Editing William Ellery Channing (section)

===Later years===

In later years, Channing addressed the topic of [[slavery]] although he was never an ardent [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionist]]. Channing wrote a book in 1835 entitled ''Slavery.''<ref>[https://archive.org/details/slavery02changoog SLAVERY]</ref> Channing has, however, been described as a [[Romantic racism|romantic racist]].<ref>''Black Abolitionism: A Quest for Human Dignity'', Beverly Eileen Mitchell, pp. 133–38</ref> He held a common American belief about the inferiority of African people and slaves and held a belief that once freed, Africans would need overseers. The overseers (largely former slave masters) were necessary because the slaves would lapse into laziness. Furthermore, he did not join the abolitionist movement because he did not agree with their way of conducting themselves, and he felt that voluntary associations limited a person's autonomy. Therefore, he often chose to remain separate from organizations and reform movements. This middle position characterized his attitude about most questions although his eloquence and strong influence on the religious world incurred the enmity of many extremists. Channing had an enormous influence over the religious (and social) life of New England, and America, in the nineteenth century.

Toward the end of his life, Channing embraced immediate abolitionism. His evolving view of abolitionism was fostered by the success of British [[Abolitionism in the United Kingdom|abolition]] in the [[British West Indies]] in 1834 and the absence of the expected social and economic upheaval in the post-emancipated [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]].

In 1837, Channing published a pamphlet, in the form of an [[open letter]] to Senator Henry Clay, opposing the annexation of [[Texas]], arguing that the [[Texas Revolution|revolution]] there was "criminal."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Channing |first1=William Ellery |title=A letter to the Hon. Henry Clay, on the annexation of Texas to the United States |date=1837 |publisher=James Munroe and Company |location=Boston |pages=7–10 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015025900153&view=2up&seq=10&size=125 |access-date=26 February 2021}}</ref>

Channing wrote extensively about the emerging new national literature of the United States, saying that national literature is "the expression of a nation's mind in writing", and "the concentration of intellect for the purpose of spreading itself abroad and multiplying its energy".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=F_MilVnnDugC&pg=PA1242 Remarks on National Literature]</ref>