extended selections from that memorable debate and then, by
extended references to later official reports, points out how
slavery is impoverishing the South. The South is shown to have
continuously declined, while the North has made immense gains. In
a few years the relation of the South to the North would resemble
that of Poland to Russia or of Ireland to England. The author
sees no call for any arguments against slavery as an economic
system; he would simply bring the earlier characterization of the
situation down to date.

Helper differs radically from all earlier speakers and writers in
that he outlines a program for definite action. He estimates that
for the entire South there are seven white non-slaveholders for
every three slaveholders. He would organize these
non-slaveholding whites into an independent political party and
would hold a general convention of non-slaveholders from every
slave State to adopt measures to restrain "the diabolical
excesses of the oligarchy" and to annihilate slavery.
Slaveholders should be entirely excluded from any share in
government. They should be treated as criminals ostracized from
respectable society. He is careful to state, however, that by
slaveholder he does not mean such men as Benton of Missouri and
many others throughout the slave States who retain the sentiments
on the slavery question of the "immortal Fathers of the
Republic." He has in mind only the new order of owners, who have
determined by criminal methods to inflict the crime of slavery
upon an overwhelming majority of their white fellow-citizens.

The publication of "The Impending Crisis" created a profound
sensation among Southern leaders. So long as the attack upon the