buttoliveinit,beitgoodorbad.Amanhasnoteverythingtodo,butsomethingandbecausehecannotdoeverything,itisnotnecessarythatheshoulddosomethingwrong.ItisnotmybusinesstobepetitioningtheGovernorortheLegislatureanymorethanitistheirstopetitionmeand,iftheyshouldnothearmypetition,whatshouldIdothen?ButinthiscasetheStatehasprovidednoway:itsveryConstitutionistheevil.Thismayseemtobeharshandstubbornandunconcilliatorybutitistotreatwiththeutmostkindnessandconsiderationtheonlyspiritthatcanappreciateordeservesit.Soisallchangeforthebetter,likebirthanddeathwhichconvulsethebody.
Idonothesitatetosay,thatthosewhocallthemselvesabolitionistsshouldatonceeffectuallywithdrawtheirsupport,bothinpersonandproperty,fromthegovernmentofMassachusetts,andnotwaittilltheyconstituteamajorityofone,beforetheysuffertherighttoprevailthroughthem.IthinkthatitisenoughiftheyhaveGodontheirside,withoutwaitingforthatotherone.Moreover,anymanmorerightthanhisneighborsconstitutesamajorityofonealready.
ImeetthisAmericangovernment,oritsrepresentative,theStategovernment,directly,andfacetoface,onceayear,nomore,inthepersonofitstax-gathererthisistheonlymodeinwhichamansituatedasIamnecessarilymeetsitanditthensaysdistinctly,Recognizemeandthesimplest,themosteffectual,and,inthepresentpostureofaffairs,theindispensablestmodeoftreatingwithitonthishead,ofexpressingyourlittlesatisfactionwithandloveforit,istodenyitthen.Mycivilneighbor,thetax-gatherer,istheverymanIhavetodealwith,—foritis,afterall,withmenandnotwithparchmentthatIquarrel,—andhehasvoluntarilychosentobeanagentofthegovernment.Howshallheeverknowwellwhatheisanddoesasanofficerofthegovernment,orasaman,untilheisobligedtoconsiderwhetherheshalltreatme,hisneighbor,forwhomhehasrespect,asaneighborandwell-disposedman,orasamaniacanddisturberofthepeace,andseeifhecangetoverthisobstructiontohisneighborlinesswithoutaruderandmoreimpetuousthoughtorspeechcorrespondingwithhisaction?Iknowthiswell,thatifonethousand,ifonehundred,iftenmenwhomIcouldname,—iftenhonestmenonly,—aye,ifoneHONESTman,inthisStateofMassachusetts,ceasingtoholdslaves,wereactuallytowithdrawfromthiscopartnership,andbelockedupinthecountyjailtherefor,itwouldbetheabolitionofslaveryinAmerica.Foritmattersnothowsmallthebeginningmayseemtobe:whatisoncewelldoneisdoneforever.Butwelovebettertotalkaboutit:thatwesayisourmission.Reformkeepsmanyscoresofnewspapersinitsservice,butnotoneman.Ifmyesteemedneighbor,theState’sambassador,whowilldevotehisdaystothesettlementofthequestionofhumanrightsintheCouncilChamber,insteadofbeingthreatenedwiththeprisonsofCarolina,weretositdowntheprisonerofMassachusetts,thatStatewhichissoanxioustofoistthesinofslaveryuponhersister,—thoughatpresentshecandiscoveronlyanactofinhospitalitytobethegroundofaquarrelwithher,—theLegislaturewouldnotwhollywaivethesubjectofthefollowingwinter.
Underagovernmentwhichimprisonsanyunjustly,thetrueplaceforajustmanisalsoaprison.Theproperplacetoday,theonlyplacewhichMassachusettshasprovidedforherfreerandlessdespondingspirits,isinherprisons,tobeputoutandlockedoutoftheStatebyherownact,astheyhavealreadyputthemselvesoutbytheirprinciples.Itistherethatthefugitiveslave,andtheMexicanprisoneronparole,andtheIndiancometopleadthewrongsofhisrace,shouldfindthemonthatseparate,butmorefreeandhonorableground,wheretheStateplacesthosewhoarenotwithherbutagainsther,—theonlyhouseinaslave-stateinwhichafreemancanabidewithhonor.Ifanythinkthattheirinfluencewouldbelostthere,andtheirvoicesnolongerafflicttheearoftheState,thattheywouldnotbeasanenemywithinitswalls,theydonotknowbyhowmuchtruthisstrongerthanerror,norhowmuchmoreeloquentlyandeffectivelyhecancombatinjusticewhohasexperiencedalittleinhisownperson.Castyourwholevote,notastripofpapermerely,butyourwholeinfluence.Aminorityispowerlesswhileitconformstothemajorityitisnotevenaminoritythenbutitisirresistiblewhenitclogsbyitswholeweight.Ifthealternativeistokeepalljustmeninprison,orgiveupwarandslavery,theStatewillnothesitatewhichtochoose.Ifathousandmenwerenottopaytheirtax-billsthisyear,thatwouldnotbeaviolentandbloodymeasure,asitwouldbetopaythem,andenabletheStatetocommitviolenceandshedinnocentblood.Thisis,infact,thedefinitionofapeaceablerevolution,ifanysuchispossible.Ifthetax-gatherer,oranyot