The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-28
MEETING IN FANEUlL HALL.
Speeches Of wendell Phillips and The.
odore Parker.
RIOT IN COURT HOUSE SQUARE.
ATTEMPT TO BREAK INTO THE COURT HOUSE.
MURDER OF A UNITED STATES OFFICER.
ARRES OF RIOT ERS,
&C., &C., DC.


From the Boston Herald, Independently May 27.l
The meeting called at Faneuil Hall, last night,
<sto secure justice to man claimed as slave by o
virgnian, and imprisoned in Boston Court House"
was crowded to its utmost capacity Many ladies
were in the galleries Extra trains of cars from
Worcester and other towns brought hundreds
At an early hour the hall began to be filed.
Father Lamson took the rostrum while the audience
were gathering, and gave projection In his usual
style, which was continued until DR.. s. G. Howe,
assisted by several friends, handed him from the
platform, amid mingled cheers and Kisses.
At quarter before o'clock the mseting was
called to order BY Hon. Samuel =. Sewall The fol-
lowing list of officers, nominated by him, was unan-
imously adopted
George R. Russell, Esq, Of Roxbury.
VICE PRESIDENTS.
DR.. s. g. Howe, VIM. B. Spooner, Francis Jackson,
and Timothy Gilbert Of Boston, f. W. Bird of Walpole
Gershom D. Weston, Of Duxbury; Rev. w. Higginson,
of Worcester Chas Ellis, Of Roxbury Thos. Wales Jr,
and samuetpowner, Jr, Of Dorchester
VIM. J. BGwditch and Robert Morris.
Mr. RUSSELL, on taking the chair, introduced the
objects Of the meeting in a brief speech. He re-
lated how Henry Clay, on an occasion where an un-
Gle of his lost slave and he was c0gnizant Of his
hiding placed refused to aid in the return, remark
ing that he should be degraded man were he to do
80. Yet we at the North, remarked Mr. r., are
called upon to do what is considered degradation
at the South The meeting has been called without
distinction of party, to express our opinions against
this great iniquity We counsel no violence. We
cannot believe that the fathers contemplated that
this should become one great slave nati0n-that
there should be no spot where the hunted fugitive
could find refuge.
FRANCIS W. BIRD, Of walpole, was the first
speaker. He said be should occupy but q few
minutes. He told story Of superannuated blood
hound that was recently sold in South Carolina, to
train young blood hounds, for one hundred dollars.
If old blood hound ls worth 500, what think you,
1s neeman MOI worth we pay SS,ogg i1 mere ot toT
Marshal is one-the Assistant District Attorney is
another. [Hisses and cheers.]
voice cried out" 1t was Custom House Off
Ger who Kissed. [Great cheerihg.]
The speaker thought there were meaner men in
Boston than Marshal Freeman, and he saw one OF
them that day, and had the pleasure Of telling him
he was q mean. dirty, lying scamp! lCries of
F. begged the meeting to understand that no mem
-ber Of the watch police nterfered in the arrest
He was arrested on false charge, as they are al
ways arrested, Of robbing jewery shop MIR. Bird
commented with much severity Upon the newspa-
pers, for not publishing the card Of Mr. Phillips and
Pitts for nothing. He was, orattempted to be, very
severe upon the course Of the newspaper press Of
the city for its apathy Now, said he, what is go
a lYoIcE-Fightl followed by cheers.
Mr.. BmD-There was q time, some fifty years ago,
when that word eight" meant something; but now
you had better not use lit don't mean anything
to-day.
The voIcE.-Iw want to 60 up and take him (the
fugitive) by violence.
john j. SWIFT was next introduced. He said: We
have among us man who was arrested under false
prek noes, and is now incarcerated within five mi
nutes walk of this hall. Tomorrow morning he will
be given up to the scoundrel who claims him; and
come to ask what you are going to do.
Several VoIoEs-Fight! fight! and cheers.
