Had There Not Been
Enough At Washington Of Cotton Lords And Cotton Laws?
When I have
suggested that no Senator from Georgia would ever again sit in the
United States Senate, American gentlemen have received my remark
with a slight demur, and have then proceeded to argue the case.
Six
months before they would have declared against me and not have
argued.
I will leave it to Americans themselves to say whether that
disintegration of the States will, should it ever be realized, imply
that they have failed in their political undertaking. If they do
not protest that it argues failure, I do not think that their
feelings will be hurt by such protestations on the part of others.
I have said that the blunder made by the founders of the nation with
regard to slavery has brought with it this secession as its
punishment. But such punishments come generally upon nations as
great mercies. Ireland's famine was the punishment of her
imprudence and idleness, but it has given to her prosperity and
progress. And indeed, to speak with more logical correctness, the
famine was no punishment to Ireland, nor will secession be a
punishment to the Northern States. In the long result, step will
have gone on after step, and effect will have followed cause, till
the American people will at last acknowledge that all these matters
have been arranged for their advantage and promotion. It may be
that a nation now and then goes to the wall, and that things go from
bad to worse with a large people.
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