Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/17

 HAYNE sented by the example of certain benevolent as- sociations and charitable individnals elsewhere! Shedding weak tears over sufferings which had existence only in their own sickly imaginations, these ''friends of humanity" set themselves sys- tematically to work to seduce the slaves of the South from their masters. By means of mis- sionaries and political tracts, the scheme was in a great measure successful. Thousands oft se deluded victims of fanaticism were seduced into the enjoyment of freedom in our Northern cities. And what has been the consequence? Go to these cities now and ask the question. Visit the dark and narrow lanes, and obscure recesses which have been assigned by common consent as the abodes of those outcasts of the world — the free people of color. Sir, there does not exist on the face of the whole earth a population so poor, so wretched, so vile, so loathsome, so utter- ly destitute of all the comforts, conveniences, and decencies of life, as the unfortunate blacks of Philadelphia, and New York and Boston. Liberty has been to them the greatest of calam- ities, the heaviest of curses. Sir, I have had some opportunities of makmg comparison between the condition of the free negroes of the North and the slaves of the South, and the comparison has left not only an indelible impression of the superior advantages of the latter, but has gone far to reconcile me to slavery itself. Never have I felt so forcibly that touching description, ' ' The foxes have holes, 7