ates； the Middle States； and the States south of North Carolina and Tennessee。 In New England； few negroes were ever held as slaves； and the institution disappeared during the first years of the Republic。 The inhabitants had little experience arising from actual contact with slavery。 When slavery disappeared from New England and before there had been developed in the country at large a national feeling of responsibility for its continued existence； interest in the subject declined。 For twenty years previous to the founding of Garrison's Liberator in 1831； organized abolition movements had been almost unknown in New England。 In various ways the people were isolated； separated from contact with slavery。 Their knowledge of this subject of discussion was academic； theoretical； acquired at second…hand。 In New York and New Jersey slaves were much more numerous than in New England。 There were still slaves in considerable numbers until about 1825。 The people had a knowledge of the institution from experience and observation； and there was no break in the continuity of their organized abolition societies。 Chief among the objects of these societies was the effort to prevent kidnapping and to guard the rights of free negroes。 For both of these purposes there was a continuous call for activity。 Pennsylvania also had freedmen of her own whose rights called for guardianship； as well as many freedmen from farther south who had come into the State。 The movement of protest and protection did not stop at Mason and Dixon's Line； but extended far into the South。 In both North Carolina and Tennessee an active protest against slavery was at all times maintained。 In this great middle section of the country； between New England and South Carolina； there was no cessation in the conflict between free and slave labor。 Some of these States became free while others remained slave； but between the people of the two sections there was continuous communication。 Slaveholders came into free States to liberate their slaves。 Non…slaveholders came to get rid of the competition of slave labor； and free negroes came to avoid reenslavement。 Slaves fled thither on their way to liberty。 It was not a matter of choice； it was an unavoidable condition which compelled the people of the border States to give continuous attention to the institution of slavery。 The modern anti…slavery movement had its origin in this great middle section； and from the same source it derived its chief support。 The great body of active abolitionists were from the slave States or else derived their inspiration from personal contact with slavery。 As compared with New England abolitionists； the middlestate folk were less extreme in their views。 They had a keener appreciation of the difficulties involved in emancipation。 They were more tolerant towards the idea of letting the country at large share the burdens involved in the liberation of the slaves。 Border…state abolitionists naturally favored the policy of gradual emancipation which had been followed in New York； New Jersey； and Pennsylvania。 Abolitionists who continued to reside in the slave States were forced to recognize the fact that emancipation involved serious questions of race adjustment。 From the border States came the colonization society； a characteristic institution； as well as compromise of every variety。 The southernmost section； including South Carolina； Georgia； and the Gulf States； was even more sharply defined in the attitude it assumed toward the anti…slavery movement。 At no time did the cause of emancipation become formidable in this section。 In all these States there was； of course； a large class of non…slaveholding whites； who were opposed to slavery and who realized that they were victims of an injurious system； but they had no effective organ for expression。 The ruling minority gained an early and an easy victory and to the end held a firm hand。 To the inhabitants of this section it appeared to be a self…evident truth that the white race was born to rule and the black race was born to serve。 Where negroes outnumbered the whites fourfold； the mere suggestion of emancipation raised a race question which seemed appalling in its proportions。 Either in the Union or out of the Union； the rulers were determined to perpetuate slavery。 Slavery as an economic institution became dependent upon a few semitropical plantation crops。 When the Constitution was framed； rice and indigo； produced in South Carolina and Georgia； were the two most important。 Indigo declined in relative importance； and the production of sugar was developed； especially after the annexation of the Louisiana Purchase。 But by far the most important crop for its effects upon slavery and upon the entire country was cotton。 This single product finally absorbed the labor of half the slaves of the entire country。 Mr。 Rhodes is not at all unreasonable in his surmise that； had it not been for the unforeseen development of the cotton industry； the expectation of the founders of the Republic that slavery would soon disappear would actually have been realized。 