A Review of Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, An Essay on SlaveryWoodward, A.
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A Review of Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, An Essay on Slavery
Woodward, A.
Slavery -- United States; Stowe, Harriet Beecher, 1811-1896. Uncle Tom's cabin; Uncle Tom (Fictitious character)
I have long beheld with regret and astonishment, the efforts that have
been made by a certain class of writers, to disseminate erroneous
views in the Northern section of the United States, with regard to
Southern slavery.[2] The recent publication by Mrs. Stowe, entitled
"Uncle Tom's Cabin," is a work of that class. I have no wish to write
anything harsh or unkind; for however ill-timed, ill-advised, or
ill-judged the work may be, if her object was the alleviation of human
woe, I can but respect the motive that prompted her to write, though I
may differ with her in opinion as to the means most likely to
accomplish the proposed object. The fair authoress may have meant
well. I shall leave that, however, to the "Searcher of all hearts;"
but I frankly confess that I fear that the book will result "in evil,
and only evil." I cannot avoid here, quoting the language that she
puts in the mouth of Chloe, the wife of Uncle Tom, who is the hero of
her tale: "Wal any way, that's wrong about it somewhar, I can't jest
make out whar it is, but thar's wrong somewhar." We all admit that
there are wrongs, it is clear to every one, neither do we differ much
as to what those wrongs are, nor yet as to their causes and effects;
but unfortunately for us, we differ widely, when we undertake to
propose remedies for the evil complained of. We have all need of that
charity "which suffereth long and is kind; that thinketh no evil." It
is as unreasonable and as wicked, to treat each other unkindly,
because we differ in opinion, as it would be to treat each, other
unkindly, because there is a difference in the features of our faces,
and the expression of our countenances. The Author of our existence,
for wise purposes, made us to differ mentally, as well as physically.
The structures of our minds are different. The great Architect
_willed_ that it should be thus; why, we presume not to know, but so
it is. And then moreover, our physical training, mental, moral and
religious culture; together with climate and a variety of other
external and internal causes, have all contributed more or less in
shaping our opinions, and giving a peculiar cast to our minds. Thus it
is, that we are all looking through different glasses, and it is no
wonder that we do not all see objects just alike. Objects must
necessarily present themselves to us, in different hues and colors.
Some are so accustomed to view all objects through a microscope, that
they have no just conception of the real magnitude of any body.
Exaggeration is their _forte_--in this they excel. Their towering
minds soar above common comprehension and common sense, and their
fertile imaginations are ever ready to conjure up spectres, ghosts and
hobgoblins; or otherwise, where others see a mouse, they behold an
elephant; and to their distorted visions, a mole-hill is magnified
into a mountain. We look in vain to such writers for a plain,
unvarnished, common sense statement of facts, for sound arguments, or
logical deductions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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