L[ydia] Maria Child ALS to W[illiam] P[arker] Cutler, July 10, 1862

5
problem to solve. Of course, the substitution of free institu-
-tions for slave labor would change the moral and
intellectual condition of the whole Southern people, in a
few generations. But in their transition state, what a
troublesome and dangerous set they will be to deal with!
They talk about slaves being unfit to be trusted with
legislation; doubtless it is true; but it seems to me that
slaveholders, by the inevitable necessity of their position,
are rendered even more unfit to legislate for freemen.

The horror that many people have of
future social equality, and intermarriage of the races,
makes me smile. The argument is so shallow! the fear
is so contradictory of itself! If there is an "instinctive
antipathy," as many assert, surely that antipathy may
be trusted to prevent amalgamation. If there is no instinct
-ive antipathy, what reason is there for the horror?

If the colored people are really an "inferior race," what
danger is there of their attaining to an "equality" with us?
If they are not inferior, what reason is there for ex-
-cluding them from equality? My belief is, that when
generations of colored people have had a fair chance for
education and the acquisition of wealth, the prejudice
against them, originating in their degraded position, will