trust.

"You fought for Liberty, rather than Slavery!
Well might you wish to be quit of that ill,
But you were sold by political knavery,
Meshed in diplomacy's spider-like skill:
And you rejoice to see Slavery banished,
While the free servant works well as before,
Confident, though many fortunes have vanished,
Soon to recover all--rich as before!

"Doubtless, there had been some hardships and cruelties,
Cases exceptional, evil and rare,
But to tell truth--and truly _the_ jewel 'tis--
Kindliness ruled, as a rule, everywhere!
Servants, if slaves, were your wealth and inheritance,
Born with your children, and grown on your ground,
And it was quite as much interest as merit hence
Still to make friends of dependents all round.

"Yes, it is slander to say you oppressed them;
Does a man squander the price of his pelf?
Was it not often that he who possessed them
Rather was owned by his servants himself?
Caring for all, as in health so in sicknesses,
He was their father, their patriarch chief;
Age's infirmities, infancy's weaknesses
Leaning on him for repose and relief.

"When you went forth in your pluck and your bravery,
Selling for freedom both fortunes and lives,
Where was that prophesied outburst of slavery
Wreaking revenge on your children and wives?
Nowhere! you left all to servile safe keeping,
And this was faithful and true to your trust;
Master and servant thus mutually reaping
Double reward of the good and the just?

"Generous Southerners! I who address you
Shared with too many belief in your sins;
But I recant it,--thus, let me confess you,
Knowledge is victor and every way wins:
For I have seen, I have heard, and am sure of it,
You have been slandered and suffering long,
Paying all Slavery's cost, and the cure of it,--
And the great world shall repent of its wrong."

I need not say what a riot that honest bit of verse raised among the
enthusiasts on both sides. I spoke from what I saw, and soon had reason
to corroborate my judgment: for I next paid a visit on my old Brook
Green school-friend, Middleton, at his burnt and ruined mansion near
Summerville: once a wealthy and benevolent patriarch, surrounded by a
negro population who adored him, all being children of the soil, and not
one slave having been s