e no opportunity of raising himself to a higher rank in society,
and that he has, therefore, no inducement to meritorious exertion, or
the cultivation of his faculties. The indolence and carelessnes of the
slave, and the less productive quality of his neighbor, are traced to
the want of such excitement. The first compensation for this
disadvantage, is his security. If he can rise no higher, he is just in
the same degree secured against the chances of falling lower. It has
been sometimes made a question whether it were better for man to be
freed from the perturbations of hope and fear, or to be exposed to their
vicissitudes. But I suppose there could be little question with respect
to a situation, in which the fears must greatly predominate over the
hopes. And such, I apprehend, to be the condition of the laboring poor
in countries where slavery does not exist. If not exposed to present
suffering, there is continual apprehension for the future--for
themselves--for their children--of sickness and want, if not of actual
starvation. They expect to improve their circumstances! Would any person
of ordinary candor, say that there is one in a hundred of them, who
does not well know, that with all the exertion he can make, it is out of
his power materially to improve his circumstances? I speak not so much
of menial servants, who are generally of a superior class, as of
agricultural and manufacturing laborers. They labor with no such view.
It is the instinctive struggle to preserve existence, and when the
superior efficiency of their labor over that of our slaves is pointed
out, as being animated by a free man's hopes, might it not well be
replied--it is because they labor under a sterner compulsion. The laws
interpose no obstacles to their raising their condition in society. 'Tis
a great boon--but as to the great mass, they know that they never will
be able to raise it--and it should seem not very important in effect,
whether it be the interdict of law, or imposed by the circumstances of
the society. One in a thousand is successful. But does his success
compensate for the sufferings of the many who are tantalized, baffled,
and tortured in vain attempts to attain a like result? If the individual
be conscious of intellectual power, the suffering is greater. Even where
success is apparently attained, he sometimes gains it but to die--or
with all capacity to enjoy it exhausted--worn out in the struggle with
fortune. If it be true that