Worcester daily spy., 1851-05-17
SATURDAY. MAY IL, 1851.
Ralph waldo Emerson.

MI Emerson lectured In the City Hall on Thurs
day evening, on the Fugitive Slave law. The lee
ture was philosophical and critical analysis of that
law, and of its effects and consequences; and 10 our
mind, was invaluable as the testimony of that pecu-
liar element Of northern sentiment, of which Mr.
Emerson may be termed the interpreter
Ralph Waldo Emerson is representative man.
He is the prophet of New England transcendental-
ism. His voice is the utterance of a numerically
small, but OF a most influential section of society,"
He does not mingle in what is termed the active
business of life, but looks calmly and without pre-
Jadlce, upon It's men and movements, from the peace
fui bosom of nature, whittier he has retired, 10 hold
an independent communion with himself, with God,
and with truth. The Fugitive Slave law has inva-
dsd this retirement, and has polluted and tainted its
atmosphere with moral miasma, which disturbs
the whole soul ofits peaceful denizens, and which
brings them forth into the market places to bear tes-
tmony against 1t, before the faces of men. Mr. EN-.
ersons denunciation of this law, demonstrates the
completeness off atrocty; he with all his appre
claon OF the subtle issues and consequences those
poiltlcal paradoxes which astound the liberal mind
ed, and for which they cannot account,-can find no
apology in fact, philosophy for this startling abor
ton of republican legislation. Yes, thanks be to
God, the calm, moral sentiment the deep philoso-
ply, and the fervid religion of Massachusetts, vie
with each other in deserving the disgusting deed of
shame, which was developed by the animal element
OF the American mind, in Congress, in September
1850, under the form and name of law of the Uni
ted States
MIR. Emerson takes original view of the opera
tons of this law; and while he depores rs positive
eVi consequences, yet he sees in the inevitable re-
action which ii is producing, the light of better day
for the moral sense of this great republic The cri
sis, says he, showed us what our civilization was
worth 1t is not skill in locomotives that marks the
extent OF our civilization, so much as the sense Of
justice.
Now what evidence of this sense did Boston give
when her 1000 people, the representatives Of her
$50 millions of money, leaving the bench, the bar
and the pulpit, all joined in hunting poor, black
boy, escaped from the rice swamps of Georgia, as if
Boston was his masters dog. This law, says he,
has made every family debating club, and every
dining table place where men assemble to discuss
the ethics of law
Mr.. Emerson's illusions to Daniel Webster were
calculated to awaken pity in the heart of the stern
est enemy to the course of the lusrious apostate
:" We could have spared the filthy editors and small
politicians said he, but who looked to see the great
giant of the north bending his neck and harnessing
himself TO the saveholder's chariot The fame of
Daniel Webster died when the slave law was born ::
1hose who once delighted to honor him, have taken
MS picture from the wall and thrown the pieces into
the gutter; they have taken his speeches from their
shelves and thrus; them into the FIRE; and all the
praises of the aduertiser and Journal of Commerce
or the salvos of the New York Committee, cannot
compensate him for the wreck of his fame, nor
drown the indignant voice of the people,
Mr. Emerson's peroraton was full of soul-inspir-
ing encouragement to the good and true men of Mas
sachusetts, to be firm and active in the cause of
freedom. We may be told that Massachusetts is a
small State, said Mr.. Emerson Europe is small.
much smaller than Asia or Africa; yet Asia and AZ
ca for twenty centuries, have been her OK and her
assthe drawers Of her water and the bearers of her
burdens. Greece was small, the smallest nation in
Europe and Attica was but small part of Greece;
'uoea aiso was small, but those two nations have
yet rule over the world still sits upon the throne
OF the intellect the other over the heart of the civ.
lllzed globe. Let Massachusetts reclaim herself
then,-not only the Massachusetts, within her State
eorders, but the blood and genus of Massachusetts
dltiused over the United States and let her pledge
herself to truth, and there no act of righteousness
impossible to her, let who will or dare to oppose her
GRAND CoNcERT.-Our readers are referred IN tho