-- Doug Wilson and Steven Wilkins “Southern Slavery, As It Was” (Canon Press, 1996)
We know better than others that every attribute of their character fits them for dependence and servitude. By nature the most affectionate and loyal of all races beneath the sun, they are also the most helpless; and no calamity can befall them greater than the loss of that protection they enjoy under this patriarchal system.
--Calvinist Benjamin M. Palmer, "Thanksgiving Sermon," November 29, 1860
The plain solution of the matter is, slavery may not be the beau ideal of the social organization; that there is a true evil in the necessity for it, but that this evil is not slavery, but the ignorance and vice in the laboring classes, of which slavery is the useful and righteous remedy.
--Calvinist R. L. Dabney, A Defense of Virginia, p. 207.
Wilson On Why to Defend Slavery:
“One time a man was handing out tracts at a gay and lesbian dance. Those attending the dance did not appear to be pleased, and someone apparently called a liberal Methodist pastor to come and deal with him. He came down, and in the course of the discussion, the Christian said that Leviticus condemns homosexuality as an abomination. The liberal pastor responded by saying yes, but the Old Testament allowed for slavery. The Christian responded by saying yes, it certainly did. So?
If those who hate the Word of God can succeed in getting Christians to be embarrassed by any portion of the Word of God, then that portion will continually be employed as a battering ram against the godly principles that are currently under attack. In our day, three of the principal issues are abortion, feminism, and sodomy. If we respond to the "embarrassing parts" of Scripture by saying, "that was then, and this is now," we will quickly discover that liberals can play that game even more efficiently than embarrassed conservatives. Paul prohibited eldership to women? That was then, this is now. Moses condemned sodomy? That was then, this is now. …
This points to the need for Christians to learn the biblical way of avoiding
"problem texts." This is the way of a priori submission. Christians must
recognize that they are under the authority of God, and may not develop
their ideas of what is "right" and "fair" apart from the Word of God. And when
the Bible is our only standard of right and wrong, problem texts disappear. So
this issue of slavery is a wonderful issue upon which to practice. Our
humanistic and democratic culture regards slavery in itself as a
monstrous evil, and acts as though this were self-evidently true. The Bible
permits Christians to own slaves, provided they are treated well. You are
Christian. Whom do you believe?”
http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/vol4/them4-6.htm
Southern Slavery As It Was Full Text:
Wilson: Southern Slavery As It Was
Southern Slavery As It Wasn’t By UI History Professors Ramsey and Quinlan Full Text (.pdf):
http://www.tomandrodna.com/notonthepalouse/Documents/SthrnSlvryAsItWasnt.pdf