CHAPTER LV. LYNCH LAW AGAIN.

subjectisfairlyandcoollydiscussed.Iholditnomorethaneveryman'sdutytoseebothsidesofaquestion." "Well,there,now,"saidMr.Knapp,"youseethedisadvantageofhavingyourslavestaughttoread.Iftheycouldnotreadyourpapers,itwouldbenomatterwhatyoutookbuttohavethemgettoreasoningonthesesubjects,andspreadtheirreasoningsthroughourplantations,—why,there'llbethedeviltopay,atonce." "Youmustbesensible,"saidJudgeOliver,"thattheremustbesomeindividualrightswhichweresignforthepublicgood.Ihavelookedoverthepaperyouspeakof,andIacknowledgeitseemstomeveryfairbut,then,inourpeculiarandcriticalposition,itmightprovedangeroustohavesuchreadingaboutmyhouse,andIneverhaveit." "Inthatcase,"saidClayton,"Iwonderyoudon'tsuppressyourownnewspapersforaslongasthereisacongressionaldiscussion,oraFourthofJulyoration,orsenatorialspeechinthem,solongtheyarefullofincendiaryexcitement.Ourhistoryisfullofit,ourstatebillsofrightsarefullofit,thelivesofourfathersarefullofitwemustsuppressourwholeliterature,ifwewouldavoidit." "Now,don'tyousee,"saidMr.Knapp,"youhavestatedjustsomanyreasonswhyslavesmustnotlearntoread?" "TobesureIdo,"saidClayton,"iftheyarealwaystoremainslaves,ifwearenevertohaveanyviewsofemancipationforthem." "Well,theyaretoremainslaves,"saidMr.Knapp,speakingwithexcitement."Theirconditionisafinalitywewillnotallowthesubjectofemancipationtobediscussed,even." "Then,Godhavemercyonyou!"saidClayton,solemnly"foritismyfirmbeliefthat,inresistingtheprogressofhumanfreedom,youwillbefoundfightingagainstGod." "Itisn'tthecauseofhumanfreedom,"saidMr.Knapp,hastily."Theyarenothumantheyareaninferiorrace,madeexpresslyforsubjectionandservitude.TheBibleteachesthisplainly." "Whydon'tyouteachthemtoreadit,then?"saidClayton,coolly. "Thelongandtheshortofthematteris,Mr.Clayton,"saidMr.Knapp,walkingnervouslyupanddowntheroom,"you'llfindthisisnotamattertobetrifledwith.Wecome,asyourfriends,towarnyouand,ifyoudon'tlistentoourwarnings,weshallnotholdourselvesresponsibleforwhatmayfollow.Yououghttohavesomeconsiderationforyoursister,ifnotforyourself." "Iconfess,"saidClayton,"IhaddonethechivalryofSouthCarolinathehonortothinkthataladycouldhavenothingtofear." "Itissogenerally,"saidJudgeOliver,"butonthissubjectthereissuchadreadfulexcitabilityinthepublicmind,thatwecannotcontrolit.Youremember,whenthecommissionerwassentbytheLegislatureofMassachusettstoCharleston,hecamewithhisdaughter,averycultivatedandelegantyoungladybutthemobwasrising,andwecouldnotcontrolit,andwehadtogoandbegthemtoleavethecity.I,forone,wouldn'thavebeenatallanswerablefortheconsequences,iftheyhadremained." "Imustconfess,JudgeOliver,"saidClayton,"thatIhavebeensurprised,thismorning,tohearSouthCarolinianspalliatingtwosucheventsinyourhistory,resultingfrommobviolence,asthebreakingopenofthepost-office,andtheinsulttotherepresentativeofasisterstate,whocameinthemostpeaceableandfriendlyspirit,andtowomanhoodinthepersonofanaccomplishedlady.Isthishydra-headedmonster,themob,tobeourgovernor?" "Oh,itisonlyuponthissubject,"saidallthreeofthegentlemen,atonce"thissubjectisexceptional." "Anddoyouthink,"saidClayton,"that 'youcansetthelandonfire, Toburnjustsohigh,andnohigher?' "Youmaydependuponityouwillfindthatyoucannot.Themobthatyousmileonandencouragewhenitdoesworkthatsuitsyou,willonedayproveitselfyourmasterinamannerthatyouwillnotlike." "Well,now,Mr.Clayton,"saidMr.Bradshaw,whohadnothithertospoken,"youseethisisaverydisagreeablesubjectbutthefactis,wecameinafriendlywaytoyou.Weallappreciate,personally,themeritsofyourcharacter,andtheexcellenceofyourmotivesbut,reallysir,thereisanexcitementrising,thereisastateofthepublicmindwhichisgettingeverydaymoreandmoreinflammable.ItalkedwithMissAnneonthissubject,somemonthsago,andexpressedmyfeelingsveryfullyandnow,ifyouwillonlygiveusapledgethatyouwillpursueadifferentcourse,weshallhavesomethingtotakeholdoftoquietthepopularmind.Ifyouwilljustwriteandstopyourpaperforthepresent,andletitbeunderstoodthatyourplantationsystemistobestopped,thethingwillgraduallycoolitselfoff." "Gentlemen,"saidClayton,"youareaskingaveryseriousthingfromme,andonewhichrequiresreflection.IfIamviolatingthedirectlawsofthestate,andtheselawsaretobeconsideredasstillinvitalforce,thereiscertainlysomequestionwithregardtomycoursebutstillIhaveresponsibilitiesforthemoralandreligiousimprovementofthoseundermycare,whichareequallybinding.Iseenocoursebutremovalfromthestate." "Ofcourse,weshouldbesorry,"saidJudgeOliver,"youshouldbeobligedtodothatstillwetrustyouwills