I lay awake here, last night, while
you were writing, and thought it all over. What were you writing about
so long? I wished that I had a pencil and paper near me. Those English
and French people who got rid of slavery as one gets rid of a bunion,
know nothing about slavery mingled with our very life-blood. How
self-righteous they are! Our people, too, are perpetually quoting what
Thomas Jefferson said about slavery in his day. Pray, has there been no
progress? Why are we not permitted to hear what Southern men, as good as
Jefferson, now say about modern slavery?"
"My dear," said I, "perhaps you are not fully qualified as yet to judge
of this great subject in all its relations. The greatest and wisest men
are divided in opinion about it."
"Great subject!" said she, "please let me interrupt you; there is but
one side to it, I should judge, from reading our papers. What do some of
the 'greatest and wisest men,' on the other side, have to say for
themselves? Are they all 'friends of oppression,' 'enemies of freedom,'
'minions of the slave-power,' 'dough-faces'? Husband, I am thoroughly
disgusted. I have been compelled to have uncharitable feelings toward
thousands of people like this Southern lady; I confess I have really
hated them, as I hate men-stealers and pirates.
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