The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-11-09

the TENOR OF many, OF lnein was wy Soy ~ o.
yet it was apparent that the tone OF o'helS amor
ded little nrospect of relief One o. the banks
that has .expressed itself most willing and anxious
Ito do every thing it can for the mechanics, has
this dov refused to discount a note, with unques-
I6onabe names, the president declaring to the APP
nIicant that it was their intention to discount small
notes only, and these to limited amount.
He wished, in the observations he might make, to
avoid saying anything that might appearlik dic,a
ton to the banks as 10 the course Of policy they
ought to pursue in this eXigency. 1t was appa-
rent that great distress prevailed, and he did not
reccoect, during thirty years business as a
merchant, time when this distress was so alarm
ing as at the present moment. He could well APP
preciate what the merchants who now throng
this hall, and had listened with such intense inter
est to the answers which had been read TO them,
feel on the subject. He sympathsed with them,
and felt sure that every person who heard him,
that had flesh in his heart and notes to pay at the
banks, had never known more alarming moment
than the present. He said it was in vain to
disguise it. The merchants, manufacturers and
mechanics of this city would not have assembled
there, had not extreme necessity drawn them TO 1t,
as it was we'll known that they will put forth ex
uaordnary efforts to sustain their credit, and the
commercial interests of the city, and not assemble
unavoidable circumstances. He trusted it would
not be considered egoslical or boasting if he
mentioned on that occaslon-when they had met
TO compare feelings and speak of each others sit
uation--hat one house, since the suspension in
1887, had redeemed ST. 100000 of its promises,
besides paying in cash Sl500,000 to the impor-
tiers in this city for new purchases--no altogeth-
er from its own strength, but aided by the gener-
Gus support and sympathy which it had received
from many whom he now saw in the hail. Loud
cheers.
The letters that have been read this evening
some naughty and others bcral-connucd Mr..
Tappan, reminded him of an anecdotc which
he would ask permission to relate. There was,
in Boston, a very respectable clergyman-o colored
manly the name of Pau III half suppressed
murmurs) 1t was customary for the clcrgymen
of the other churches in Boston, to preach an an
nual sermon in that coorcd church, in rotation,
and it used to be remarked that, you could always
tell who was the preacher, and what his character,
by the text he took for his DISCOURSE For in
stance, there was preacher, a man of great self
consequence and rotundity of person, who took
for his text" Servants obey your masters. y
| Great applause. And thcrc,Was another MGR
chant, in the same city, mild, amiabe man, who
when he preached to the congregation >who con-
considered themselves oppressed, took forhiS tezt.
II ent1eai yon as brethren. > Continued APP
plause.] Mr.. T. said he wished he could see in
all these letters from the banks the spirit of this
latter text He would conclude by repeating the
he had proposed, hoping that the same
would be appointed to wait on the Off
GERS of the banks, and request them TO meet to-
morrow evening, for the necessity admits ofno de-
lay, and procrastination is death TO the merchants
of New York.-TCheers.
Mr. Tappan said that, on the part of the house
Of which he was Il member, he could say that
their Indebtedness to the banks, at the present
moment, was not over twenty per cent. on what
it has averaged during the last two years although
they had latey made many and urgent applications
for accommodation-and this, said he, is perhaps
the case with many other merchants.
He then moved the resolution, as given above
which was seconded by General Lloyd aud
adopted
1t appears BY the daily papers that, in publishing
IN account of the meeting the editor of the Cour-
Ter and Enquirer-the notorious James Watson
Webb took occasion to vilify Mr. Toppan in his
paper in his characteristic strain, and with the in
lar violence against him. His abuse and threats,
however, passed unheeded. At the adjourned
meeting of the merchants, Mr.. Tappan offered
4 set of resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted. When he rose to speak, considerable
number of persons headed by retainer of Webb,
ziSsed, and continued TO do so until the dealening
applause of large ma jority of the audience, 81
enccd them. On Monday. James Watson Webb,
while forced to insert the resolutions, AMI make
mention of the "abollonist" who offered them,
continued his strain Of abuse, and hoped the re-
'eption MIR. Tappan met, at the meeting, would
De a LESSON to him. 1t doubtless will. Both he,
md thousands besides, witnessed the total dis
'omiture of political dcmagoge AMI purchased
DOL in attempting to prevent merchant from
aking part in the proceedings Ct meeting of
because he is obnoxious to pro-slavery
men, among us, on The question of slavery. Mr..
Webb had also the machless impudence to say, c
"a man cannot identity himself with incendary ag-
ta(lon, and maintain his position as Il member Of
he commercial community" lie said this years
ago, and is now forced to chronicle the fals6ca-
ion Of his own prediction. We remember nota-
Die incident in the history of abolition at the time
If the mob, instieated in a great measure, by this
same Webb, at the Chatham Street Chapel, on the
evening when the New York City Anli-Savery =,
Society was formed. Anticipating the rout and i
lefeat OF the twenty-five men and two quaker f
vomen," who met to form the society, Webb, be- Il
he wont homo ,Srotn n laodinr ortirlo tho