 ?"frog-pond" and " put the bottom rail on top
This is my first post in this forum; I am very glad to find this forum in the internet sea because I think communicating with native English speakers is almost the most important way to learn the language. I will cherish this forum and the opportunity.
I have two English questions and I can not find the answers even after looking them up in five dictionaries. They are as follows.
1. “We tell the white men of Mississippi that the men of the North will convert the state of Mississippi into a frog-pond before they will allow any such laws to disgrace one foot of soil over which the flag of freedom waves.”
Obviously, here "frog-pond" is a metaphor, but I can not figure out it's meaning. What is it?
2. “A few (blacks) took quite literally the coming of what they called Jubilee, thinking that it would put the bottom rail on top.”
What's the meaning of the idiom "put the bottom rail on top"?
I am looking forward to the instructions. Thanks. |