“For which we owe them a debt of gratitude,” responded the captain; “as we do John Bright, also, for his outspoken sympathy with our Federal Government in its efforts to put down the late rebellion,—a time of sore trial to Union-loving Americans; a time ‘when days were dark and friends were few,’ and even such men as Gladstone and Guthrie showed themselves sympathizers with the would-be destroyers of our nation.
“It seemed passing strange to loyal Americans of that day that the English, who had for many years so constantly reproached our land for allowing the existence of negro slavery within her borders, should, when the awful struggle was upon us, side with those whose aim and purpose it was to found an empire upon the perpetual bondage of millions of that race—their fellow-men; for, as the Bible tells us, God ‘hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.’”
“I acknowledge the inconsistency,” returned Mr. Austin; “but do not forget that not all Englishmen were guilty of it. Mr. Bright, according to your own showing, was a notable exception; and there were many others.
“Nor is inconsistency a fault confined to Englishmen,” he added, with a slightly mischievous smile; “the readers of your Declaration, in the days when negro slavery flourished in this country, must sometimes have felt uncomfortably conscious of the inconsistency of the two,—the contradiction between creed and manner of life.”
“No doubt,” acknowledged Captain Raymond, “and thankful I am that the blot is removed from the scutcheon of my country.”
“‘Slaves cannot breathe in England!’” quoted Albert, with pride and satisfaction.
“I think they were never deprived of that privilege in America,” remarked Max soberly, but with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“Ah, it is not meant in that sense, but Englishmen have never been guilty of holding men in bondage—in their own land, at least.”
“Haven’t they?” cried Max, pricking up his ears. “Why, then, did your Alfred the Great make laws respecting the sale of slaves?”
“I had forgotten that for the moment,” returned Albert, reddening: “but I was thinking only of negro slavery.”