Ralph Waldo Emerson Slavery Quotations

The subject is said to have the property of making dull men eloquent.

America is not civil, whilst Africa is barbarous.

If any mention was made of homicide, madness, adultery, and intolerable tortures, we would let the church-bells ring louder, the church-organ swell its peal and drown the hideous sound. The sugar they raised was excellent: nobody tasted blood in it.

I do not see how a barbarous community and a civilized community can constitute a state. I think we must get rid of slavery or we must get rid of freedom.

Slavery it is that makes slavery; freedom, freedom. The slavery of women happened when the men were slaves of kings.

I think we must get rid of slavery or we must get rid of freedom.

Slavery is an institution for converting men into monkeys.