New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-02
SLAVERY In MASSACHUSETTS,.
An y d D II E :,
Delivered at the Anti-Slayery Celebration al Franz
iDgham Juy 4, 1854,
BY HENRY D. THoRE.u, or CONCORD, MASS.


lately attended meeting OF the citizens Of Con
cord, expecting, as one among many to speak on the
subject of Slavery in Massachusetts,; but was sur
priied and disappointed to find that what had called
ny tOwnsmen together vas the destiny OF Nebraska,
and not Massachusetts,, and that whs, had to say
would be entirely out Of order ] had thought that
the house was on fire. and not the prare but though
several OF the citizens Of Massachusetts are now in
prison for attempting to rescue slave from her own
clutches not Of the speakers at that meeting eX
pressed regret for it-not referred to- it. 1t
was only the disposition OF some wild lands thousand
miles OF which appeared to concern them. Inc IN
babitsnts OF Concord not prepared to stand by
ore of their own bridges but talk only OF taking up =
position on the highlands beyond the Yellowstone
River. Our Buttricks and Dsyises and llosmers are
reireatiDg thither, and ! fear that they will
have no Lexington Common between them aud
tie enemy. There is not one slave IN Nebraska:
there are perhaps million slaves in Massachusetts,.
They who have been bred in the school OF politics fail
now and always to face the facts. Their measures are
half measures and makeshs merely. They put Oh
the day Of settlement indefinitely ard meanwhile the
debt accumulaes Though the Fugitive Slave law had
not been the subject Of discussion that occasion 1t
length family resolved by my ownsmen at al al
journed meeting a. learn that the Compromise Compact
OF 1870 having repudiated by Of the parties
Therefore the Fugitive Slave law must be
| repealed But this Is not the reason why an in
can faces merely that there less honor among thieves
supposed and the fact that they thieves
A. had DO opportunity 10 express my thoughts at that
meeting will YOU allow me 70 do 80 here Again II hap
pens that the Boston Courtllouse is full Of armed
holding prisoner, and trying man, 10 find out he is not
really Slave. Does any think that justice or God
awaits 1r. Lorngs decsioni For him TO sit there de-
citing Std, whit this question Is already decided IRON
eternity to eternity and the unlcered slave hnsel and
the multitude around have long since heard and
sened 10 the decision is simply to make himself rldcuousi
We may be tempedto ask from whom he received his COM
mission and who he that received IT, what novel statutes
he Obeys and what prCcedents are 10 nm oil authority uch
al arbiters very existence is mpertlnence We do
not aSk him TO make up lis mind but To make up his pack
listen TO hear the Voice Of Governor ConLrander-in
Chief of the forces Of Massachusetts. hear only the
creaDg crckets and the hum Of insects which MI
the air The Governor exploit is to review the
troops musterdays. have seen HIN on horrebacs,
with his hat off, listening 10 chaplain prayer Il
chances that is all have ever seen of a Governor
think that could manage to get along without one. II
he IL not of the least Use 10 prevent my being knasp-
pray of what important is he likely 10 be 10 me
When freedom most endangered, he dwes in the deep
obscury. distinguished clergyman told me that he
chose the profession ri clergyman because Afforded
| the most leisure for literary pursuits. ! would
| recommend TO the profession OF Governor.
Three years ago also when the Snm sragedy was a'e
said to myself he-c such officer II not such man,
the of Massachusetts what has he been asout
the lat fortnight Has he had as much as he could 90
| TO keep the fence during this moral earthquake IL
seemed 10 that 10 keener satire could have been aimed
at. cutting insult have been offered TO llt man.
than Just what happened-he absence OF all inquiry after
know OF him is that he did not improve that opportunity
10 make himself known, and vo1lily known lie could
least have re'gred himself into fame II appeared t.
