further
liberation of the slaves. These two causes, combined, have dealt a
death-blow to the hope of emancipation, in the South, by any moral
influence coming from that quarter; and has, in fact, put back that
cause, so far as the moral power of the negro is concerned, to a period
hopelessly distant. Loyal Britons may urge upon us the duty of
emancipation as strongly as they please; but so long as they denounce
the influx of colored men as a curse to Canada, just so long they will
fail in persuading Americans that an increase of free negroes will be a
blessing to the United States. The moral power of the free negro, in
promoting emancipation, is at an end; but how is it with his prospects
of success in the employment of force? The Harper's Ferry movement is
pronounced, by anti-slavery men themselves, as the work of a madman; and
no other attempt of that kind can be more successful, as none but the
insane and the ignorant will ever enlist in such an enterprise. The
power of the free colored people in promoting emancipation, say what
they will, is now at an end.

But these are not all the results of the movements noticed. They have
not only rendered the free colored people powerless in emancipation, but
have acted most injuriously upon themselves, as a class, in both the
free and the slave States. In the Northwestern free States, every new
Constitution framed, and every old one amended, with perhaps one
exception, exclude the free negroes from the privileges of citizenship.
In the slave States, generally, efforts are making not only to prevent
farther emancipations, but to drive out the free colored population from
their territories.

Thus, at this moment, stands the question of the capacity of the free
colored people of the United States, to influence public opinion in
favor of emancipation. And where are their champions who kindled the
flame which is now extinguished? Many of them are in their graves; and
the Harper's Ferry act, but applied the match that exploded the existing
organizations. One chieftain--always truthful, ever in earnest--is,
alas, in the lunatic asylum; another--whose zeal overcomes his judgment,
at times--backs down from the position he had taken, that rifles were
better than bibles in the conflict with slavery; another--coveting not
the martyr's crown, yet a little--has left his editorial chair, to put
the line dividing English and American territory between himself and
danger; another--whose lif