The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-05
WASHINGTON, d. G.
TCopvylsht secure according TO iGts
For the National Era
HERMAN;
OR,
YOUNG KN3G HI H GOD.
BY L. FOXTOH,
AuthOr Of" Premicss."
CHAPTER xXII-Concluded.

Ind made before them, 10 lhu now lhuCh piO-
t.ssonal knowledge, shrewd sense, and practi-
81 sagactv, he had. If his mind was de-
RANGED. it vas certainly only on one side.
amer the specimens which we have had of his
r,,un.rs and conversation, ii is hardly neces-
..r. % say tlat he was Persot'of asaost ey-
ci;abIe temperament, and of much more senti-
nent aud sensibility than clear and steady moral
INSIGHT. Too true-hearted to swim with the
tide too ftful and unstable TO stem it, his life
he'd been spent like that of aodteTskipper, in
now jumping spasmodically little way up the
stream. and then being borne passively little
way down by it. Nature never meant him for
= spiritual leader; but he was most intelli-
cent and generous, and might, under ordinary
circumstances, have been a much happier, and
,,utwardly, at least, better man.
He spent much time from this day with Her
man, interested apparently in himself as well
a in his cause, and attracted partly, perhaps,
by finding in him both the frankness, fairness,
courage. and generosity, which he had, and the
calnlness and elevation of mind, which he had
not. United by the free-masonry of large and
patriotic hearts, they soon found themselves
discussing sectional =" matters and things
more freely with each other than either could
have done with many of the citizens of his re-
sp.cliye State In one of these conversations,
Herman even ventured at last to repeat to Mr.
Broadstone Sam Taliaferros singular commu-
nication in the wood. To his establishment,
and almost horror, Mr.. Broadstone rubbed his
working forehead, apparently as much with
perplexity as with anger, and at first made no
reply.
"Whyl" cried Herman, Do you think it
possible? Would such things be suffered, even
here?"
a. Suffered sir?" cried he, springing up.
ado you know what you are talking about
DO Won take us for fends, sir, even here?' If
such a thing was known, do you suppose that
devils house wouldn't be pulled about his,ears,
even here, just as quick as it would in Massa-
chusetts?"
81 should think so, certainly"
Broadstone, Modified, sank down again into
his seat and his cogitation, rubbing his fore
head, and muttering slowly between the rubs-
d" If twas known-there's the rub If twas
true, who could know it? And who could
make it known? Not you, not |; for we don't
know II. and we can't afford lightly to run the
risk Of painting even the devil blacksr than he
Is and if we should, 'twould only be taken fol
Abolition SANDER. Not the actors in it, fol
their own sake. He lives out of sight and
g.unl Ii hot Of ha
this fellow was the sole spectator belonging to
the place; aud probably he never dared tc
speak of it until, in the excitement of your
common flight he let it out to you. Did mo-
You think he lied 2"
No. ! was convinced, mean, that he was
speaking from a very vivid impression left
upon his mind, but whether by fact or frenzy
] could not, from my brief acquaintance with
him, Judge
We'll, continued Broadstone, in the same
detected, coniecturiug Tone " don't know that
II makes so much difference, after all. | didnt
think that anybody was bold enough for that
won't say bad enough; for if our Father has
the heart of a father-such heart as mine
even, and He knows I'm 10 modelled, be
yOud all reckoning, rather men would abuse and
Insult Him-who can defend himself, and will
when He gets ready-than hurt His helpless
NultNItu anu 50 uOn I KNOW lildI DldSDne
my's really any worse than cruelty?" He
paused for an answer: but Herman was posed
by the to him novel metaphysical or moral
question brought up, and had mono to give
And 50, as | was saying, | don't, after all
know that it makes much difference whether
Is St. Dominique actually crucified one slave
or merely got another one, by other barbara
ties into such state of torture, terror, and
mental unSOundnesS rs to make him capable
Of ancyug such a thing. Would any marks
be lclJ upon the skeleton that was taken up
II il could be fpund?"
Probably not. Indeed, now that I've
shocked you and myself by repeating this story
I'm sorry that | have done so, and half glad
too, ;houSh it sounds to me, by daylight, sc
utterly impossible"
Because it's so atrocious Well; keep that
standard OF judgment as test while you can
Young man. 1t shows how little YOU know oil
The devil, and Is so far satisfactory, if no fur
lAer. Some people, who know him better than
you do, or ever viii, hope, would tell you that
Il IL isn't quite true of him, as we are told it is
OF God, that with him all things are possible
thefe only pretty narrow rim Of things that
aren possible with him. Queer things come
10 lawyers ears, sooner or latter. st. Domi.
mque not 4 native Of this State, though, re-
member"
Nor even countryman of ours, have been
glad 10 hear"
No; nor long a resident, nor really well
known here; so much I'll say for my neigh
UoFS. lie can behave himself like gentleman
usually does so when he's on his guard, and
taxes pains TO make himself popular. Before
you, New Englander and an Abolitionist, he
wouldn't think it so necessary to mind his p's
anu Is because he knew that, if you tried tC
get HIM into hot water, you'd only find yourse
over head and ears in it. The raw back and
P'ohsed collar you saw, proved him no angel
OuI IN all that our equitable laws protect hin
eAPhclly; and, virtually, in any other little &c
SeH'lclueS which he may choose to practice
ou' OF slght-or out of lCLite sight. As to this
particular anecdote, | advise you never to re
pear II again, for the credit of our country anC
humanity. If true, it must have been the
drunken bravado Of some delrious orgy only
'n unparalleled and frantic exception, even il
his evil liie You'll never know the truth o.
ia'sehood OF 1t. 1t could be known only through
proper legal investigation; and proper lega
i'eSu9auOn can't be had. 1t never can bt
Ano%n by any one-unless, in some foreign hos
P''e' may be-leagues away, or slave ship swell
ing along the line, one of the miscreants
ny assisted, pants it out with his last breath
~ me ear OF some priest, sworn to secresy-
s JuCi The day when these remote plantations
arail give up their dead, and their dead secrets
,'a tIen, depend upon it, strange stories will
!GGld-about others beside me, and Jy Others
oeSiueS poor Bill! " concluded this unfortunate
man. whose remorse seemed to underlie his
tt,eiy other thought and feeling, and to make
s-'ln regard, hate, and scorn himself, almost a,
sort Oh incarnation and representative of the
tLL.qultous system, which had so fatally over
"lo"h has peace and happiness on earth.
~ spite OF all the real kindness which, il
The midst of his imnatnos;tv no sboy,od 10 Hor