To me, this calm is
something which can not endure."
"There at least do not lack others who are of that belief. But
why?"
"They told me in the West that the South has over three million
slaves. They told me that the labor of more than seven million
persons, black and white, is controlled by less than a third of a
million men; and of all that third of a million, less than eight
thousand practically represent the owners of these blacks, who do
not vote. Gentlemen, I have been interested in the cause of
democracy in Europe--I do not deny it--yet it seems to me an
oligarchy and not a democracy which exists in the American South.
The conflict between an oligarchy and a natural democracy is ages
old. It does not die. It seems to me that there is the end of all
compromise--in the renewed struggle of men, all over the world, to
set up an actual government of their own,--not an oligarchy, not a
monarchy, not of property and wealth, but of actual democracy. It
must come, here, some day.
Pages:
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411