Mrs.Stowe refers to these incidents in her question: "When despairing Hungarian fugitives make their way, against all the search-warrants and authorities of their lawful governments to America, press and political cabinet ring with applause and welcome.
When despairing African fugitives do the same thing--it is--what IS it ?" Little did she think that when the eloquence of the Hungarian refugee had been forgotten, the story of Eliza and Uncle Tom would ring throughout the world.
The book did far more than vindicate the conduct of those who rendered assistance to the fugitive from slavery; it let in daylight upon the essential nature of slavery.

Humane and just masters are shown to be forced into participation in acts which result in intolerable cruelty.
Full justice is done to the noble and admirable character of Southern slave-owners.

The author had been a guest in the home of the "Shelbys," in Kentucky.

She had taken great pains to understand the Southern point of view on the subject of slavery; she had entered into the real trials and difficulties involved in any plan of emancipation.

St.Clair, speaking to Miss Ophelia, his New England cousin, says: "If we emancipate, are you willing to educate?
How many families of your town would take in a negro man or woman, teach them, bear with them, and seek to make them Christians?
How many merchants would take Adolph, if I wanted to make him a clerk; or mechanics, if I wanted to teach him a trade?
If I wanted to put Jane and Rosa to a school, how many schools are there in the Northern States that would take them in?
How many families that would board them?
And yet they are as white as many a woman north or south.