passages from an old volume of life-第17节
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ection of ground belongs to freedom or to slavery。 Add to this the official statement made in 1862； that 〃there is not one regiment or battalion； or even company of men； which was organized in or derived from the Free States or Territories； anywhere； against the Union〃； throw in gratuitously Mr。 Stephens's explicit declaration in the speech referred to； and we will consider the evidence closed for the present on this count of the indictment。
In the face of these predictions； these declarations； this line of fracture； this precise statement； testimony from so many sources； extending through several generations； as to the necessary effect of slavery； a priori； and its actual influence as shown by the facts； few will suppose that anything we could have done would have stayed its course or prevented it from working out its legitimate effects on the white subjects of its corrupting dominion。 Northern acquiescence or even sympathy may have sometimes helped to make it sit more easily on the consciences of its supporters。 Many profess to think that Northern fanaticism； as they call it； acted like a mordant in fixing the black dye of slavery in regions which would but for that have washed themselves free of its stain in tears of penitence。 It is a delusion and a snare to trust in any such false and flimsy reasons where there is enough and more than enough in the institution itself to account for its growth。 Slavery gratifies at once the love of power； the love of money； and the love of ease； it finds a victim for anger who cannot smite back his oppressor； and it offers to all； without measure； the seductive privileges which the Mormon gospel reserves for the true believers on earth； and the Bible of Mahomet only dares promise to the saints in heaven。
Still it is common； common even to vulgarism； to hear the remark that the same gallows…tree ought to bear as its fruit the arch…traitor and the leading champion of aggressive liberty。 The mob of Jerusalem was not satisfied with its two crucified thieves； it must have a cross also for the reforming Galilean； who interfered so rudely with its conservative traditions！ It is asserted that the fault was quite as much on our side as on the other； that our agitators and abolishers kindled the flame for which the combustibles were all ready on the other side of the border。 If these men could have been silenced； our brothers had not died。
Who are the persons that use this argument？ They are the very ones who are at the present moment most zealous in maintaining the right of free discussion。 At a time when every power the nation can summon is needed to ward off the blows aimed at its life； and turn their force upon its foes；when a false traitor at home may lose us a battle by a word； and a lying newspaper may demoralize an army by its daily or weekly stillicidium of poison； they insist with loud acclaim upon the liberty of speech and of the press； liberty； nay license； to deal with government； with leaders； with every measure； however urgent； in any terms they choose； to traduce the officer before his own soldiers； and assail the only men who have any claim at all to rule over the country； as the very ones who are least worthy to be obeyed。 If these opposition members of society are to have their way now； they cannot find fault with those persons who spoke their minds freely in the past on that great question which； as we have agreed； underlies all our present dissensions。
It is easy to understand the bitterness which is often shown towards reformers。 They are never general favorites。 They are apt to interfere with vested rights and time…hallowed interests。 They often wear an unlovely； forbidding aspect。 Their office corresponds to that of Nature's sanitary commission for the removal of material nuisances。 It is not the butterfly； but the beetle； which she employs for this duty。 It is not the bird of paradise and the nightingale； but the fowl of dark plumage and unmelodious voice； to which is entrusted the sacred duty of eliminating the substances that infect the air。 And the force of obvious analogy teaches us not to expect all the qualities which please the general taste in those whose instincts lead them to attack the moral nuisances which poison the atmosphere of society。 But whether they please us in all their aspects or not； is not the question。 Like them or not； they must and will perform their office； and we cannot stop them。 They may be unwise； violent； abusive； extravagant； impracticable； but they are alive； at any rate； and it is their business to remove abuses as soon as they are dead； and often to help them to die。 To quarrel with them because they are beetles； and not butterflies； is natural； but far from profitable。 They grow none the less vigorously for being trodden upon； like those tough weeds that love to nestle between the stones of court…yard pavements。 If you strike at one of their heads with the bludgeon of the law； or of violence； it flies open like the seedcapsule of a snap…weed； and fills the whole region with seminal thoughts which will spring up in a crop just like the original martyr。 They chased one of these enthusiasts； who attacked slavery； from St。 Louis； and shot him at Alton in 1837； and on the 23d of June just passed； the Governor of Missouri； chairman of the Committee on Emancipation； introduced to the Convention an Ordinance for the final extinction of Slavery！ They hunted another through the streets of a great Northern city in 1835； and within a few weeks a regiment of colored soldiers； many of them bearing the marks of the slave… driver's whip on their backs； marched out before a vast multitude tremulous with newly…stirred sympathies； through the streets of the same city； to fight our battles in the name of God and Liberty！
The same persons who abuse the reformers； and lay all our troubles at their door； are apt to be severe also on what they contemptuously emphasize as 〃sentiments〃 considered as motives of action。 It is charitable to believe that they do not seriously contemplate or truly understand the meaning of the words they use； but rather play with them； as certain so…called 〃learned〃 quadrupeds play with the printed characters set before them。 In all questions involving duty； we act from sentiments。 Religion springs from them； the family order rests upon them； and in every community each act involving a relation between any two of its members implies the recognition or the denial of a sentiment。 It is true that men often forget them or act against their bidding in the keen competition of business and politics。 But God has not left the hard intellect of man to work out its devices without the constant presence of beings with gentler and purer instincts。 The breast of woman is the ever…rocking cradle of the pure and holy sentiments which will sooner or later steal their way into the mind of her sterner companion； which will by and by emerge in the thoughts of the world's teachers； and at last thunder forth in the edicts of its law…givers and masters。 Woman herself borrows half her tenderness from the sweet influences of maternity； and childhood； that weeps at the story of suffering； that shudders at the picture of wrong； brings down its inspiration 〃from God； who is our home。〃 To quarrel； then； with the class of minds that instinctively attack abuses； is not only profitless but senseless； to sneer at the sentiments which are the springs of all just and virtuous actions； is merely a display of unthinking levity； or of want of the natural sensibilities。
With the hereditary character of the Southern people moving in one direction； and the awakened conscience of the North stirring in the other； the open conflict of opinion was inevitable； and equally inevitable its appearance in the field of national politics。 For what is meant by self…government is； that a man shall make his convictions of what is right and expedient regulate the community so far as his fractional share of the government extends。 If one has come to the conclusion； be it right or wrong； that any particular institution or statute is a violation of the sovereign law of God； it is to be expected that he will choose to be represented by those who share his belief； and who will in their wider sphere do all they legitimately can to get rid of the wrong in which they find themselves and their constituents involved。 To prevent opinion from organizing itself under political forms may be very desirable； but it is not according to the theory or practice of self…government。 And if at last organized opinions become arrayed in hostile shape against each other； we shall find that a just war is only the last inevitable link in a chain of closely connected impulses of which the original source is in Him who gave to tender and humble and uncorrupted souls the sense of right and wrong； which； after passing through various forms； has found its final expression in the use of material force。 Behind the bayonet is the law…giver's statute； behind the statute the thinker's argument； behind the argument is the tender conscientiousness of woman； woman； the wife； the mother；who looks upon the face of God himself reflected in the unsullied soul of infancy。 〃Out of the mouths o
