THE INJUSTICE OF SLAVERY. 317 



to interfere. If it's a sin, they, and not we, are to an- 

 swer for it. Besides, so long as I see such men as 

 Harry Clay, and Daniel Webster, and General Taylor, 

 takin' care of it, I don!t feel very uneasy, and I've 

 come to the conclusion that it won't break up the 

 Union just yet. 



" I don't know as it's altogether right, but when I 

 look around, and see the great events that are takin' 

 place in the world, I begin to study into matters, and 

 see if I can trace the designs of Providence, in what 

 He permits to be goin' on upon this airth, and what 

 the end of it all is to be. Now I look upon slavery as 

 the wickedest system, the mightiest sin against God, 

 and man, that the world ever looked upon. And 

 while I say of the Great Ruler of the world, that ' He 

 ordereth all things well,' and that everything will 

 come out right at last, I ask myself, why is all this 

 great wickedness, this wonderful wrong, permitted to 

 grow up, and spread so ? I sometimes think that I 

 have studied out the reason of it all, and found out the 

 great plan that is to be accomplished by it, and, fool- 

 ish as it may seem in me, I'll tell you what I believe 

 it to be. Africa, as I have been told, and read in books, 

 is a wild and savage county, where the people, not 



