is good at it, and it amuses
us. Lincoln may be honest, but if made President he will be controlled
by Seward, who hates the South. Seward will whine, and wheedle, and
attempt to cajole us back, but mark what I say, sir, I _know_ him; he is
physically, morally, and constitutionally a COWARD, and will never
strike a blow for the UNION. If hard pressed by public sentiment, he
may, to save appearances, bluster a little, and make a show of getting
ready for a fight; but he will find some excuse at the last moment, and
avoid coming to blows. For our purposes, we had rather have the North
under his control than under that of the old renegade, Buchanan!"

"All this may he very true," I replied, "but perhaps you attach too much
weight to what Mr. Seward or Mr. Lincoln may or may not do. You seem to
forget that there are twenty intelligent millions at the North, who will
have something to say on this subject, and who may not consent to be
driven into disunion by the South, or wheedled into it by Mr. Seward."

"I do not forget," replied the Secessionist, "that you have four
millions of brave, able-bodied men, while we have not, perhaps, more
than two millions; but bear in mind that you are divided, and therefore
weak; we united, and therefore strong!"

"But," I inquired, "_have_ you two millions without counting your
blacks; and are _they_ not as likely to fight on the wrong as on the
right side?"

"They will fight on the right side, sir. We can trust them. You have
travelled somewhat here. Have you not been struck with the contentment
and cheerful subjection of the slaves?"

"No, sir, I have not been! On the contrary, their discontent is evident.
You are smoking a cigar on a powder-barrel."

An explosion of derisive laughter from the Colonel followed this remark,
and turning to the Captain, he good-humoredly exclaimed: "Hasn't the
gentleman used his eyes and ears industriously!"

"I am afraid he is more than half right," was the reply. "If this thing
should go on, I would not trust my own slaves, and I think they are
truly attached to me. If the fire once breaks out, the negroes will rush
into it, like horses into a burning barn."

"Think you so!" exclaimed the Colonel in an excited manner. "By Heaven,
if I believed it, I would cut the throat of every slave in Christendom!
What," addressing me, "have you seen or heard, sir, that gives you that
opinion?"

"Nothing but a sullen discontent and an eagerness for news, which