South,butahundredthousandmerchantsandfarmershere,whoaremoreinterestedincommerceandagriculturethantheyareinhumanity,andarenotpreparedtodojusticetotheslaveandtoMexico,costwhatitmay.Iquarrelnotwithfar-offfoes,butwiththosewho,nearathome,co-operatewith,anddothebiddingofthosefaraway,andwithoutwhomthelatterwouldbeharmless.Weareaccustomedtosay,thatthemassofmenareunpreparedbutimprovementisslow,becausethefewarenotmateriallywiserorbetterthanthemany.Itisnotsoimportantthatmanyshouldbeasgoodasyou,asthattherebesomeabsolutegoodnesssomewhereforthatwillleaventhewholelump.Therearethousandswhoareinopinionopposedtoslaveryandtothewar,whoyetineffectdonothingtoputanendtothemwho,esteemingthemselveschildrenofWashingtonandFranklin,sitdownwiththeirhandsintheirpockets,andsaythattheyknownotwhattodo,anddonothingwhoevenpostponethequestionoffreedomtothequestionoffree-trade,andquietlyreadtheprices-currentalongwiththelatestadvicesfromMexico,afterdinner,and,itmaybe,fallasleepoverthemboth.Whatistheprice-currentofanhonestmanandpatriottoday?Theyhesitate,andtheyregret,andsometimestheypetitionbuttheydonothinginearnestandwitheffect.Theywillwait,welldisposed,forotherstoremedytheevil,thattheymaynolongerhaveittoregret.Atmost,theygiveonlyacheapvote,andafeeblecountenanceandGodspeed,totheright,asitgoesbythem.Thereareninehundredandninety-ninepatronsofvirtuetoonevirtuousmanbutitiseasiertodealwiththerealpossessorofathingthanwiththetemporaryguardianofit.
Allvotingisasortofgaming,likechequersorbackgammon,withaslightmoraltingetoit,aplayingwithrightandwrong,withmoralquestionsandbettingnaturallyaccompaniesit.Thecharacterofthevotersisnotstaked.Icastmyvote,perchance,asIthinkrightbutIamnotvitallyconcernedthatthatrightshouldprevail.Iamwillingtoleaveittothemajority.Itsobligation,therefore,neverexceedsthatofexpediency.Evenvotingfortherightisdoingnothingforit.Itisonlyexpressingtomenfeeblyyourdesirethatitshouldprevail.Awisemanwillnotleavetherighttothemercyofchance,norwishittoprevailthroughthepowerofthemajority.Thereisbutlittlevirtueintheactionofmassesofmen.Whenthemajorityshallatlengthvotefortheabolitionofslavery,itwillbebecausetheyareindifferenttoslavery,orbecausethereisbutlittleslaverylefttobeabolishedbytheirvote.Theywillthenbetheonlyslaves.Onlyhisvotecanhastentheabolitionofslaverywhoassertshisownfreedombyhisvote.
IhearofaconventiontobeheldatBaltimore,orelsewhere,fortheselectionofacandidateforthePresidency,madeupchieflyofeditors,andmenwhoarepoliticiansbyprofessionbutIthink,whatisittoanyindependent,intelligent,andrespectablemanwhatdecisiontheymaycometo,shallwenothavetheadvantageofhiswisdomandhonesty,nevertheless?Canwenotcountuponsomeindependentvotes?Aretherenotmanyindividualsinthecountrywhodonotattendconventions?Butno:Ifindthattherespectableman,socalled,hasimmediatelydriftedfromhisposition,anddespairsofhiscountry,whenhiscountryhasmorereasonstodespairofhim.Heforthwithadoptsoneofthecandidatesthusselectedastheonlyavailableone,thusprovingthatheishimselfavailableforanypurposesofthedemagogue.Hisvoteisofnomoreworththanthatofanyunprincipledforeignerorhirelingnative,whomayhavebeenbought.Ohforamanwhoisaman,and,asmyneighborsays,hasaboneinhisbackwhichyoucannotpassyourhandthrough!Ourstatisticsareatfault:thepopulationhasbeenreturnedtoolarge.Howmanymenaretheretoasquarethousandmilesinthecountry?Hardlyone.DoesnotAmericaofferanyinducementformentosettlehere?TheAmericanhasdwindledintoanOddFellow,—onewhomaybeknownbythedevelopmentofhisorganofgregariousness,andamanifestlackofintellectandcheerfulself-reliancewhosefirstandchiefconcern,oncomingintotheworld,istoseethatthealms-housesareingoodrepairand,beforeyethehaslawfullydonnedthevirilegarb,tocollectafundforthesupportofthewidowsandorphansthatmaybewho,inshort,venturestoliveonlybytheaidoftheMutualInsurancecompany,whichhaspromisedtoburyhimdecently.
Itisnotaman’sduty,asamatterofcourse,todevotehimselftotheeradicationofany,eventhemostenormouswronghemaystillproperlyhaveotherconcernstoengagehimbutitishisduty,atleast,towashhishandsofit,and,ifhegivesitnothoughtlonger,nottogiveitpracticallyhissupport.IfIdevotemyselftootherpursuitsandcontemplations,Imustfirstsee,atleast,thatIdonotpursuethemsittingupon