216 



AMERICAN JOURNEY. 



[Chap. V. 



another day, very likely to be bought by some trader, and the 

 children raised for the market, which is extremely high (the 

 current Richmond price being 1350 dollars on an average) and 

 likely to continue so, unless they reopen the African slave- 

 trade. When will this horrid system be looked upon as a 

 matter of common humanity and international law, and dealt 

 with accordingly, among all civilized nations? The negro- 

 hatred in this country, both among Republicans and Democrats, 

 and especially among the Irish, is truly appalling. 



" At dinner time I chanced to see an article in Sunday's 

 " Republican " against my lecture, and warning me that I was 

 breaking a law (giving chapter and verse), and that the Mayor 

 must have given permission under false representations, etc. 

 So I went down to the " Republican" office and asked what the 

 law was. Editor would not tell. I suggested that the Mayor 

 must know what is, and what is not, against the law : he laughed 

 at the idea. At last, with great difficulty, I got him to hand out 

 the copy of the laws, of which I transcribed the one in point. 

 It was evident that, though my lecture would not be really 

 breaking the law, a pro-slavery judge could easily give it that 

 direction. It was a law threatening punishment for any one 

 who should in any way publish any statement or opinions the 

 tendency of which is to excite any slave or other coloured person 

 to insolence or insubordination against his master or owner. 

 [Philip had hired the hall at the Museum ; but he found that 

 the proprietor wished to back out of the arrangement, and 

 that he could not engage any other suitable place.] About 

 a quarter to eight, I went to the hall. The door was open, up 

 a pair of stairs ; but the hall was dark. I went in, some evil- 

 eyed men on the stairs staring at me, and took my seat in front, 

 calmly waiting. At last a man came, and said he wanted to 

 lock up the hall. ' Are you not going to light it up for the 

 lecture?' 'No. Mr. W. is afraid there will be some dis- 

 turbance, and refuses to let you have it.' 'Well! it is his 

 property : and I have no written agreement : so if you tell me 

 to go out, I will go out.' Which I accordingly did : and he 

 • locked the door, in the face of the people, and was proceeding 



