When Dante, in the vindictive judgment hurled against his own Florence, called it bordello, he did not use a term too strong for the mighty house of ill-fame which the Christian powers are now asked for the first time to license.
Sumner draws a powerful analogy to Dante's condemnation of corruption to criticize the recognition of slavery.
Share
More from Charles Sumner
Nor should we be too impatient to witness the fulfilment of our aspirations.
As the Brotherhood of Man is practically recognized, it becomes impossible to restrict the feeling within any exclusive circle of country, and to set up an unchristian distinction of honor between civil war and international war.
They who strive after it, Ixion-like, embrace a cloud.
Nay, more,--if it would be criminal in these several clusters of States to reëstablish the Institution of War as Arbiter of Justice, then is it criminal in the Commonwealth of Nations to continue it.
Other voices in this conversation
