You have
no more idea of the practical relation between the whites and the
blacks, the owners and the slaves, than most of the English people, who
have never been here, have of our Federal and State relations.
I will tell you an incident which I know to be literally true.
A lady from a free state was visiting at the South. Calling upon a
married lady, a near relative of one who has been Vice-President of the
United States, she found her with a little sick black babe at her
breast.
The Northern lady started with astonishment. I am not informed whether
she was what is called among us a "friend of the slave;" the eminent
lady friend whom she visited certainly was such, in the best sense. The
Northern lady's feelings of repugnance would not be found to be peculiar
to her among our Northern people. The little babe died on the lap of the
Southern lady.
So you see that there are more things here than are dreamed of in your
philosophy. When you stigmatize the Southerners as oppressors, my only
consolation for you is that you know not what you do. Imagine, now, the
Rev. Mr. Blank, at the North, relating that little incident: "Behold and
see this monstrous picture of infinite hypocrisy: The Slave-power with a
slave at its breast! Yes, rather than lose one or two hundred dollars'
worth of human "property," a distinguished lady slave-holder will give
her nourishment to a slave-infant.
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