Mr.. SwIFT.-The constitution of the United States
is believe, for the fugitive continued Mr.. Swift
and thank God that the city government of Boston
is for him. tremendous applause and loud cheer
ing) The speaker said that the alleged fugitive
was held in the Court House without law and
against the constitution. Constitution! There is no
constitution. On Monday last It received one hun
dred and thirteen stabs, and died under the opera
tion. If that man can walk abroad as freeman,
then Faneu Hall has rightto stand where 1t does.
This is contest between liberty and slavery, and
for one, am on the side of liberty.
Dr. s. G. HOWE offered series of strong reselu-
tions, recognizing the principle Of the Virginia coat
Of arms, that Resistance to tyrants s obedience to
God" and that maxim Of Agernon Sydney which
which is not law is not to be obeyed" and declaring
that, as the South has resolved to keep no faith
with freedom, the North, in the name Of liberty and
the living God, viii keep no faith with slavery;
They ended by resolving that every man should
be : freeman. eve will as God wills. Gods will
be DONE"
WENDELL PHILLIPS now took the platform. He
commenced by saying: You have called me to this
stand, and want me to tell you what want. want
TO see Burns walk the streets Of Boston freeman.
was glad to hear your loud cheers when my friend,
Mr. Swift, said the city government was with US.
its officials not to lift finger in this case. went to
see that poor man this morning. He was arrested
by seven men, with the customary lie Of pretended
robbery and was told If he would submit quietly to
half an hours examination, no harm would come
70 him But when they got him within firm walls
bis master Suttle appeared.
Cries-"No master; no master he has no master"
PhillipsSee to it, fellow-ctizens, that you ratfy
In the streets of Boston tomorrow, the verdict Of
Faneuil Hall.
The speaker spoke with great severity against
Commissioner I.oring, whom he denounced as the
infamous slave commissioner. This allusion was re-
ceived with three groans for the Commissioner. He
denounced the Marshal for his one-sdedness, his in
Justice, in refusing admission to the friends Of Burns,
while he let the hdnapper Suttle in to see him for
the first man. He charged Mr.. Freeman with refus
iHg the Court of Massachusetts its due operation,
and he said, when law ceases in Massachusetts, 1t is
time for the sovereignty of the people to commence
The city government stands neutral; It Is time for
the people to begin. Tomorrow commences the
contest between Massachusetts, and Virginia. II
Anthony Burns is returned to slavery, Virginia tr
umphs and Massachusetts, Is enslaved. In the great
slave case OF Shadrack we settled 1t that
slave should not be returned, and in the case
OF Simms you settled It that slave should
be returned See to II tomorrow that you set
tie, tie which hi r way you viii .E. speak Mr. Phillips
fugitive. He had looked in his eye-he is q noble,
intelligent Christian man. When spoke to him of
the lies Of the newspapers which said he wanted to
30 Dhck, nc unsWefcu WIN teIsencB ana con-
vincing argument that none of you could resist,
I" II wanted to 60 back, why am ] here ~ See
to it, fellow-citizens that you get near enough to
Burns tomorrow to see his eye; and when you get
near him, keep near him. II he understood himself
we have no right to the noble language Of the reso
buttons until we wipe of the stain Of the kidnapping
of Thos. Simms His mind was made up, and he
hoped his fellow-oitizens would make up their
minds too See that and never lose sight OF him
a. long his feet pressed the soil Of Massachusetts
Who says aye to that2 Mr.. Phillips sat down amid
the loudest plsudits.
Rev. THEodoRE PARKER next stepped forward.
Fellow-citzens of Virginia, said he, In commence
Gems Of Boston, come to speak to you on this &C.
cond outrage Of the fugitive slave law. Mr. Parker
eontended that II the people of Massachusetts, had
Erformed their duty on two memorable occasions
thin the last eight years, this meeting would not
avg been called. Daniel Webster said once, "There
y no North" There is no North--the South ex-
TENDS all the way up to Canada. There was once