During the antebellum period before the Civil War, slavery was already becoming a major controversy. Many people (mostly rich white men with land) fought in favor of slavery due to the fact that they had been reliant on slave labor for profits for so long. They presented many moral arguments to persuade society that slavery was socially acceptable. In document J, Governor Wise proclaims that slavery helps bring equality among the whites. If abolitionists were to tear down slavery and its institutions, the neutrality between white settlers would cease to exist. Another document that presents a moral argument for slavery is document L which is taken from De Bow’s Review. This document provides a powerful counter-argument against previous religious
