Nor, in the present
development of human nature, is the conscience of great communities
likely to be so pervasive and controlling as to restrain them from
disregarding the rights of those whom it is perfectly safe to injure,
because they have not the pluck to defend themselves. Sentiment may be
lavished upon them in poetry and tears, but it will all be wasted. Like
all unprivileged classes before them, they will have their full
recognition as citizens and men when they have vindicated their title to
be an estate of the realm, and not before. Let us, then, take the world
as we find it, and try this people accordingly. But it is not pertinent
to any practical inquiry of our time to predict what triumphs in art,
literature, or government they are to accomplish, or what romance is to
glow upon their history. No Iliad may be written of them and their woes.
No Plutarch may gather the lives of their heroes. No Vandyck may delight
to warm his canvas with their forms. How many or how few astronomers
like Banneker, chieftains like Toussaint, orators like Douglass they may
have, it is not worth while to conjecture.
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