The more educated may have given some
credence to his words, but I do not think the great bulk of the people
ever did.[107] At any rate, the principle was distasteful to them; and
when the _Nation_ newspaper began to publish what seemed to them the
good old threatening physical force articles, and when a talented band
of young gentlemen, in the Repeal Association, began to pronounce
eulogiums on the physical force patriots of other countries in fervid
eloquence, they soon became the prime favourites of the people; and it
was not long until the _Nation_ surpassed, in circulation, every other
journal in the country. Those enthusiastic young men saw that the
oft-repeated maxim, that "no political amelioration is worth one drop of
human blood," took the strength and manhood out of the agitation; so
they determined to return to the older doctrine of moral force--a
doctrine which neither makes it independent of physical force, nor
antagonistic with it, but rather its threatening shadow. A principle
well expressed by the motto on the cannon of the Volunteers of
'82--"Free Trade, or else."--a motto often quoted by the Liberator
himself, with a disclaimer, to be sure, in order to avoid the law, as
the people believed.
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