“My own thoughts,” he wrote, “have been completely changed by reading and reflection.  There are three aspects of this subject which I wish to make clear to you.  There is first the view that every colored man has some sort of strange, mysterious curse resting upon him by a law of his nature.  The idea is that, although the black man in any given instance may be superior, spiritually, intellectually, and physically, to his white neighbor, yet he cannot equal him because of this mysterious curse.  This view, sad as it is (advocated by the white race), has settled down upon the minds of millions of colored people.  It has crushed out of them all self-reliance and independence.  It fastens tenaciously upon the quiet, sensitive spirit, destroying its hope and self-respect and enterprise.  I need not tell you how near I have come to being shipwrecked by its influence.  But it is founded upon a lie.  It is a lie backed up by the assertion, practically, of nations and of millions of intelligent persons acting in their individual capacity.  It is, however, none the less a base, malignant falsehood, robbing the spirit that is cowed and crushed by it of the sweetest possessions of life.  A similar falsehood has established castes in India, and still another has subjugated woman in many lands, making her a soulless being and the slave of man.

“If any black man has greater wisdom, strength, and goodness than the majority of white men, he is higher in the scale of manhood than they.  The real question involved is a comparison of individuals, and not of races.

“You will remember how Homer, in the Iliad, praises the blameless Ethiopians, beloved of the gods and dwelling in a wide land that stretches from the rising to the setting of the sun.  The ancient historians praise them also.  Words of commendation of this great historic people are found in the ancient classics.  So far as I can discover, the prejudice against color is of modern origin.

“I believe that at no very distant day the slaves will be liberated, and that the Almighty will be the avenger of their wrongs.

“I turn now to consider the second aspect of this subject.  When a colored man is wise enough and courageous enough to embrace the views which I have presented, he may still be compelled, as a part of his lot in life, to submit to the assumption that he is inferior.  It is hard to live in this way in the shadow of a great lie, but it is better than to have the iron enter more deeply into the soul, so as to compel belief of the lie, as is the case with millions of human beings.  When the spirit is enfranchised I can understand that one may lead a very noble life in cheerfully submitting to the inevitable misfortune.  There are a few colored men who thus recognize the truth, and yet bow to the great sorrow, which they cannot escape, with noble and manly fortitude.  I confess that I have entertained thoughts of attempting such a life.  I think I