Freedom and Equality. 235 



Crown," " Crown and Cushion." We laughed at one 

 with an old-fashioned swinging sign, upon which a 

 groom was scrubbing away at a naked black man (you 

 could almost hear his pruss, pruss, pruss). The name 

 of the house was " Labor in Vain Inn " — a perfect illus- 

 tration, no doubt, in one sense ; in the higher sense, not 

 so. Under the purifying influences of equality, found 

 only in republican institutions, America has taught the 

 world she can soon make white men out of black. Her 

 effort to change the slave into a freeman has been any- 

 thing but labor in vain ; what is under the skin can be 

 made white enough always, if we go at it with the right 

 brush. None genuine unless stamped with the well- 

 known brand " Republic." " All men are born free and 

 equal" is warranted to cure the most desperate cases 

 when all other panaceas fail, from a mild monarchy up 

 to a German despotism; and is especially adapted for 

 Irishmen. To be well shaken, however, before taken, 

 and applied internally, externally, and eternally, like 

 Colonel Sellers' eye-wash. 



Harry and I were absent part of this day, having run 

 down to Workington to see our friend Mr. G., at the 

 Steel Rail Mills. Pardon us ! — this was our only taste 

 of business during the trip ; never had the affairs of this 

 world been so completely banished from our thoughts. 

 To get back to blast-furnaces and rolling mills was dis- 

 tressing ; but we could not well pass our friend's door, 

 so to speak. We have nothing to say about manu- 



