278 ACCUSATION AGAINST ENGLAND UNJUST. 



vailed in all our colonies. Tims great moral good to 

 mankind lias really issued out of what many regarded as 

 great political evil to the British islands. 



There is, therefore, I think, much to be said in reply 

 to, or in extenuation of, the alleged great wickedness and 

 responsibility of England in regard to American slavery, 

 which the impartial citizen of the United States will not 

 refuse to consider and weigh. But suppose we grant 

 the full weight of the charge in the grossest form in 

 which it is brought against us. If all the guilt lies on 

 us, then surely the burden lies upon us also to do all we 

 can to extirpate the spreading gangrene we occasioned. 

 Example, argument, remonstrance, reproach, ridicule 

 every means which we think likely in different circum 

 stances, or with different individuals, to operate towards 

 this end we are not only justified in employing, but 

 are bound to make use of. Thus the gravity of the 

 charge as a moral accusation, instead of repressing their 

 exertions, would urge upon the people of Great Britain 

 and especially upon those who have all along interested 

 themselves as to the condition of the slave population in 

 the United States a far more energetic and sustained 

 moral interference in the matter than to my knowledge 

 has ever hitherto been attempted either by individuals 

 or by anti-slavery associations. 



But the truth is, we feel that the accusation made 

 against us is not just, and that no such call for meddling 

 interference really exists. There are, unquestionably, 

 great difficulties in the way of the settlement of the slave 

 question in the United States. We must acknowledge 

 this, if we truly comprehend the character of the country, 

 of the people, and of their institutions. We can afford 

 to bear the burden of any little venom the free north 

 may wish to ease their minds of upon our shoulders, and 

 should only encourage them to proceed in their good 

 work in their own way ; while towards the southern 



