Project Gutenberg
2012-10-11
Public domain in the USA.
167
Smith, William A. (William Andrew)
1802
1870
Smith, W. A. (William Andrew)
Smith, William Andrew
Summers, Thomas O. (Thomas Osmond)
1812
1882
Summers, T. O. (Thomas Osmond)
Summers, Thomas Osmond
Lectures on the Philosophy and Practice of Slavery
As Exhibited in the Institution of Domestic Slavery in the United States, with the Duties of Masters to Slaves
Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Matthew Wheaton and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive)
"Lectures on the Philosophy and Practice of Slavery" by William A. Smith is a collection of lectures written in the mid-19th century that addresses the controversial subject of domestic slavery in the United States. The work presents a philosophical defense of slavery, arguing for its moral justification based on social principles and the condition of the African race in America. The author, who is a president of a college, aims to clarify the moral and philosophical underpinnings of slavery against popular abolitionist arguments. The opening of the text sets the stage for a thorough examination of the institution of domestic slavery, questioning whether it is sinful in principle. Smith acknowledges the discomfort surrounding discussions of slavery among Southern people, yet emphasizes the necessity of honest inquiry into its moral implications. He argues that theories suggesting slavery is inherently wrong overlook the historical and social context of the African population, positing that the principle of control by one individual over another is a fundamental aspect of all forms of governance. Smith aims to establish the idea that slavery, as an institution, can be justified and is steeped in a moral obligation towards the well-being of enslaved individuals, highlighting a complex interplay of ethics, governance, and social duty. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
file:///public/vhost/g/gutenberg/html/files/41019/41019-h/images/cover.jpg
Reading ease score: 54.9 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
en
Slavery -- United States
E300
Text
Category: History - American
Category: Philosophy & Ethics
513860
2025-08-16T14:37:43.749695
text/html
494527
2024-10-23T11:19:26
text/html
345321
2025-08-16T14:37:49.505646
application/epub+zip
348445
2025-08-16T14:37:44.787658
application/epub+zip
220624
2025-08-16T14:37:44.267660
application/epub+zip
491706
2025-08-16T14:37:53.233694
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
440652
2025-08-16T14:37:48.979726
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
313320
2022-09-18T18:05:08.647590
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
469819
2025-08-16T14:37:42.985715
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
449855
2024-10-23T11:19:26
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
17321
2025-08-16T14:37:53.393652
application/rdf+xml
10857
2025-08-16T14:37:44.355670
image/jpeg
2528
2025-08-16T14:37:44.311697
image/jpeg
302426
2025-08-16T14:37:43.794730
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog
en.wikipedia