The Slave

What right divine has mortal man received,
To domineer with uncontroll'd command?
What philosophic wight has thus believed
That Heaven entailed on him the weaker band?

If Africa was fraught with weaker light,
Whilst to the tribes of Europe more was given,
Does this impart to them a lawful right
To counterfeit the golden rule of Heaven?

Did sovereign justice give to robbery birth,
And bid the fools to theft their rights betray,
To spread the seeds of slavery o'er the earth,
That you should hold them as your lawful prey?

Why did Almighty God the land divide
And bid each nation to maintain her own,
Rolling between the deep, the wind and tide,
With all their rage to make his order known?

The sad phylactory bound on rebel Cain,
For killing Abel is in blood reveal'd,
For which the soldier falls among the slain,
A victim on the sanguinary field.

Thus, in the cause of vile and sordid gain,
To gratify their lust is all the plea;
Like Cain you've your consanguine brother slain,
And robbed him of his birthright — Liberty.

Why do ye not the Ishmealites enslave,
Or artful red man in his rude attire,
As well as with the Black man, split the wave,
And to his progeny with rage aspire?

Because the brood-sow's left side pigs were black,
Whose sable tincture was by nature struck,
Are you by justice bound to pull them back
And leave the sandy colored pigs to suck?

Or can you deem that God does not intend
His kingdom through creation to display,
The sacred right of nature to defend,
And show to mortals who shall bear the sway?

Then suffer Heaven to vindicate the cause,
The wrong abolish and the right restore;
To make a sacrifice of cruel laws,
And slavish murmurs will be heard no more.