He could even come out into a town
where there were more Border Ruffians than Free State men, and
transact some business, without delaying long, and yet not be
molested; for, said he, "no little handful of men were willing to
undertake it, and a large body could not be got together in season."
As for his recent failure, we do not know the facts about it. It was
evidently far from being a wild and desperate attempt. His enemy Mr.
Vallandigham is compelled to say that "it was among the best planned
and executed conspiracies that ever failed."
Not to mention his other successes, was it a failure, or did it show
a want of good management, to deliver from bondage a dozen human
beings, and walk off with them by broad daylight, for weeks if not
months, at a leisurely pace, through one State after another, for half
the length of the North, conspicuous to all parties, with a price
set upon his head, going into a court-room on his way and telling what
he had done, thus convincing Missouri that it was not profitable to
try to hold slaves in his neighborhood?- and this, not because the
government menials were lenient, but because they were afraid of him.
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