The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-01
The Anti-slavery Anniversary In Boston.
WENDELL PHILLIPS AND THE NEW YORK HERALD.
TFrom the Boston Traveller Nav 281

The Anti-Slavery Anniversary In Boston.
WENDELL PHILLIPS AND THE NEW YORK HERALD.
[From the Boston Traveller, May 28]
The anniversary meeting Of this society was held
was called to the chair. business committee was
appointed who reported series Of resolutions.
The resolution first considered related to the re-
fusal of the use Of Faneu Hall to the convention,
by the city government 1t denounccs the course
pursued by the city authorities as an attempt to
crush the expression of opinion by illegal uss OF
power.
Mr.. WaI. L. GARRISON supported this resolution.
lie said that the convention had very little to do
with the shareholders of the South. The slave
holders had been brought up under the influence OF
the institution Of slavery; all their inte and all
their hopes were bound up in that institution, and
1t was no matter of wonder that they desirous
OF sustaining it. But the people of the North who
upheld the slavery system, were to receive their
particular attention.
The speaker alluded to the course pursued lately
by the city authorities in refusing Faneuil Hall to
the Anti-Fugitive Slave Law Con Sention and after
wards, to keep up show of consistency refusing it
to that fallen and despised outcast Daniel Webster
But, said he when they refused to let him raise up
his voice in support Of the slave power State street
was in commotion, and the fathers of the city,
crouchng beneath the expression Of the State street
sentiment, 50 humbled themselves that they crept
on their very bellies to the Revere, to ask Mr..
Webster 10 speak to them, and it was greatly to
that mans credit that he refused to listen them,
and spit upon the reptiles that covered at his feet.
1t might be said that the views of this society were
disorganizing. lie wished they could be shown to
be 50. lie held that they had right to be dis
unionists under the constitution United States
bad as it was if they chose to be So
Mr.. AlELLEN proceeded to make some remarks
which we could not hear. From the fact however,
that the Chairman called him to order, and request
ed him to coDfne his remarks to the resolution we
judged that they were Of that discursve and ramb-
ling character which usually distinguishes the ora
torical efforts Of this gentleman.
Mr.. PARKER PmIsBCRy was glad that they were
shut out of Faneuil Hall, and wished they were
shut out of Boston, provided it was for the same
cause that they were excluded from the Hail. He
bad seen the last salvation of the Union by Daniel
Webster, and he saw that at Buffalo the late
meeting OF the Association in Syracuse was spoken
of in terms Of respect. That faithful meeting had
already produced some effect. The views Of the
society were beginning to excite attention, and
the active opposition made to them rather en-
couraging than otherwise. He wished that the
seat of the operations Of this society could be re-
moved from Boston. lie thought that Boston had
been left to believe a lie, and destined to be
damned different state Of things existed in the
country. lie was ashamed to confess the fact, but
for the sake OF illustrating his proposition, he
acknowledged that he was in company with the
President, on his late progress from Rochester to
Albany, and the feeble demonstration made to well
come him at nearly every place the ropte
eyinced very satisfactorily the sentiments of the
country.
Mr.. FOSTER thought that the refusal Of fFaneuil
Hall would aid instead Of injure the anti-slavery
cause. lie thought that the effect of these meet
ings would be far more salutary il they were held
at various points in the country STILL he would
not Withhold ot Of the Of the resolutions
from the city government. They deserved all of it.
Still, he would not be too severe upon these men.
There was something behind the city government;
they were the mere tools Of public sentiment here.
The opposition to this society and to its doctrines
came chiefly from the church Of Boston Having
thus counted his tayorite hobby, Mr.. Boster pro.
ceeded to abuse the ministry with his usual gusto.
lie was called to order by the chairman, and with
difficulty came back to the city government. The
church, however nc found ii impossible to abandon.
lie hoped that the weight Of the ccnsure Of the
solution would be aimed against the church and
ministry. The citizens Of Boston we're all assassins
and kidnappers. They had sold Jesus Christ in the
person Of Mr. Smms for thirty pieces Of silver. The
slave trade had been established here. He had no
slave trade. He looked upon those who banshed
them from Faneul Hall as he looked upon the slave
traders on the coast Of Africa.
Mr. GARRISON rose to defend the city of Boston.
lie did not think quite 20 bad of Boston hsfriend
Foster. II was not quite Seldom, for there were
more than ten righteous men here. He thought
that bad as Boston was, there were some good
things about IL. He did not believe that Boston
would deliberately and intelligently have allowed
Simms 70 have been carried away. He regarded,
however, the present authorities as the most
vile and the most corrupt Of men. Buthe thought
that after all, there was hope Of Bostcn.
Mr.. WENDELL PHuLlPs did not agree with bis
friend Foster, or Garrison either. lie did not be-
lcye Boston hadbecn belied by Mr.. Foster but, ut
the same time, he did not believe sae deserved that
comparative condemnation which had been made Of
her in connection with ne country. The merchants
OF the city Of Boston we're not altogether to be
blamed for what had taken place. Mayor Egelow
had been elected by an appeal 70 the vice and
rowdyism o. Boston--he had long ago lost the con.
fdence Of the merchants. IL 30 much reliance
could be placed on tbs country towns, why were
ttau nat .rha -. =.
ehaiLs J a slave could be taken n vay from any
town Of the commonwealth, aud there was not
spirit enough in any town to protect him.
lie was tired Of hearing Of the virtues Of the towns
better than the cities in respects. but not bet
ter for the fundamental spirit OF the auti-ssVery
entcri rise. There was, to be sure, n certain de-
gree of free soil and anti-slayery inthe common
wealth there was a certain degree Of opposition 10
the Fugitive Slave law but no such determined
opposition ne would lead resistance Of that Law.
In the case Of Simus the towns in the state did not
rcytnd 70 the call Of tho abolitonists. The free
sol party had gathered into their organization the
principal portion Of the snii-slavery sentiment of
the state, aud they kcrt il locked up, to use II for
political purposes exclusively. The greatest foes
10 the antisayery enterprise in Boston were net
the merchants i was the wings. or that ro mna1t
q The whig organization that clustered round
Daniel Webster. Il was he merchant whigs-thc
merchant whose whig mater taught him that his
greatest prosperity was 10 be attained By adhe AZ
rofuscd Faneuil Hall to-day was, because II was
feared that George Thompson would e. there and
II was not the merchant but the political parties
Who opposed them.
SECOND DY.
NfNpfGI InrIirs rose and addressed the con.
vcntion upon the subject Of funds Cor the Anti
slavery Society. IL seems that they are entirely
out ofnocket, and Phillips made stirring appeal
TO the members 10 como forward and pay something
down, upon the SPOT, or pledge themselves to DO
something ai some future fixed time. We mus
be up and stirring, enemies will gain a march
upon ~. Say what you will about L, public opi
nion L ooEing away from M. Bat IL the spirit of
abolition In New England has got To- die out, Il
must dic hard. "lt will never del" cried n stout
negro woman, from whose face tho perspiraton was
falling IN torrents. " 1 don't know that" replied
Mr.. Phillips; 81 have my fears. We must, a.
aboltionists, take stronger ground-nnd we must
have more funds" UIcT him, hear him, cried
voice most confoundcdly cracked. By the way, this
startling exclamation IL heard in the hall every ff
teen minutes, issuing, apparently. from the same
t,utro lpp..