I take pride
here, that I may really say the liberty of the press works well, and
that checks and balances naturally evolve from it, which suffice to
its government. I may say, that the minds of our people are alert,
and that talent has a free chance to rise. It is much. But dare I
say, that political ambition is not as darkly sullied as in other
countries? Dare I say, that men of most influence in political life
are those who represent most virtue, or even intellectual power? Can
I say, our social laws are generally better, or show a nobler insight
into the wants of man and woman? I do indeed say what I believe, that
voluntary association for improvement in these particulars will be the
grand means for my nation to grow, and give a nobler harmony to the
coming age. Then there is this cancer of slavery, and this wicked war
that has grown out of it. How dare I speak of these things here? I
listen to the same arguments against the emancipation of Italy, that
are used against the emancipation of our blacks; the same arguments in
favor of the spoliation of Poland, as for the conquest of Mexico.
How it pleases me here to think of the Abolitionists! I could never
endure to be with them at home; they were so tedious, often so narrow,
always so rabid and exaggerated in their tone.
Pages:
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310