Slavery,  however  it  may  be  at  any  time  or  in  any  place  excused,  u
at  all  times  and  everywhere  unjust  and  inhuman  in  it8  very  nature;
while  freedom,  however  it  may  be  at  any  time  or  in  any  yiaco
neglected,  denied  or  abused,  is  in  its  nature  right,  just  ati<l  benefi-
cent. It  can  never,  under  any  circumstances,  be  wise  to  pereevere,
voluntjirily,  in  extending  or  fortifying  an  institution  that  is  intiiruti-
cally  wrong  or  cniel.  It  can  never  be  unwise,  wherever  it  is  possi-
ble, to  defend  and  fortify  an  existing  institution  that  is  founded  OD
the  rights  of  human  nature.  Insomuch  as  opinions  are  ao  nuite'
rially,  and  yet  so  unconsciously,  aftcctcd  and  modified  by  time,  pboe
and  circumstances,  we  may  hold  these  great  truths  firudy,  witho^^
impeaching  the  convictions  or  the  motives  of  those  who  deny  tlMi^H
in  argument  or  in  practice.
I  counsel  thus  for  another  reason  quite  as  simple  as  the  first
Knowledge,  emulation  and  independence  among  the  membet«  of  a

sirtl  state  are  the  chief  elementii  of  national  wealth,  strength  and
?cr.  Ignorance,  indolence  and  bondage  of  individuals  arc  alwavs
sources  of  national  imbecility  and  decline.  All  nations  in  their  turns
have  practised  slavery.  Most  of  them  have  abolished  it.  The  world
over,  the  wealthiest  and  most  powerful  nations  have  been  tliose  which
tolerated  it  least,  and  which  earliest  and  most  completely  abolishtnl
it  Virginia  and  Texas  are  thrown  into  a  panic  even  now  by  the
appearance  or  oven  the  suspicion  of  a  handful  of  men  within  tht^


THE  NATIONAL  DIVERGENCE.
815


I


borders  instigating  civil  war.  Massacbusetta  and  Vennont  defied
British  invasiion  backed  by  treason,  eighty  years  ago.
