What does it mean when president Jefferson says that "slavery is a wolf America holds by the ears?"I read this on page 168. I also would like to...

Simile of holding wolf by the ears to describe Americas position in relation to slavery was used by Jefferson several times. For example, the website referred below gives the following two quotations.

But as it is we have the wolf by the ears, we can neither hold him, nor let him safely go. Justice is in one scale, and self preservation in the other.  - Thomas Jefferson to John Holmes, 1820.

We have the wolf by the ear and feel the danger of either holding or letting him loose.  - Thomas Jefferson to Lydia Huntley Sigourney, 1824.

Clearly Jefferson was pointing to the fact that it is undesirable and very difficult for America to hold on to slavery because of the consideration of justice and equality, which were central to the concept of America as a nation. Jefferson also felt that pressure of growing opposition to slavery within America. At the same time he felt that abolition of slavery will create other problems, which he likened to the problems of letting the wolf go. The wolf will not just go away. Once released it will harm the person holding him by ears. By this Jefferson was pointing out to the economic problems that will be faced by doing away with the cheap labour available through the institution of slavery.