mely phrase, 'till the cows come home,' but he would not
move a single step nearer his object. While on this head there was
another saying which he had no doubt Mr. Thompson had frequently heard
in America, and which might be of some use for him to bear in mind, if
he revisited that horrible country; it was that one 'spoonful of
molasses would catch more flies than a hogshead of vinegar.' With
regard to the mode in which the question of slavery should be taken up
in those states where it existed, he would say that every thing had
been done--agitation, as it was called in this country--to enlighten
the public mind on the whole question, was the only thing that could
advance the cause. If there was any thing else that could be taken
advantage of for that end, he was willing to learn it, and to go home
and try to teach his countrymen who were laboring in the same cause.
In the second place, Mr. B. proceeded to say, that the parties
responsible for the existence of slavery were the states which
tolerated it. If slavery were wrong, as he was fully prepared to
assert it to be, then those states or communities which tolerate it
were justly responsible at the bar of God, at the tribunal of an
enlightened world. If slavery were wrong, those who have power were
bound to abolish it as soon as it could be done consistently with the
greatest amount of good to all concerned. Now, slavery could end in
any state only by violence, or by the consent of the masters. This
made it obviously the duty of all who had right views in such
communities, to extend and enforce them in such a way as shall appear
most likely to secure the object in view--namely, peaceful, voluntary,
and legal abolition. It demonstrates too, that whenever the majority
of such a community are ready to act in this behalf, they are bound to
act in such a manner as will constitutionally and speedily effect the
object, even though multitudes in that community should still oppose
it. But here again it is most clear that such a result can never be
brought about, till the majority of such slaveholding communities
shall not only consent to it, but require it. So that in every branch
of the matter, it constantly appears how indispensable, light, and
love, gentleness, wisdom, and truth are; and how perfectly mad it is
to expect to do any thing in America by harsh vituperation, hasty and
violent proceedings. But, say the anti-slavery people, you can abolish
slavery in the District