“The Roman Cato, after declaring his belief in the immortality
of the soul, added, that, if this were an error, it was an
error he loved. And now, declaring my belief in Liberty and
Equality as the God-given birthright of all men, let me say,
in the same spirit, if this be an error, it is an error I
love,--if this be a fault, it is a fault I shall be slow to
renounce,--if this be an illusion, it is an illusion which I
pray may wrap the world in its angelic forms.”[267]
The discussion still proceeded, and only a month later, March 7, 1866,
I made another elaborate effort with the same object, from which I read
my constant testimony:--
“I do not stop to exhibit the elective franchise as essential
to the security of the freedman, without which he will be
the prey of Slavery in some new form, and cannot rise to the
stature of manhood. In opening this debate I presented the
argument fully. Suffice it to say that Emancipation will fail
in beneficence, if you do not assure to the former slave all
the rights of the citizen. Until you do this, your work will be
only _half done_, and the freedman only _half a man_.”