Untitled - African American History

SLAVERY IN INDIA. 11
naturally slaves. 1 To serve a Brahman, was declared
their most laudable action. 3
The same provision existed and exists in India as in
Egypt, in reference to the immutable status of the different
castes, and similar penalties
inflicted for any effort
to seek to migrate from the one to another. 3 The effect
of which is, that India, to-day, is comparatively the same
as India three centuries before Christ, when Megasthenes
accompanied Alexander in his conquest, and left a record
of his impressions. 4
Though the servile class, or Soudras, were declared by
Menu to be naturally slaves, yet we find, in modern
times, many of them that, either from the clemency of
their masters or the unprofitableness of their labor, are
emancipated from the control of any particular master.
And while those that belong to the military and agricultural
castes seem originally to have been free, yet we
find, in later times, from voluntary sale or other causes,
many of them have become slaves to their superior
castes; there being only one restriction, according to
Hindoo law, and that is, that no one shall become a
slave to a master of his own or an inferior caste. 5
In the
event of a marriage between persons of different castes,
the offspring followed the condition of the inferior
parent. 6
By the Hindoo law, slaves might become such, by
voluntary sale, by sale or gift of children, by sale for
1
Institutes of Menu, ch. viii, v. 414 ; Adam, on Slavery in India, p.
13 ; Wallon, torn, i, p. 32.
2 Wallon, torn, i, 32, n. 5. It will be perceived that, by this means?
slavery became a part of the religion of the Hindoos. Ibid. 35.
3
Rees's Cyclopedia, Article " Caste ;" Wallon, torn, i, p. 34, 35.
4 Arrian, Strabo, and Diodorus derived all their information from Me-
gasthenes. See Prichard's Analysis of Egyptian Mythology, note to
Book IV, ch. iii, p. 397.
5 Adam on Slavery in India, pp. 12, 13, and authorities cited by him ;
Wallon, de 1'Esclavage, &c., torn, i, p. 32.
6
Wallon, torn, i, p. 34.