In speaking of Slavery in America you say that "two millions of wretched slaves groan beneath the lash of the oppressor ." There is nothing in the last expression that I think either in- applicable or too severe; but as the lash is more especially & more cruelly employed in the West Indies than in America, while there are other & perhaps more degrading evils con- nected with it in the latter place, you will pardon me for being so hyper-critical as suggesting whether you could approve of the substitution of a clause instead of "groan beneath the lash of the oppressor." It might be –– "the doomed to suffer its X brand & its curse" –– or something to that effect.

I am really ashamed to make these observations as the exceptions are so trifling & even questionable. There is one sentence which you have left unfinished, but I have not presumed to add anything. The Preface appears to me just what the case required, & if you had not made it a sort of duty to me to look out for something to correct, I should not have found anything that in my view would have called for alteration. The lines of Montgomery are very beautiful & appropriate. Would you have the sentence placed above the two passages of Scripture in the same position which is now occupies? I am glad to hear that your dear little girl is better, & hope that with a change of weather the very many persons who are now suffering under a sort of influenza will be speedily recovered.