d a way of stretching forth his hand to prevent
the more eager Judge from interrupting him.

"The welfare of the whole South, as matters now stand, sir, depends upon
slavery. Our plantations could not exist a day without slave labor. If
you abolished that institution, Judge Whipple, you would ruin millions
of your fellow-countrymen,--you would reduce sovereign states to a
situation of disgraceful dependence. And all, sir," now he raised his
voice lest the Judge break in, "all, sir, for the sake of a low breed
that ain't fit for freedom. You and I, who have the Magna Charta and
the Declaration of Independence behind us, who are descended from a
race that has done nothing but rule for ten centuries and more, may well
establish a Republic where the basis of stability is the self-control of
the individual--as long as men such as you and I form its citizens. Look
at the South Americans. How do Republics go there? And the minute you
and I let in niggers, who haven't any more self-control than dogs, on
an equal basis, with as much of a vote as you have,--niggers, sir, that
have lived like wild beasts in the depths of the jungle since the days
of Ham,--what's going to become of our Republic?"

"Education," cried the Judge.

But the word was snatched out of his mouth.

"Education isn't a matter of one generation. No, sir, nor two, nor
three, nor four. But of centuries."

"Sir," said the Judge, "I can point out negroes of intelligence and
learning."

"And I reckon you could teach some monkeys to talk English, and recite
the catechism, and sing emotional hymns, if you brought over a couple of
million from Africa," answered the Colonel, dryly, as he rose to put on
his hat and light a cigar.

It was his custom to offer a cigar to the Judge, who invariably refused,
and rubbed his nose with scornful violence.

Virginia, on the verge of leaving, stayed on, fascinated by the turn the
argument had taken.

"Your prejudice is hide-bound, sir," said Mr. Whipple.

"No, Whipple," said the Colonel, "when God washed off this wicked
earth, and started new, He saw fit to put the sons of Ham in subjection.
They're slaves of each other in Africa, and I reckon they're treated no
better than they are here. Abuses can't be helped in any system, sir,
though we are bettering them. Were the poor in London in the days of the
Edwards as well off as our niggers are to-day?"

The Judge snorted.

"A divine institution!" he shouted. "A black cur