"The welfare of the whole South, as matters now stand, sir, depends upon slavery. Our plantations could not exist a day without slave labor. If you abolished that institution, Judge Whipple, you would ruin millions of your fellow-countrymen,--you would reduce sovereign states to a situation of disgraceful dependence. And all, sir," now he raised his voice lest the Judge break in, "all, sir, for the sake of a low breed that ain't fit for freedom. You and I, who have the Magna Charta and the Declaration of Independence behind us, who are descended from a race that has done nothing but rule for ten centuries and more, may well establish a Republic where the basis of stability is the self-control of the individual--as long as men such as you and I form its citizens. Look at the South Americans. How do Republics go there? And the minute you and I let in niggers, who haven't any more self-control than dogs, on an equal basis, with as much of a vote as you have,--niggers, sir, that have lived like wild beasts in the depths of the jungle since the days of Ham, --what's going to become of our Republic?" "Education," cried the Judge. But the word was snatched out of his mouth. "Education isn't a matter of one generation. No, sir, nor two, nor three, nor four. But of centuries." "Sir," said the Judge, "I can point out negroes of intelligence and learning." "And I reckon you could teach some monkeys to talk English, and recite the catechism, and sing emotional hymns, if you brought over a couple of million from Africa," answered the Colonel, dryly, as he rose to put on his hat and light a cigar. It was his custom to offer a cigar to the Judge, who invariably refused, and rubbed his nose with scornful violence. Virginia, on the verge of leaving, stayed on, fascinated by the turn the argument had taken. "Your prejudice is hide-bound, sir," said Mr. Whipple. "No, Whipple," said the Colonel, "when God washed off this wicked earth, and started new, He saw fit to put the sons of Ham in subjection. They're slaves of each other in Africa, and I reckon they're treated no better than they are here. Abuses can't be helped in any system, sir, though we are bettering them. Were the poor in London in the days of the Edwards as well off as our niggers are to-day?" The Judge snorted. "A divine institution!" he shouted. "A black curse! Because the world has been a wicked place of oppression since Noah's day, is that any reason why it should so continue until the day of Judgment?" The Colonel smiled, which was a sign that he was pleased with his argument.