“Letter to an English Abolitionist,” John Henry Hammond, 1845

James Henry Hammond wrote a letter to an English Abolitionist in 1845 to explain their side of the story (why there must be slaves).  He starts out saying that all over the world a man can hold property over another man; persuading the reader to feel empathetic to the cause of having slavery. Hammond writes how justice is just a fairy tale and how the world is made for man. He persuades the readers very well how slavery is just part of life, just like poverty, disease, and deformity. In comparing these things, Hammond depicts an idea that slavery is a way of nature. How it can’t be controlled or nothing can stop it. Poverty is clearly shown in different parts of the world. Once someone obtained a disease it would mean death, because medicine was at its infancy. Deformity was inevitable and can’t be cured. By comparing these things, Hammond clearly paints an idea to the reader (abolitionist) that slavery is beyond a man’s control. Slavery is natural way of living life that we just must accept it. It is beyond people’s control.

Hammond shows how he is a religious man. He states that, “Let us open these Holy Scriptures… purchase ‘bondmen forever’…” (Hammond, 1845).  He gives us a radical example how the word of God states how it is ok to have a slave. The ten commandment states that “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's”. He makes a strong point on how it is a natural way to have a slave that it is just like having a pet. By making a biblical analogy, this shows how people in the 1800’s are very religious and anything is in the will of God shouldn’t be questioned.  Hammond states that, “American Slavery is not only not a sin, but especially commanded by God through Moses, and approved by Christ through the apostles…” (Hammond, 1845). Hammond justifies his reasoning why slaves are the will of god, so that people would not object to the notion.  It is sacrilegious to go against the will of god. In 1800’s people followed the bible on how they would conduct and tackle their everyday obstacles so the people should have slaves.

Hammond goes and belittles Jefferson’s dogma on “all men are born equal”. Men are needed to establish societies. There will always be someone above a person so slaves are a must to work for the person above. It is necessary to have slaves to do the hard labor. He goes on to compare poverty and ignorant to slave, how it is not look down upon but a part of life and society. If a slave becomes a free man it is more expensive to pay their wage and it could hurt the economy especially them. Hammond wants to self-preserve his wealth and keep making money. Slaves pick, plant cotton, cook, clean the farm, etc. Without them, slave-owner’s business would diminish, because no one would work for them for free.

Hammond states that slave-owners don’t like to punish and assert control over the slaves. But the abolitionist forced them. The abolitionists are giving power to slaves to disobey their master by slowly abolishing slavery and making it illegal. This shows how Hammond is threatening the abolitionist to stop freeing and fighting for the slaves. He tells in the letter how he can punish and punish the slaves, until they know who the master is. He will not stop until, the abolitionist stop harassing them. Hammond makes a good example by stating that in Great Britain, their poor working class is being abused more than slaves, and that American slaves should be grateful. Hammond tries to justify and make him look the “good guy”. Great Britain workers are barely eating and work to death; while American slaves in Hammond’s point of view are treated very well.

Hammond makes a strong argument and justifies how slaves are important in society. He appeals to the reader by stating that it is God’s will. Hammond’s tone is overly zealous for slavery and makes good examples and analogies. The historical significance/relevance of this document is that it gives us an idea of what the slave-owners are fighting for. It gives the reader, the reason why majority of the people in the South are willing to die to have slaves. We always hear the good side of the story and morality that we never have a chance to hear the opposing side. We see the side of one slave-owner, how his action is morally justified by him and gets angry when his right is being taken away (the right to have a slave). I believe this document is a catalyst for the Civil War, because this shows that the slave-owners will not go down without a fight. And, the Abolitionist sees that.

I find the author’s argument very convincing. If I had a clean-slate and did not know what is right or wrong, then I would agree with Hammond. His document is well written and makes strong points on how slavery is a must and how a man has the right to own a slave. But it is immorally wrong to own someone. I find it childish how he tries to compare poverty in Great Britain, and American slavery. Hammond tries to justify his actions by comparing it another immoral action. Of course, the reader would be more empathetic to him, because slavery isn’t that bad compared to the work condition in Great Britain. But the reader must have to think with a critical mind to see how he tries to make him look like a good guy. I disagree with his argument, because I believe in Thomas Jefferson’s dogma, that “all men are created equal”. No one has the right to own, whip and abuse, punish someone. But it still baffles me how, the Tenth Commandment would state how it is ok to have slave, but just don’t covet your neighbor’s slave… What do you think?