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Adams, Nehemiah, 1806-1878

"The Sable Cloud A Southern Tale With Northern Comments (1861)"

--Moreover, it will be said that the
manner in which people from the North have in many instances of late
been treated at the South, does not encourage the hope and prospect of
amicable intercourse. This is certainly so; and therefore what have we
to look for but everlasting hatred and strife? and that whether we be
one nation or two confederacies.
A distinguished Southern gentleman came home from his visit to the
North, where he had received great attentions, and he filled his hearers
with his enthusiastic admiration of us for our wonderful ingenuity in
all the arts of life.
"It is astonishing," said he, "how they work everything into shape, and
create instruments for their purposes. But," said he, "there is one
thing in which they are deficient. They are omnipotent with matter, but
they do not know how to govern men. If they did," said he, "there would
be no chance for us in any form of contest with them."
I was much entertained, and I said to him that I supposed his remarks
would need qualification on both sides; but I was greatly impressed, as
I often am here, with the secret, strong attachment which there is in
Southern hearts to the North as a part of the country, irrespective of
its anti-slavery views and feelings.


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