Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-05-28

The SLAVERY Discussion AT CAMBRIDGE
''Nlldd esex," the Boston correspondent of the
Neao York ECe'isng Post, who has the means Of
being well informed all the facts in the case,
gives the following account of the slavery discus
sion, and "duello' stir, among the law students
at Cambridge. This letter of "Middlesex," is
dated May 3d.
'There can be no doubt that the anti-slayery
sentiments steadily gaining ground in n England
1t has even penetrated that abode af ancient dull
ness and conservat!sms, the I'm iversity of Cam
bridge. An agitation on the subject actually IA
ges in the law school, of which imperfect and err
roneous notices have, within few DAYS, appeared
in some ofthe papers. The facts, as learn them
from good authority, are these;-The students of
law in the university number 100 to 1870, and are
generally from q to % years ofage About one
third of t II m leYe are Fl, m the South. They
have organized among them sort of parliament
or legislative body, called the General Assembly
of the Dane Law School, which has a speaker and
a clerk, and is conducted in accordance with the
strictest parliamentary rules. 1t meets every Fri
day evening III the lecture room of the law school
The questions discussed have been chiefly such as
relate to national politics.
About two months ago, in a debate on bill for
the removal OF the Indians from Florida, north
ern man INDUCED, for the first time, in some STRIFE
lures on slavery. This caused considerable COM
motion among the Southerners, and at a suisse
quent meeting, to show that they were not afraid
to discuss the subject, they themselves introduce
Gu ~ luG pu CldSe OF CuDd, ana opened JIle
debate by depieturing slavery as a moral and pc
licical blessing They were vigorously replied to
by Massachusetts student, John L. Swift, of
Boston, ayoung man 0 ftalelt and eloquence, who
was one of the most popular stump speakers of
the free democracy in the political campaigns of
last year. The debate continued for severalweeks
in tolerable good temper, but with growing inter
est until nearly all the students were decisivelY
ranged ON the one side or the other-the North
for freedom the South for slavery.
The northern spirit was reused, and an amount
of anti-savery feeling called out that was entire
ly unexpected. for previous to this discussion,
hunkerism had reigned supreme and unquestion-
ed in the law school. Ten or twelve speakers came
forward upon the side of freedom, and slavery was,
attacked in every possible manner-moral, legal
political and econOmical-with such success that
1T became evident, even TO the southerners, that
the North had the best of the contest. A portion
of them consequently lost their temper.
During the session of last week, student nam
ed Burt, from Ithaca, N, Y, made an able speech,
upwards of two hours in length, OF very decided
antl-slavery character. He was frequently inter-
rupted by the southerners, who attempted to 81
lence him, but themselves effectually put
down by his retorts One of these retorts was
constructed into personal insult by a student
from Maryland and he in consequence sent Mr..
Burt challenge This, of course, was treated
with contempt For day or two there con-
siderable talk of bowie knives and pistols, but
finding their gasconade had no effect, the Young
gentlemen subsidized, and last evening the debate
was resumed without any serious manifestation of
i'll feeling.
The effect, so far, of the discussion, &as been
very marked upon the northern students, and
even some of the southerners,L am told have con-
siderably modified their views. The matter is
not without importance, for the Cambridge Law
School Is one OF the great centres from which pro-
coed the influences that mould the future of the
country. The students are mostly men of talent,
and likely hereafter to OccuDV OOSltOnS of mower