CHAPTER LV. LYNCH LAW AGAIN.

othepreservationofourproperty,andthesafetyofourfamilies.Onceeducatethenegropopulation,andthewholesystemofourdomesticinstitutionsisatanend.Ournegroeshaveacquiredalready,bylivingamongus,adegreeofsagacityandintelligencewhichmakesitdifficulttoholdanevenreinoverthemand,onceopentheflood-gatesofeducation,andthereisnosayingwheretheyandwemightbecarried.I,formypart,donotapproveoftheseexceptionalinstancesJudgeOlivermentioned.Generallyspeaking,thosenegroeswhoseintelligenceandgoodconductwouldmakethemthenaturalrecipientsofsuchfavorsarepreciselytheoneswhooughtnottobetrustedwiththem.Itruinsthem.Why,justlookatthehistoryoftheinsurrectionthatverynearlycutoffthewholecityofCharleston:whatsortofmenwerethosewhogotitup?Theywerejustyoursteady,thoughtful,well-conductedmen,—justthekindofmenthatpeopleareteachingtoread,becausetheythinktheyaresogooditcandonoharm.Sir,myfatherwasoneofthemagistratesonthetrialofthosemen,andIhaveheardhimsayoftentherewasnotonemanofbadcharacteramongthem.Theyhadallbeenremarkablefortheirgoodcharacter.Why,therewasthatDenmarkVesey,whowastheheadofit:fortwentyyearsheservedhismaster,andwasthemostfaithfulcreaturethateverbreathedandafterhegothisliberty,everybodyrespectedhim,andlikedhim.Why,atfirst,myfathersaidthemagistratescouldnotbebroughttoarresthim,theyweresosurethathecouldnothavebeenengagedinsuchanaffair.Now,alltheleadersinthataffaircouldreadandwrite.Theykepttheirlistsofnamesandnobodyknows,oreverwillknow,howmanyweredownonthem,forthosefellowsweredeepasthegrave,andyoucouldnotgetawordoutofthem.Sir,theydiedandmadenosignbutallthisisawarningtous." "Anddoyouthink,"saidClayton,"thatifmenofthatdegreeofenergyandintelligencearerefusedinstruction,theywillnotfindmeanstogetknowledgeforthemselves?Andiftheydogetitthemselves,inspiteofyourprecautions,theywillassuredlyuseitagainstyou. "Thefactis,gentlemen,itisinevitablethatacertaindegreeofculturemustcomefromtheirintercoursewithus,andmindsofacertainclasswillbestimulatedtodesiremoreandallthebarriersweputupwillonlyservetoinflamecuriosity,andwillmakethemfeelaperfectlibertytousetheknowledgetheyconquerfromusagainstus.Inmyopinion,theonlysuredefenceagainstinsurrectionissystematiceducation,bywhichweshallacquirethatinfluenceovertheirmindswhichoursuperiorcultivationwillenableustohold.Then,asfastastheybecomefittedtoenjoyrights,wemustgrantthem." "Notwe,indeed!"saidMr.Knapp,strikinghiscaneuponthefloor."Wearenotgoingtolaydownourpowerinthatway.Wewillnotallowanysuchbeginning.Wemustholdthemdownfirmlyandconsistently.Formypart,Idislikeeventhesystemoforalreligiousinstruction.Itstartstheirminds,andleadsthemtowantsomethingmore.It'sindiscreet,andIalwayssaidso.AsforteachingthemoutoftheBible,—why,theBibleisthemostexcitingbookthateverwasputtogether!Italwaysstartsupthemind,andit'sunsafe." "Don'tyousee,"saidClayton,"whatanadmissionyouaremaking?Whatsortofasystemmustthisbe,thatrequiressuchacoursetosustainit?" "Ican'thelpthat,"saidMr.Knapp."There'smillionsandmillionsinvestedinit,andwecan'taffordtorisksuchanamountofpropertyformereabstractspeculation.Thesystemisasgoodasfortyothersystemsthathaveprevailed,andwillprevail.Wecan'ttaketheframe-workofsocietytopieces.Wemustproceedwiththingsastheyare.Andnow,Mr.Clayton,anotherthingIhavetosaytoyou,"saidhe,lookingexcited,andgettingupandwalkingthefloor."Ithasbeendiscoveredthatyoureceiveincendiarydocumentsthroughthepost-officeandthiscannotbepermitted,sir." ThecolorflushedintoClayton'sface,andhiseyekindledashebracedhimselfinhischair."Bywhatright,"hesaid,"doesanyonepryintowhatIreceivethroughthepost-office?AmInotafreeman?" "No,sir,youarenot,"saidMr.Knapp,—"notfreetoreceivethatwhichmayimperilawholeneighborhood.Youarenotfreetostorebarrelsofgunpowderonyourpremises,whentheymayblowupours.Sir,weareobligedtoholdthemailundersupervisioninthisstateandsuspectedpersonswillnotbeallowedtoreceivecommunicationswithoutoversight.Don'tyourememberthatthegeneralpost-officewasbrokenopeninCharleston,andalltheabolitiondocumentstakenoutofthemail-bagsandconsumed,andageneralmeetingofallthemostrespectablecitizens,headedbytheclergyintheirrobesofoffice,solemnlyconfirmedthedeed?" "Ithink,Mr.Knapp,"saidJudgeOliver,interposinginamildertone,"thatyourexcitementiscarryingyoufurtherthanyouareaware.IshouldratherhopethatMr.Claytonwouldperceivethereasonablenessofourdemand,andofhimselfforegothetakingoftheseincendiarydocuments." "Itakenoincendiarydocuments,"saidClayton,warmly."ItistrueItakeananti-slaverypaper,editedatWashington,inwhichthe