human
Do you believe I could ever be a lawyer, Father?
gpt
I have no doubt you could, Joe, if you set your mind on it.
human
And a member of the legislature—like that man?
gpt
Well, I don’t know about that, my son. That man appears to me to be a rather unusual sort of a person. But you might become a member of the legislature, perhaps.
human
Then that’s what I’m going to do when I’m a man,
gpt
Do you believe in the abolition of slavery, Father?
human
I do indeed, my son, replied Mr. Peniman earnestly.
gpt
As Mr. Lincoln said ’No man has a right to own and govern another without that other’s consent.’
human
Do you believe in the abolition of slavery enough to fight for it, Father,—if our country should have to go to war?
gpt
Quakers cannot fight, Joe. We are bound to peace.
human
But if war should come, urged the boy,
gpt
cried Joshua Peniman, in a voice whose deep, quavering earnestness was a slight indication of the storm that was raging in his heart.
human
May God forbid such a catastrophe! Let us not talk of it. Let us not _think_ of it. Let us pray the Almighty Ruler of the Universe to avert so frightful a calamity to our nation!