Escapes from Cayenne

48 I f y o u are not such—if you proelaim the contrary—if y o u be­ lieve that a nation has not a right to interfere in another nation's affairs—that a community ought not to interfere in the affairs of others—that a man is quite free to do what he likes in his home—to manage his business as he thinks to be the b e s t ; we will beg y o u r permission to answer y o u as follows : T h e law o f Solidarity is a natural law, and men (whoever they may b e ) cannot destroy it. People or Legislators may make laws against it, but these laws in many circumstances will not be followed with their authors' consent or against i t : the exceptions will be as numerous as the cases where the rule is against the laws of nature. Examples : you have two neigh­ boring nations bounded b y a common river ; each one has pro­ claimed that they can do at home what they like. D o y o u think that one of them has the right to turn aside the river from its natural bed, and b y that means to deprive the other o f water ? Certainly n o t ; nature has given the river to both o f the territories—it belongs to both. " M y home is m y castle," says a free citizen. A c c o r d i n g to the laws o f men this may be right. A c c o r d i n g to the laws of nature, this is often wrong. I f y o u are about to kill some­ body in your home or set it on fire, I break open your door or y o u r window, I enter your castle and I prevent y o u from killing or setting fire, every one will confess that I am a good citizen; I have saved a person from death or a town from incendiarism.

N o law can punish me for that.

Consequently your liberty ends where the liberty o f others commences.

Consequently every one has a right,—more than a right, a duty,—to prevent what may hurt others interests, persons or property.

Slavery is in that case, because slavery injures all human creatures.

Nature or God,—as y o u like,—has made all men equal in rights at their birth ; no one is or can be the property o f an­ other.

I f y o u make man property, y o u g o against the laws o f nature, you insult God, y o u cease to be a man, y o u become a Satan—a rebellious angel. Man has a three fold life ; he lives physically, morally and intellectually.

B y slavery y o u kill both his moral and intellectual life; y o u , then, kill two thirds of him ; you destroy God's work. A n d y o u dare to call your­ self a Christian ! W h a t a folly !

Y o u say that we must not interfere in the question o f slavery ?- B u t a negro is a man as well as y o u and I ; he is a member of humanity.

Consequently, when y o u abase him y o u abase me, and y o u abase yourself.

W h e n y o u kill his mind and his dignity, you kill a part of mine and o f yours, because y o u hurt a member of the community which we belong to. Y o u s a y : " L e t every one, nation, province, city or citizen, manage 1