CHAPTER XLVI. FRANK RUSSEL'S OPINIONS.

Claytonwasstillpursuingtheobjectwhichhehadundertaken.Hedeterminedtopetitionthelegislaturetogranttotheslavetherightofseekinglegalredressincasesofinjuryand,asanecessarytothis,therightofbearingtestimonyinlegalaction.AsFrankRusselwascandidateforthenextstatelegislature,hevisitedhimforthepurposeofgettinghimtopresentsuchapetition. Ourreaderswilllookinonthescene,inasmallretiredbackroomofFrank'soffice,wherehisbachelorestablishmentasyetwaskept.Claytonhadbeengivinghimanearnestaccountofhisplansanddesigns. "Theonlysafewayofgradualemancipation,"saidClayton,"isthereformingoflawandthebeginningofalllegalreformmustofcoursebegivingtheslavelegalpersonality.It'sofnousetoenactlawsforhisprotectioninhisfamilystate,orinanyothercondition,tillweopentohimanavenuethroughwhich,iftheyareviolated,hisgrievancescanbeheard,andcanbeproved.Athousandlawsforhiscomfort,withoutthis,areonlyadeadletter." "Iknowit,"saidFrankRussel"thereneverwasanythingunderheavensoatrociousasourslave-code.It'sabottomlesspitofoppression.Nobodyknowsitsowellaswelawyers.But,then,Clayton,it'squiteanotherthingwhat'stobedoneaboutit." "Why,Ithinkit'sveryplainwhat'stobedone,"saidClayton."Gorightforwardandenlightenthecommunity.Getthelawreformed.That'swhatIhavetakenformyworkand,Frank,youmusthelpme." "Hum!"saidFrank."Now,thefactis,Clayton,ifIworeastiffwhiteneckcloth,andhadaD.D.tomyname,IshouldtellyouthattheinterestsofZionstoodintheway,andthatitwasmydutytopreservemyinfluence,forthesakeofbeingabletotakecareoftheLord'saffairs.But,asIamnotsofortunate,Imustjustsay,withoutfurtherpreface,thatitwon'tdoformetocompromiseFrankRussel'sinterests.Clayton,Ican'taffordit—that'sjustit.Itwon'tdo.Yousee,ourpartycan'ttakeupthatkindofthing.Itwouldbejustsettingupafortfromwhichourenemiescouldfireonusattheirleisure.IfIgointothelegislature,Ihavetogoinbymyparty.Ihavetorepresentmyparty,and,ofcourse,Ican'taffordtodoanythingthatwillcompromisethem." "Well,now,Frank,"saidClayton,seriouslyandsoberly,"areyougoingtoputyourneckintosuchanooseasthis,tobeledaboutallyourlifelong—thebond-slaveofaparty?" "NotI,byagooddeal!"saidRussel."Thenoosewillchangeends,oneofthesedays,andI'lldragtheparty.Butwemustallstooptoconquer,atfirst." "Anddoyoureallyproposenothingmoretoyourselfthanhowtoriseintheworld?"saidClayton."Isn'tthereanygreatandgoodworkthathasbeautyforyou!Isn'tthereanythinginheroismandself-sacrifice?" "Well,"saidRussel,afterashortpause,"maybethereisbut,afterall,Clayton,isthere?Theworldlookstomelikeaconfoundedhumbug,agreathoax,andeverybodyisgoinginforgruband,Isay,hangitall,whyshouldn'tIhavesomeofthegrub,aswellastherest?" "Manshallnotlivebybreadalone!"saidClayton. "Bread'saprettygoodthing,though,afterall,"saidFrankshrugginghisshoulders. "But,"saidClayton,"Frank,Iaminearnest,andyou'vegottobe.Iwantyoutogowithmedowntothedepthsofyoursoul,wherethewaterisstill,andtalktomeonhonor.Thiskindofhalf-jokingwaythatyouhaveisn'tagoodsign,Frankit'stoooldforyou.Amanthatmakesajokeofeverythingatyourage,whatwillhedobeforeheisfifty?Now,Frank,youdok