It was more difficult to carry out a policy of emancipation when slaves were quoted in the market at a thousand dollars than when the price was a few hundred dollars。 All slave…owners felt richer； emancipation appeared to involve a greater sacrifice。 Thus the cotton industry went far towards accounting for the changed attitude of the entire country on the subject of slavery。 The North as well as the South became financially interested。 It was not generally perceived before it actually happened that the border States would take the place of Africa in furnishing the required supply of laborers for Southern plantations。 The interstate slave…trade gave to the system a solidarity of interest which was new。 All slave…owners became partakers of a common responsibility for the system as a whole。 It was the newly developed trade quite as much as the system of slavery itself which furnished the ground for the later anti…slavery appeal。 The consciousness of a common guilt for the sin of slavery grew with the increase of actual interstate relations。 The abolition of the African slave…trade was an act of the general Government。 Congress passed the prohibitory statute in 1807； to go into effect January； 1808。 At no time； however； was the prohibition entirely effective； and a limited illegal trade continued until slavery was eventually abolished。 This inefficiency of restraint furnished another point of attack for the abolitionists。 Through efforts to suppress the African slave…trade； the entire country became conscious of a common responsibility。 Before the Revolutionary War； Great Britain had been censured for forcing cheap slaves from Africa upon her unwilling colonies。 After the Revolution； New England was blamed for the activity of her citizens in this nefarious trade both before and after it was made illegal。 All of this tended to increase the sense of responsibility in every section of the country。 Congress had made the foreign slave…trade illegal； and citizens in all sections gradually became aware of the possibility that Congress might likewise restrict or forbid interstate commerce in slaves。 The West Indies and Mexico were also closely associated with the United States in the matter of slavery。 When Jamestown was founded； negro slavery was already an old institution in the islands of the Caribbean Sea； and thence came the first slaves to Virginia。 The abolition of slavery in the island of Hayti； or San Domingo； was accomplished during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars。 As incidental to the process of emancipation； the Caucasian inhabitants were massacred or banished； and a republican government was established； composed exclusively of negroes and mulattoes。 From the date of the Missouri Compromise to that of the Mexican War； this island was united under a single republic； though it was afterwards divided into the two republics of Hayti and San Domingo。 The 〃horrors of San Domingo〃 were never absent from the minds of those in the United States who lived in communities composed chiefly of slaves。 What had happened on the island was accepted by Southern planters as proof that the two races could live together in peace only under the relation of master and slave； and that emancipation boded the extermination of one race or the other。 Abolitionists； however； interpreted the facts differently： they emphasized the tyranny of the white rulers as a primary cause of the massacres； they endowed some of the negro leaders with the highest qualities of statesmanship and self…sacrificing generosity； and Wendell Phillips； in an impassioned address which he delivered in 1861； placed on the honor roll above the chief worthies of historyincluding Cromwell and Washington Toussaint L'Ouverture； the liberator of Hayti； whom France had betrayed and murdered。 Abolitionists found support for their position in the contention that other communities had abolished slavery without such accompanying horrors as occurred in Hayti and without serious race conflict。 Slavery had run its course in Spanish America； and emancipation accompanied or followed the formation of independent republics。 In 1833 all slaves in the British Empire were liberated； including those in the important island of Jamaica。 So it happened that； just at the time when Southern leaders were making up their minds to defend their peculiar institution at all hazards； they were beset on every side by the spirit of emancipation。 Abolitionists； on the other hand； were fully convinced that the attainment of some form of emancipation in the United States was certain； and that； either peaceably or through violence； the slaves would ultimately be liberated。
CHAPTER III。 EARLY CRUSADERS At the time when the new cotton industry was enhancing the value of slave labor； there arose from the ranks of the people those who freely consecrated their all to the freeing of the slave。 Among these； Benjamin Lundy； a New Jersey Quaker； holds a significant place。 Though the Society of Friends fills a large place in the anti…slavery movement； its contribution to the growth of the conception of equality is even more significant。 This impetus to the idea arises from a fundamental Quaker doctrine； announced at the m