ise, because they were, in
many respects, great and wise, considering the paganism and darkness
with which they were surrounded. Life was then only sacred to the few;
the many were treated as beasts of burden. The Emperor Claudian even
felt bound to issue an edict prohibiting slaves from being slain _when
they were old and feeble_."

"Which leaves a margin for us to suppose that they might be slain when
they were young and strong," observed Jack.

"By the constitution of Constantine certain cases were defined, where
a master might suspend his slave by the feet, have him torn by wild
beasts, or tortured by slow fire."

"Does slavery and its horrors not still exist, for example, in Russia
and the United States of America?"

"Slavery does exist, to the great disgrace of modern civilization, in
the countries you mention; but, so far as I am aware, its horrors are
not recognized by the laws."

"There, Mr. Frank," said Wolston, "I am very sorry to be under the
necessity of contradicting you. I have visited the slave states of
North America, and have witnessed atrocities perhaps less brutal, but
not less heart-rending, than those you mention."

"But do the laws recognize them?"

"Yes, tacitly; the testimony of the slaves themselves is not received
as evidence."

"Why do a people that call their county a refuge for the down-trodden
nations of Europe suffer such abominations?"

"Well, according to themselves, it is entirely a question of the
_almighty dollar_. If there were no slaves, the swamps and morasses of
the south could not be cultivated. It has been found that the negro
will dance, and sing, and starve, but he will not work in the fields
when free. Besides, they assert, that the slaves are generally well
cared for, and that it is only a few detestable masters that beat them
cruelly."

"Then, at all events, dollars are preferred to humanity by the United
States men, in spite of their vaunted emblems--liberty and equality."

"Quite so. In all matters of internal policy, the dollar reigns
supreme."

"Admitting," continued Frank, "that the evils of slavery may exist in
a section of the American Union, and amongst the barbarous hordes of
Russia, these evils are trifling in comparison with others that stain
the annals of antiquity. We are told that a hundred and twenty persons
applied to Otho to be rewarded for killing Galba. That so many men
should contend for the honor of premeditated murder, is sufficiently