tention has been so great, as to lead to mutual threats
of a dismemberment of the Union. A stranger has no little difficulty in
understanding how much of this war of words is real, and how much is
merely an explosion of _bunkum_. . . . . I repeat, it is difficult to
understand what is the genuine public feeling on this entangled
question; for with all the demonstrations in favor of freedom in the
North, there does not appear in that quarter to be any practical
relaxation of the usages which condemn persons of African descent to an
inferior social status. There seems, in short, to be a fixed notion
throughout the whole of the States, whether slave or free, that the
colored is by nature a subordinate race; and that, in no circumstances,
can it be considered equal to the white. Apart from commercial views,
this opinion lies at the root of American slavery; and the question
would need to be argued less on political and philanthropic than on
physiological grounds. . . . . I was not a little surprised to find,
when speaking a kind word for at least a very unfortunate, if not
brilliant race, that the people of the Northern States, though
repudiating slavery, did not think more favorably of the negro character
than those further South. Throughout Massachusetts, and other New
England States, likewise in the States of New York, Pennsylvania, etc.,
there is a rigorous separation of the white and black races. . . . . The
people of England, who see a negro only as a wandering curiosity, are
not at all aware of the repugnance generally entertained toward persons
of color in the United States: it appeared to amount to an absolute
monomania. As for an alliance with one of the race, no matter how faint
the shade of color, it would inevitably lead to a loss of caste, as
fatal to social position and family ties as any that occurs in the
Brahminical system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Glad to have had an opportunity of calling attention to many cheering
and commendable features in the social system of the Americans, I
consider it not less my duty to say, that in their general conduct
toward the colored race, a wrong is done which can not be alluded to
except in terms of the deepest sorrow and reproach. I can not think
without shame of the pious and polished New Englanders adding to their
offenses on this score the guilt of hypocrisy. Affecting to weep over
the sufferings of imaginary dark-skinned heroes and heroines;
denouncing, in