le to the Hebrews.
After the writer of that epistle has described the great men and
fathers of the nation, he says: "Time would fail me to tell of
Gideon, of Barak, of Samson, of Jephtha, of David, of Samuel,
and the Prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned
to flight the armies of the aliens." I ask if this grand passage
of the inspired writer may not be applied to that heroic band
who have made America the perpetual home of freedom?
(Enthusiastic cheering.)

Thus, in spite of all that persecution could do, opinion grew in
the North in favor of freedom; but in the South, alas! in favor
of that most devilish delusion that slavery was a Divine
institution. The moment that idea took possession of the South
war was inevitable. Neither fact nor argument, nor counsel, nor
philosophy, nor religion, could by any possibility affect the
discussion of the question when once the Church leaders of the
South had taught their people that slavery was a Divine
institution; for then they took their stand on other and
different, and what they in their blindness thought higher
grounds, and they said, "Evil! be thou my good;" and so they
exchanged light for darkness, and freedom for bondage, and good
for evil, and, if you like, heaven for hell. * * * *

There was a universal feeling in the North that every care
should be taken of those who had so recently and marvellously
been enfranchised. Immediately we found that the privileges of
independent labor were open to them, schools were established in
which their sons might obtain an education that would raise them
to an intellectual position never reached by their fathers; and
at length full political rights were conferred upon those who a
few short years, or rather months, before, had been called
chattels, and things to be bought and sold in any market. (Hear,
hear.) And we may feel assured, that those persons in the
Northern States who befriended the negro in his bondage will not
now fail to assist his struggles for a higher position. * * *
* * * *

To Mr. Garrison more than any other man this is due; his is the
creation of