Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-05-28
New England Correspondence.
corconp. N. H. 18th May, 1858.

between Wendell Phillips and Horace Mann.
am the more glad therefore, that small as Is
the Bugle, you are finding room for Il. And
though some people, both Free Soil men and
abolitionists, seem to regret that il has happen
ed, for one, am very glad Of 1t. We who
are Field hands, have to meet the question in
volved, very often. And though usually feel
pretty well satisfied with the defence l can
make Of our doctrines, still l O. recollect, |
that behind my opponents stand the Summers,
the Mann's and Others, who might perhaps an
nihilate me in the very first onset. So you see
what reason some Of us have, to be glad at this
encounter between the two champions Of the
respective parties.
And l have watched every step and stage of
the discussion, with the eye Of one seeking for
Truth rather thnn Triumph. Among men, the
more common for talent, have found many
opponents of various caliber and capacity. l
have met Ministers, Lawyers and Physicians.
Some were Wings and Democrats, with subdi'
visions Of Federalsts, Fogies, Hsrdshells, Soft
shells, Silver Greys and Sewardtes, with Barn
burners, Free Democrats, Free Sellers, Filli-
busters, and Fire Eaters, and Barnum himself
couldn't tell what else. But among them all,
1 scarcely remember one, whose audacity
equalled Mr.. Manns, or whose argument did
not exceed it.
For me to have treated the colorcd school
question as he has in the discussion, would be
epasion, If not absolute falsehood. l will not
say il is so in him. But so far as have heard,
no one but himself is satisfied with the course
he has pursued. there are Mr.. Phillips argu-
ment and Mr.. Jackson's letter, a file on which
his tooth has hitherto made no impression
J Mr.. Phillips charges and proves, that so far as
the public was concerned, Mr.. Mann, as Sccrc-
} tary of the Board of Education, had been silent
: on the subject Of the colored schools. Mr..
Phillips had never heard of any private opin-
ions whispered. or mental reservation held
As lecturing anti slavery agent, desiring and
intending to be posted up on all such subjects,
l always understood him as Mr.. Phillips charg-
, cs. SO did all my associates in the field SER
vice. And we so represented. Nor were we
, ever contradicted. The same things Mr.. Phil
, lips says in his letters now, heard him say at
the time, in Faneuil Hail. in presence OF thou
D chusetts. lie was not contradictel then; no
A has not been since, until now. Nearly every
newspaper in Boston was slandering us, and
i reviling our meetings and movement, with the
f malignancy of demons. But none of them
said word on this subject. Would they not,
@ had it been known. or even supposed that Mr..
Mann had been misrcprcsented.
An1 no,y Mr. lack aan N fnpmbcr of thp
q School Committee of Boston at the time, and
through all tho time the subject was agitsted.
assures us in his letter, that Mr.. Mann was not
only silent, but that the silence was studied,
designed, "to, the reason that h 'cas an unpopular
@ matter and might II he meddied With IL, impair
his influence on other questions connected Nth his
n duties as Secretary"
q And Mr.. Mann still talks like real braga-
n docio of his victory, and the discontinue Of his
d antagonist. Let him be assured he has full
q monopoly of the triumph. No one who has
8 read all the correspondence, can possibly share
@ it with MIN. He now proposes to give us in
the Liberator, the benefit of his opinions on
= the main question in dispute. lie would have
% had more readers some time ago than now
70 his letters hitherto, share been in tome aud tenn
re per, entirely unworthy The notice Of gentleman
of If the Free Soil party survive many such
,p developements, it is much nearer immortal
is than had ever supposed. 1t need fear no foes
if it can endure such friends.
"a A friend of mine in Boston, asked me what
NJ was the prevailing sentiment about the Phillips
IN and Mann correspondence. He is among the
\. most accomplished and refined of tho worlds
!. scholars and gentlemen. If he have any
v. choice however, in this encounter, think i
" would be on the side of Mr.. Mann. His ques
~ ton answered, l then asked what he though
e. of it" Why" he said, "Mr. PAiLips has on
his side, all the argument, all Me Justice, and al
the gentleman" l envy no man his taste o.
talent, who can arrive at any other conclusion.
A great many times since the death of Dan
10 iel Webster, I have been asked who, in m!
ye Judgment, was really the first man, now il
nj Massachusetts,. My answer has always been
10 Daniel Webster was not real man. He wa
X, only ideal. The people wanted Daniel Web
tx ster, real one-a mighty master mind. AM
to by common consent, they called him one, wit
% all his frailties and all his follies. But Horac
bo Mann can be, and trust will yet be a real no
n. fancied, or ideal Webster; and if he is moi
ri know of no one among all our politicians
NO who can be.
m This has ever been my answer, until tn
no Ithuriel spear of Mr.. Phillips touched him.
bo Never in all my life before, have been so de
: ceived in mortal man. His replies to DaniG
n. Webster, his controversy with the Cambridg
Id Professors, and his humiliation of some spleen
We sectarian bigots, about the bible and religion
~ doomas as connected with common schools