be torg that there such man, or such an Of
| fee. Yet, doubt he was endeav0rng to M
| the gubcrnatorial chair all the while lie ~as
J no Governor of mine. He did not govern me
But at last the present case the Governor was heard
from. After he and the United States Government had
perfectly succeeded in robbing poor innocent blacA nan
Of bis liberty for life aud, far ~ they could OF Ms Cfe
ators Likeness III his breast he made speech 10 ms a
oomplccs c02gratulatory supper have read re-
cent law OF this State max IN penal for any ocer OF
| the Commonwealth TO detain, or AID in the de-
'sntoD any where within its limits OF any person. tor
the reason that he is claimed as fugitive slave Also,
matter OF noOrley that writ OF repevn to take
the fugtyes out of the custody of the L. Maha could
DC served for want of sufficient force 10 aid the officer
had thought that the Governor was IN some sense the
executive officer o. the State; that it his business,
Governor that the laws Of the state were exc
cuted while man, he took care that he dd nor, by
doing break the laws OF humanity but when there IS
special important for him. he useless, or worse
than useless aud permits the laws OF thu State to go
executed Perhaps do not know what the duties OF
Governor; but 10 be Governor requires to SUBJECT
self TO much ignominy without remedy II Il Is to
put restraint upon my manhood shall take care never
20 he Governor OF Massachusetts, have not read lar IN
the statutes of this Commonwealth II is not profitable
reading They DO not always say what is true and they
do always hat they say What am concerned
10 know s that that influence and authority were
the side of the STAKEHOLDER and not OF the aveo the
guilty and not Of the nnocent-o injustice and not o JUS
ice L never hrn OF whom speak; indeed, did
not know that he was Governor until this event oc-
CURED. heard OF him and Anthony Burns at the same
time and thus undOu bedy, most Will hear OF him. 30
far being governed by him. do not Al that
il WINS ANYTHING 10 scredit that had not heard OF him,
only that heard what did. The worst shall say of
hun is that be proved better than the majority OF his
constituents would be Likely to prove In my opinion, he
not equal 10 the occasion. The whole military force
of the State the service of Mr. Sutte ay eho!der
from Virginia, 10 enable him TO catch man whom he
calls his property but soldier e offered 20 save cit
zen of from being kidnapped II tins what
all these soldiers all this tTa'rHg ha been for these sew
elty nine wears past Have they been trained merely TO
rob Mexico carry back fugit slaves 20 their ers
1hese very nights heard the sound OF drum IN our
streets There men training still and for what
could with effort pardon the cockere OF concord tor
eroW ing s for they, peychance, had not been beate
that morning: but could this rub-adub OF
the "tain-Is The slave was carried back by exactly
such as these l. e. by the soldier, of whom the bes; you
can say in this connection Is that he l. fool made con
cuous by painted coat. Three years agO also just
week after the authorities o: Boston Assembled 70 carry
back perfectly innocent man. aud one when Iey kne" 20
innocent Say the abiiants OF tOHcoTd caused
III, bells be rung AMI the cannon 70 berred to cse-
brste their ers-aBd the courage and love OF ber, OF
tler ancestors who fought the bridge Al 0s three
millions had fought fo the right to be IRE. themreVe-'
but 10 hold il Slavery three millions others NOwaAys
! men fools cap aud tal II ! hteryeap' 1
do know but there some, who II ey were ut 10
post and could bu: one hand free, would
use il ring the bells and IRE the cannons " celebrate
tker liberty. 80 OF my townSmen toek the liberty
ring ana FIRE that was the extent OF ths freedom s1
when the sound o. the bells died Gvay their liberty died
away also when the powder al expended, their hber-
Nv on with the smoke The joke could b. no broad
err if the inmates OF the prisons we're TO subscribe
| for all the powder be used in such salutess aud
hire the ia,ors " 60 the firing and ringing Tor
| them Whine they enjoyed II through the grating.
Jli, what though: about NY neghbcrs. Every hg-
name and Intelligent nLG5:iant OF Concord when be or
- Les,d tbose bells and those thought not sith
urd of the events The 10Th OF April. l.I5, but with
shame OF the events OF the l-h OF Apu, I-'I' Du 10"
| We have half buried that old shame under new one
Massachusetts, Eat waiting Mr. LOrings decision, a. II L
/ IL ., all her