Seeing slavery thus hemmed in on all sides by nature as well as law, and sincerely believing that in such a position its final extinction was but a question of time, the Southern leaders determined to break the bonds that bound them.
Blaine reflects on the Southern leaders' perception of slavery's future in a constrained environment.
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Such an opportunity would have been a menace to the public credit, and would have proved a constant source of corruption.
The wisdom of maintaining that institution was abundantly vindicated by the results of the war.
The two schools in short marked the dividing line between the radical and the conservative.
I am in no boastful mood: I shall not do more than I can, but I shall do all I can to save the Government, which is my sworn duty as well as my personal inclination.
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