erners. After doing justice to the care and kindness of many of
them for their slaves, he said, in close:--

"I have listened also to what Southern apologists have said in another
view,--that this burden of slavery was none of their choosing; that it
was entailed upon them; that they cannot immediately emancipate their
people; that they are not qualified to take care of themselves; that
this state of things must be submitted to for a while, till remedial
laws and other remedial means shall bring relief. And so long as they
said that, I gave them my sympathy. But when they say, 'Spread this
system,--spread it far and wide,' I cannot go another step with them.
And it is not I that has changed, but they. When they say, 'Spread it,
--spread it over [242] Kansas and Nebraska, spread it over the far West,
annex Mexico, annex Cuba, annex Central America, make slavery a national
institution, make the compact of the Constitution carry it into all
Territories, cover it with the national images, set it up as part of our
great republican profession, stamp on our flag and our shield and our
scutcheon the emblem of human slavery,' I say,--no--never-God forbid!"

It seems strange now that so temperate and candid a speech should have
raised a storm of anger when read in Charleston. But the sore lace
was too tender for even the friendliest such, and of all those who
had greeted him here so cordially the winter before, but two or three
maintained and strengthened their relations with him after this summer.
It was one of many trials to which his breadth of view exposed him.

To Rev. Henry W. Bellows, D.D.

SHEFFIELD, Aug. 11, 1856.

MY DEAR BELLOWS,--I do not complain of your Teter; but what if it
should turn out that I cannot agree with you? What if my opinions, when
properly understood, should displease many persons? Is it the first time
that honest opinions have been proscribed, or the expression of them
thought "unfortunate "?

I appreciate all the kindness of your letter, and your care for my
reputation; but you are not to be told that here is something higher
than reputation.

You write with the usual anti-slavery assurance that our opinion is the
correct one. It is natural; it is the [243] first-blush, the impromptu
view of the matter. But whether there is not a juster view, coming
out of that same deliberateness and impartiality that you accuse me
of,--whether there is not, in fact, a broader humanity and a broader
politic