What but this same fearful and intolerant spirit,—­this over-bearing, boasting spirit, was it, that cowardly attacked a Christian Senator, while seated unsuspectingly at his desk, and felled him to the floor, bleeding and senseless?  Was not the villainous blow which fell upon the honored head of CHARLES SUMNER, dealt by the infamous Brooks of South Carolina, aimed at the free speech of the entire North?  Was it, think you, a personal enmity that the cowardly scoundrel had toward our worthy Northern Senator, which induced the attack?  No, no.  Brooks spake for the South, and boldly has it responded—­Amen!

It has said through its representatives, that you Northerners are becoming too bold in speaking of our sin, and we will use brute force to repel it—­ an argument with which we are familiar.  You have told us that we ought not to hold slaves, nor extend slave territory, which will in a measure destroy our slave market, and prove injurious to our slave-breeding population.  You have told us we have no right to usurp Kansas,—­no right to murder “Free State men,” and no right to sustain there, a set of “ruffians” to make Kansas a slave State.  You have told us, that we have no right to live on the unrequited toil of our slaves; nor to sell them to the highest bidder; nor spend the proceeds of the sale in idle extravagance.  Now know, all ye Northerners, by this cowardly blow on the devoted head of your honored and respected Senator, that we shall no longer permit you to tell us such unpalatable truths, nor allow you the privilege of free speech!  We have too long held the balance of power in the government to yield it now; and we give you to know, that whatever we ask of this government, we expect to obtain; nor will we hear any of your objections.  When we desire you to turn blood-hound, and hunt for us our fugitive slaves, we expect you to do it, and to see them returned to their masters, without a murmur on your part.  Should you object or dare refuse, we shall certainly cane somebody, or else do what we have threatened for the last quarter of a century,—­“DISSOLVE THE UNION!” Bah!

My house has ever been open to the fugitive slaves; but more particularly when I resided in Rochester, did I have occasion to see and feel the distresses of that class of persons; and it appears to me, that the heart must be of adamant, that can turn coldly away from the pleadings of the poor, frightened, flying fugitive from Southern bondage.

For many years past, I have been a close and interested observer of my race, both free and enslaved.  I have observed with great pleasure, the gradual improvement in intelligence and condition of the free colored people of the North.  In proportion as prejudice has diminished, they have gradually advanced; nor can I believe that there is any other great impediment in the way to a higher state of improvement.  That prejudice against color is not destroyed, we very well know.  Its effects may be seen in our down-cast,