Evening star., 1894-02-03
VIII not recognize the searching, trenchant
force OF the following passages:
az

without by men who knew little Of the in
stitution from personal observation. but
| they more resemble the work of the dissect-
ing knife which cleaves to the bone and
discovers the joints. Jefferson says:
THE whole commerce between master
and slave is a perpetual exercise of the
most boisterous passions. the most unre-
mitting despotism on the one part. and de-
grading submissions on the other. Our
children see this and learn to initiate it,;
for man is an initiative animal The
parent storms, the child looks on, catches
the lineaments of wrath, puts on the same
airs In the circle Of smaller slaves, gives q
loose rein to the worst Of passions and thus
nursed, educated and daily exercised IN
tyranny cannot but be stamped by 1t with
odlous pecuiarities. The man must be a
| prodigy who can retain his manners ana
morals undepraved by such circumstances.
And with what eXecration should the
statesman be loaded, who, permitting one
half the citizens thus to trample on the
rights of the other, transforms those iii to
despots. and these into enemies, destroys
the morals of the one part and the amor
patriae Of the other. For IL a slave can
nave country in this world, 1t must be
any other In preference to that in which
ne is born to live and labor for another; in
Wnlch ne must lock up the faculties Of his
nature, contribute as far as depends on
ms individual endeavors to the evanishment
OF the human race. or entail his own mis-
cradle condition on the endless generations
proceeding from him. And can the
liberties OF a nation be thought secure
Wnen we have removed their only firm
basls. a conviction in the minds Of the peo-
PIE that these liberties are the gift of God?
Inat they are not to be violated but with
HIS wrath! Indeed, 1 trembe for my coun-
try when reflect that God Is just; that his
| justice cannot sleep forever; that, consid-
ing numbers, nature and natural means
only, revolution of the wheel Of fortune
an exchange of situation, is among possible
events; that 1t may become probable by
supernatural interference! The Almighty
mas no attribute which can take sides
with Us IN such a contest"
These prophetic words now fulfilled. are
the words of Thomas jefferson
HOW "tncie TOMS Cabin Was Writ.
! ten.
NOT many magazines in this country have
done so much for literature in the same
number of years as did THE National
Era" / remember to have heard from the
editor and proprietor that about twenty
volumes were made up from its columns
and published. John G. Whittier was the
corresponding editor, and many of his
finest poe;ns-all, indeed. that he wrote
during the many years in which his con-
necttCn with The Era" lasted-iirst saw
the light through that medium. He also
wrote many fine prose articles, biographical
sketches Of eminent philanthropists. &c.
and widely read work of fiction of the CEN
tury. first appeared in the columns of THE
Era 1t originated in this way, as Dr.
Bailey Informed me: Mrs. Stowe had writ
ten some shorter stories for The Era"
and at length, IN the spring of 1851, the
doctor sent her 800 in advance, with the
request that she would write another story
She began with Uncle Toms Cabin. or
Lie Among the Lowly," sending in as
much as one and a half or two columns at
time 1t soon took hold Of the northern
anti-slavery mind like fire in the prairie
grass, and letters came pouring in in praise
OF II, with the expression of the hope that
II would not soon be cut short. The doctor,
OF course. forwarded another hundred dol
lars, and another and another from time
10 time, asking the lady to write on and
on. And thus it was that the famous story
came into being. She retained a copy-
rlght, and when finished she employed n
Boston publisher, Jewett, to bring out a
hanosome edition. as well as a cheaper
eoltioh' winch were printed and circulated
by the hundred thousands The hook wus
translated into every language Of Europe.
ana printed and circulated in vast auu,.
eers. 1t was said that from Jewett Mrs
ot1We received twenty thousand dollars
while his profits were much greater En-
ropean publishers, also. in the absence of
an international copyright, generously for
profits. -''
Uncle Tom was skilfully drawn with
reference to its circulation in the south: for
IL happens that her worst and most odious
characters are imported from the north
Legree, the wretch who bought Uncle Tom
at the sale of the amable New Orleans gen
tleman, who was unfortunately killed was
from vermont Haley, the negro trader
VINO bought him at Mr.. Shelby's sale is
made TO talk like a northern born man whil,
Mr. Shelby. the good-hearted Kentucky ger
tleman. the original owner was forced to
sen, or rather. forced to submit to a sale:
and the New Orleans gentleman who bought
Uncle Tom of the trader was the emhodi
ment OF honorable and amiable Qualities
Inc great purpose of Mrs. Stowe was to
snow lhe inevitable evils attendant upon a
system which made one human being the
slave of another, and in doing so she shows
the noble characteristics of the masters that
Went along with their arbitrary power.
When the book first appeared and before
Exeter Hall and the northern aboIitioniSts
turned 1t into political weapon, it was read
and wept over by southern ladies, but when
their husbands and brothers saw the uses
tnat We're to be made Of 1t 1t was at once
placed In the index expurgatorious. when n
became reasonable to look into H.
Miss Catherine Beecher a sister of Mrs
stowe, was contributor to The Era. She
was lady or superior talents and learning
OF whom her eminent father Dr. Lyman
Beecher. said that Catherine was the
smartest of all his boys"
Mrs. southworth's First Novel:
Mrs. Southworths first novel was frat
published in The National Era. 1t was called
"Retribution." 1t appeared seriallv. ,tke
Mrs. Stoves work. and began, 1 believe in
lS4e 1t was a great success, and her writ
ings were sought after by New York and
Philadelphia publishers. After writing for
some time for a Philadelphia publisher. she
entered into permanent engagement with
Mr.. Bonner Of the New York Ledger. from
whom she received, for many years. what
would be deemed liberal salary: but. n
fell short Of the share which fell to the
Ledger as the fruit Of her writings. She ba
been a voluminous writer and eminent,v
successlul, and even now her works ara
UNDERGOING new editions by publishers who
own the copyrights. Mrs. Southworth rells
tne STORY herself that when she commenced
Wrltihg yg she was teaching school here in |
washington at salary of $3.50 per wear
The first essays in that way were shor.
stories in the Baltimore Saturday Visitor
The proprietor. DR.. Snodgrass sold out the
paper In 1S49 to the editor of the Fra snS
took occasion to commend to him the an
thor Of an unfinished story in the Visitor |
DR.. Bailey transferred the story to the
columns of the Era, and invited Mr.
Southworth to finish it. She did so: ana he
paid her $15 for 1t. She declares that tbot
hrst Slo gave her more delight than onv
Thousand she afterward received for her
writings because it gave her the assurance
OF an additional resource for the sunoort
OF herself and children. While writing for
the Ledger and other publications she az
cured and retained copyrights, and was
paid literally for advanced sheets nv
London publisher, who spread thep, bro..a