At the bottom, Sitgreaves had much good sense,
and thus called on, he took up the cudgels of argument in
downright earnest.
"We deem it a liberty to have the deciding voice in the councils by
which we are governed. We think it a hardship to be ruled by the king of
a people who live at a distance of three thousand miles, and who cannot,
and who do not, feel a single political interest in common with
ourselves. I say nothing of oppression; the child was of age, and was
entitled to the privileges of majority. In such cases, there is but one
tribunal to which to appeal for a nation's rights--it is power, and we
now make the appeal."
"Such doctrines may suit your present purposes," said Wellmere, with a
sneer; "but I apprehend it is opposed to all the opinions and practices
of civilized nations."
"It is in conformity with the practices of all nations," said the
surgeon, returning the nod and smile of Lawton, who enjoyed the good
sense of his comrade as much as he disliked what he called "his medical
talk." "Who would be ruled when he can rule? The only rational ground to
take is, that every community has a right to govern itself, so that in
no manner it violates the laws of God."
"And is holding your fellow creatures in bondage in conformity to those
laws?" asked the colonel, impressively.
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