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BONDAGE AND FREEDOM

adapting itself to its latitude. Government, state and national, is called upon
for appropriations to enable the society to send us out of the country by
steam! They want steamers to carry letters and negroes to Africa. Evidently,
this society looks upon our "extremity as its opportunity," and we may expect that it will use the occasion well. They do not deplore, but glory, in our
misfortunes.

But, sir, I must hasten. I have thus briefly given my view of one aspect
of the present condition and future prospects of the colored people of the
United States. And what I have said is far from encouraging to my afflicted
people. I have seen the cloud gather upon the sable brows of some who hear
me. I confess the case looks black enough. Sir, I am not a hopeful man. I
think I am apt even to undercalculate the benefits of the future. Yet, sir, in
this seemingly desperate case, I do not despair for my people. There is a
bright side to almost every picture of this kind; and ours is no exception to
the general rule. If the influences against us are strong, those for us are also
strong. To the inquiry, will our enemies prevail in the execution of their designs. In my God and in my soul, I believe they will not. Let us look at the
first object sought for by the slavery party of the country, viz: the suppression of anti-slavery discussion. They desire to suppress discussion on this
subject, with a view to the peace of the slaveholder and the security of slavery. Now, sir, neither the principle nor the subordinate objects here declared, can be at all gained by the slave power, and for this reason: It involves the proposition to padlock the lips of the whites, in order to secure
the fetters on the limbs of the blacks. The right of speech, precious and
priceless, cannot, will not, be surrendered to slavery. Its suppression is
asked for, as I have said, to give peace and security to slaveholders. Sir, that
thing cannot be done. God has interposed an insuperable obstacle to any
such result. "There can be no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Suppose
it were possible to put down this discussion, what would it avail the guilty
slaveholder, pillowed as he is upon the heaving bosoms of ruined souls? He
could not have a peaceful spirit. If every anti-slavery tongue in the nation
were silent--every anti-slavery organization dissolved--every anti-slavery press demolished--every anti-slavery periodical, paper, book, pamphlet, or what not, were searched out, gathered together, deliberately
burned to ashes, and their ashes given to the four winds of heaven, still, still
the slaveholder could have "no peace." In every pulsation of his heart, in
every throb of his life, in every glance of his eye, in the breeze that soothes,
and in the thunder that startles, would be waked up an accuser, whose cause
is, "Thou art, verily, guilty concerning thy brother."