for 34 years longer than if they had done nothing at all.
 
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Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
But they didn't. We know that they didn't see things this way because they owned human beings as property and denied them their liberty.

These were the words of either:

- a hypocrite, or
- someone who didn't view their slaves as "men".

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You see the real character and value of people in their actions, and the actions of most of those who signed the Declaration of Independence was to oppose liberty.

... and the effect of the Declaration of Independence was to delay emancipation for 34 years longer than if they had done nothing at all.
Opinion

they did know - but knew that it would be a process - because many didn’t have slaves and were against slavery

They left the door open to abolition
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I disagree

the Declaration opened the door
If that were the case, then why do you think slavery was abolished in Britain's Caribbean colonies - economically dependent on slavery just as much as the American South - decades before it was banned in the US?
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
If that were the case, then why do you think slavery was abolished in Britain's Caribbean colonies - economically dependent on slavery just as much as the American South - decades before it was banned in the US?


Hard hearts of men - calloused by constant resistance against God’s Holy Spirit

Thank God for spiritually sensitive people like Wilberforce who let God use him even through great resistance

God made humankind equal - some May not want it or believe it

in light of my signature
 

Truth in love

Well-Known Member
Which thus denies your own supposed "rights". Thus, legal rights are determined by the locality that's involved.
If I kidnap you did you right to freedom end? Or did I wrongfully deny you your just rights as a human?

This make all the difference.
 
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