The one great
measure which finally stopped the slave-trade forever was, naturally,
the abolition of slavery, i.e., the giving to the Negro the right to
sell his labor at a price consistent with his own welfare. The abolition
of slavery itself, while due in part to direct moral appeal and
political sagacity, was largely the result of the economic collapse of
the large-farming slave system.
96. ~The Lesson for Americans.~ It may be doubted if ever before such
political mistakes as the slavery compromises of the Constitutional
Convention had such serious results, and yet, by a succession of
unexpected accidents, still left a nation in position to work out its
destiny. No American can study the connection of slavery with United
States history, and not devoutly pray that his country may never have a
similar social problem to solve, until it shows more capacity for such
work than it has shown in the past. It is neither profitable nor in
accordance with scientific truth to consider that whatever the
constitutional fathers did was right, or that slavery was a plague sent
from God and fated to be eliminated in due time. We must face the fact
that this problem arose principally from the cupidity and carelessness
of our ancestors. It was the plain duty of the colonies to crush the
trade and the system in its infancy: they preferred to enrich themselves
on its profits.
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