第91章

DEARSIR，——YourfavourofJuly31，wasdulyreceived，andwasreadwithpeculiarpleasure。Thesentimentsbreathedthroughthewholedohonortoboththeheadandheartofthewriter。Mineonthesubjectofslaveryofnegroeshavelongsincebeeninpossessionofthepublic，andtimehasonlyservedtogivethemstrongerroot。Theloveofjusticeandtheloveofcountrypleadequallythecauseofthesepeople，anditisamoralreproachtousthattheyshouldhavepleadeditsolonginvain，andshouldhaveproducednotasingleeffort，nayIfearnotmuchseriouswillingnesstorelievethem&

ourselvesfromourpresentconditionofmoral&politicalreprobation。FromthoseoftheformergenerationwhowereinthefulnessofagewhenIcameintopubliclife，whichwaswhileourcontroversywithEnglandwasonpaperonly，Isoonsawthatnothingwastobehoped。Nursedandeducatedinthedailyhabitofseeingthedegradedcondition，bothbodilyandmental，ofthoseunfortunatebeings，notreflectingthatthatdegradationwasverymuchtheworkofthemselves&theirfathers，fewmindshaveyetdoubtedbutthattheywereaslegitimatesubjectsofpropertyastheirhorsesandcattle。Thequietandmonotonouscourseofcoloniallifehasbeendisturbedbynoalarm，andlittlereflectiononthevalueofliberty。

Andwhenalarmwastakenatanenterprizeontheirown，itwasnoteasytocarrythemtothewholelengthoftheprincipleswhichtheyinvokedforthemselves。InthefirstorsecondsessionoftheLegislatureafterIbecameamember，IdrewtothissubjecttheattentionofCol。Bland，oneoftheoldest，ablest，&mostrespectedmembers，andheundertooktomoveforcertainmoderateextensionsoftheprotectionofthelawstothesepeople。Isecondedhismotion，and，asayoungermember，wasmoresparedinthedebate；buthewasdenouncedasanenemyofhiscountry，&wastreatedwiththegrossestindecorum。Fromanearlystageofourrevolutionother&moredistantdutieswereassignedtome，sothatfromthattimetillmyreturnfromEuropein1789，andImaysaytillIreturnedtoresideathomein1809，Ihadlittleopportunityofknowingtheprogressofpublicsentimenthereonthissubject。Ihadalwayshopedthattheyoungergenerationreceivingtheirearlyimpressionsaftertheflameoflibertyhadbeenkindledineverybreast，&hadbecomeasitwerethevitalspiritofeveryAmerican，thatthegeneroustemperamentofyouth，analogoustothemotionoftheirblood，andabovethesuggestionsofavarice，wouldhavesympathizedwithoppressionwhereverfound，andprovedtheirloveoflibertybeyondtheirownshareofit。Butmyintercoursewiththem，sincemyreturnhasnotbeensufficienttoascertainthattheyhadmadetowardsthispointtheprogressIhadhoped。Yoursolitarybutwelcomevoiceisthefirstwhichhasbroughtthissoundtomyear；andIhaveconsideredthegeneralsilencewhichprevailsonthissubjectasindicatinganapathyunfavorabletoeveryhope。Yetthehourofemancipationisadvancing，inthemarchoftime。Itwillcome；andwhetherbroughtonbythegenerousenergyofourownminds；orbythebloodyprocessofStDomingo，excitedandconductedbythepowerofourpresentenemy，ifoncestationedpermanentlywithinourCountry，andofferingasylum&armstotheoppressed，isaleafofourhistorynotyetturnedover。Astothemethodbywhichthisdifficultworkistobeeffected，ifpermittedtobedonebyourselves，Ihaveseennopropositionsoexpedientonthewhole，asthatasemancipationofthosebornafteragivenday，andoftheireducationandexpatriationafteragivenage。Thiswouldgivetimeforagradualextinctionofthatspeciesoflabour&substitutionofanother，andlessentheseverityoftheshockwhichanoperationsofundamentalcannotfailtoproduce。Formenprobablyofanycolor，butofthiscolorweknow，broughtfromtheirinfancywithoutnecessityforthoughtorforecast，arebytheirhabitsrenderedasincapableaschildrenoftakingcareofthemselves，andareextinguishedpromptlywhereverindustryisnecessaryforraisingyoung。Inthemeantimetheyarepestsinsocietybytheiridleness，andthedepredationstowhichthisleadsthem。Theiramalgamationwiththeothercolorproducesadegradationtowhichnoloverofhiscountry，noloverofexcellenceinthehumancharactercaninnocentlyconsent。Iamsensibleofthepartialitieswithwhichyouhavelookedtowardsmeasthepersonwhoshouldundertakethissalutarybutarduouswork。Butthis，mydearsir，islikebiddingoldPriamtobucklethearmourofHector”trementibusaequohumerisetinutileferruncingi。”No，Ihaveoverlivedthegenerationwithwhichmutuallabors&perilsbegatmutualconfidenceandinfluence。Thisenterpriseisfortheyoung；

forthosewhocanfollowitup，andbearitthroughtoitsconsummation。Itshallhaveallmyprayers，&thesearetheonlyweaponsofanoldman。Butinthemeantimeareyourightinabandoningthisproperty，andyourcountrywithit?Ithinknot。Myopinionhaseverbeenthat，untilmorecanbedoneforthem，weshouldendeavor，withthosewhomfortunehasthrownonourhands，tofeedandclothethemwell，protectthemfromallillusage，requiresuchreasonablelaboronlyasisperformedvoluntarilybyfreemen，&

beledbynorepugnanciestoabdicatethem，andourdutiestothem。

Thelawsdonotpermitustoturnthemloose，ifthatwerefortheirgood：andtocommutethemforotherpropertyistocommitthemtothosewhoseusageofthemwecannotcont