OCR Text |
Show 30 of the thorn,' Tws' come up the fir-tree, and insten~ of the briar' has 'come up the myrtle tree, and 1t shall be to the Lord for a name-for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.' P· 141. I have now given a few extracts from Mr. Gurney's book. They need no comment. Indeed, nothing can be said to convince or move the reader, if these simple records of Emancipation do not find their way to his heart. In the whole history of efforts for human happiness, it is doubtful, if another example can be found of so great a revolution accomplished with so few sacrifices, and such immediate reward. Compare with this the American Revolution, which had for its end to shake off a yoke too light to be named by the side of domestic slavery. Through what fields of blood and years of suffering, did we seek civil freedom, a boon insignificant in comparison with freedom from an owner's grasp ! It is the ordinary law of Providence: that great blessings shall be gained by great sacnfices, and that the most beneficial social changes shall bring immediate suffering. That near a million of human beings should pass in a day from the deepest degradation to the rights of freemen, with so little agitation of the social system, is a fact so strange, t~at we naturally suspect at first some tinging of the pte· ture from tbe author's sympathies; and we are 31 brought to full conviction only by the simplicity and minuteness of his details. For one, I should have rejoiced in Emancipation as an unspeakable good, had the immediate results worn a much darker hue. I wanted only to know, that social order was preserved, that the laws were respected after Emancipation. I felt, that, were anarchy escaped, no evil worse than slavery could take its place. I had not forgotten the doctrine of our fath ers, that human freedom was worth vast sac rifices, that it could hardly be bought at too great a price. I proceed now to offer a few remarks on several topics suggested by Mr. Gurney's book, and I shall close by considering the duties which belong to indi1• iduals and to the free States in relation to slavery. The first topic suggested by our author, and perhaps the most worthy of note, is his anxiety to show that Emancipation has been accompanied with little pecuniary loss, that as a monied speculation it is not to be condemned. He evidently supposes, that he is writing for a people who will judge of this grand event in history by the standard of commercial profit or loss. In this view, his simple book tells more than a thousand satires against the spirit of our times. In speaking of West Indian Emancipation, it !Jas been common for men to say, We must |