It's Quotin' Time!

I was reading a chapter in my social studies book, and came upon a quote from Thomas Jefferson in 1820, on the subject of slavery in the Union.

"We have the wolf by the ears, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go."

Cool, eh? Did they seriously talk like that, just chatting? Or did they like, think about it beforehand, specifically thinking up fancy, philosophical, lasting lines like that? I suppose that would be something for a historian to study.

<3