Mr. Stephens, Vice President of the “Confederate States” in his recent speech at Savannah, has a great deal to say about the great principle upon which the new revolutionary government is founded—which truth he slates to be this: “ That the negro is not equal to the white man. That slavery—subordination to the superior race, is his natural and moral (normal?) condition.” He does not tell us what he means by equality, and rings the changes on the word, very much as we have heard it done nearer home. From what he says, however, we presume he means some physical inequality, as he speaks of this, “great physical and moral truth.” We presume that he does not mean to state that any man may be rightfully compelled under the lash, to work for any other who is physically his superior. And so also of inferiority in moral- character or Intelligence—he would hardly assert these as justifying enslavement. Either of these principles put in practice would lead to strange changes. Mr. Stephens himself is physically inferior to the average of men of his age. He must refer to difference of race. For, in speaking of the scientific aspect of his principle and the slowness of its recognition in the world, he says: “Many governments have been founded upon the principle of certain classes; but the classes thus enslaved were of the same race and (so enslaved) in violation of the laws of nature.”

Indeed! The enslavement of the same race then is “in violation of the laws of nature.” What say Dr. Van Dyke, Dr. Thornwell, and Dr. Raphall to this? What becomes of all their arguments from the Bible in favor of slavery? The slaves held by the Jews were white; and so, according to the Vice President of the “Confederate States,” held as such “in violation of the laws of nature.” Mr. Stephens must be immediately excommunicated from the Southern Church, or the sound doctrine of the D. D.s will be in danger of being corrupted. Perhaps,  however, he will hasten to retract so dangerous a statement