Whittier.
An opportunity for resuming the conversation did not occur till long after sundown, and when many of the passengers were retiring to bed.
“I have heard, Mr. Onslow,” said Vance, “that since your removal to Texas you have liberated your slaves.”
“You have been rightly informed,” replied Onslow.
“And how did they succeed as freedmen?”
“Two thirds of them poorly, the remaining third well.”
“Does not such a fact rather bear against emancipation, and in favor of slavery?”
“Quite the contrary. I am aware that the enthusiastic Mr. Ruskin maintains that slavery is ‘not a political institution at all, but an inherent, natural, and eternal inheritance of a large portion of the human race.’ But as his theory would involve the enslaving of white men as well as black, I think we may dismiss it as the sportive extravagance of one better qualified to dogmatize than argue.”
“But is he not right in the application of his theory to the black race?”
“Far from it. Look at the white men you and I knew some twenty-five years ago. How many of them have turned out sots, gluttons, thieves, incapables! Shall the thrifty and wise, therefore, enslave the imprudent and foolish? Assuredly not, whatever such clever men as Mr. Ruskin and Mr. Thomas Carlyle may say in extenuation of such a proceeding.”