The events of the last few years and months and days have taught us the lessons of centuries. I do not see how a barbarous community and a civilized community can constitute one state. We must get rid of slavery, or we must get rid of freedom.
Original passage & context
"The events of the last few years and months and days have taught us the lessons of centuries. I do not see how a barbarous community and a civilized community can constitute one state. I think we must get rid of slavery, or we must get rid of freedom."
Four days after the caning, at Concord's indignation meeting — the intellectual North's verdict, and one of the most-quoted Northern reactions of the decade.
Read it in the original — Complete Works vol. XI, EmersonCentral ↗