spective Act, declaring that all children born the limits of the State after a certain day should be free — and at once she would feel new life in her veins. At once, by the simple passage of such an Act, she would step, in a manner, out of the ranks of the Slave States into those of the Free. For by so doing she changes at once her course — her line of direction: now it is retrograde, — then, it would be forward. By that step, she shows her good-will to the cause, her just purpose, her determination to pursue the right path. And just as the "prodigal" was received at once by his father with delight, simply by abandoning his sinful indulgence and turning back to his father's house; — just as the repentant sinner is beheld by angels with joy, simply for his repenting, his acknowledgment of wrong and the giving up of his evil purpose, — though he has not had time as yet to shake off bad habits and form good ones, — so would the passage of such an Act by any one of the slave-holding States bring down upon her the blessings and the congratulations of all good men. At once would they say, — "She has turned from the path of wrong to that of right; she has manifested a good purpose and intent; she has set out in the right direction; there is no fear of her now — all the rest is but the work of time." The States of, the North could with justice utter no more denunciations against her — their lips would be closed; for this was precisely the way in which they themselves got out of the swamp of slavery; it was by prospective acts, and in this gradual manner, that they all delivered themselves from that dark incubus,
