Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-02-24
Prom the National Era
A LETTER FROM MRS. STOWE.
BosroN, February Q. 1855.

Our old city is unusually animated this win
ter. Generally no respectfully stupid and sleepy,
il has this winter started into an unwonted life.
Lectures abound, and are crowded. and tho opera
is said never to have drawn such full and brilliant
houses.
The course Of nti.Slavery lectures in the
fremont temple have been wonderfully success
full. Tickets have been sold at a premium, and
the hall, which seats about three thousand, has
generally been as full as it could be packed.
1t is a noticeable thing about these lectures, that
all the more decided, fearless, and out-spoken ex'
prsssiors of feeling, such as once were called
ultra, have been listened to with the greatest en-
thusiasm. Never, since Kossuth was i'll Boston,
have we seen a whole house surging with n great
er enthusiasm than during some of these lectures.
The lecturers do not so much seem to produce feel
ing.asto develop that which exists. On this subject
the whole air scenes to be charged with electricity,
and a speaker seems 10 lie only the conductor
through uhom it flashes into expression.
1t is a remarkable and most noticeable fact, that
Wendell Phillips. who in other days WAS consid.
cred almost as beneath attention, as n ~disorgan.
iser and a mailman, has drawn one of the largest
and most enthusiastic houses of any this winter
and that though the object Of his lecture was to
prove the absolute necessity of the dissolution Of
the Union, lie was heard throughout without the
slightest intimation of disapprobation, in the most
solemn and attentive silence. The papers endeav-
or to account for this fact by attributing to Mr..
Phillips an almost fabulous mastery of the magi-
cal arts of oratory. As in the time of Luther, the
Romanish tractarian sought to cover up the
mighty fact that Of the aroused movement of so
ciety by a~scribing to Luther superhuman gifts OF
person, intellect. voice, and manner: SO now many
seek to blind themselves to the great change in the
community, by attributing it to the oratorical pow
er of an individual. They forget the days when
tho same dazzling, smooth, and polished eloquence
spent its lightning almost wholly in vain, and that
such an audience would once have received. such a
Communication as the Jews did of old, by crying
out, and stopping their ears. The .Jact, which
newspaper writers ignore, is, that the tide is rising
slowly, surely, and with ~resistless regularity.
Every year lifts it higher. What once was called
ultraism, is now calm, universal belief; and the
last and ultim ite extreme of the NEST uncompro-
misiag Abolitienists is now looked in the face with
q serious scrutiny. Itis true that the Northern
public have not, as q mass, brought themselves to
wish the dissolution of the Union but they have
come to that point in which they are willing to sit
still, and give calm attention to the discussion OF
that subject. The fact that this subjectiwas careful.
" considered,i in a long and elaborate series OF arti-
cles in the Tribune, last season, and that Wendell
Phillips has met with such decided acceptance in
presenting it before public audiences this winter
are signs Of deep significance. Those who have
used the cry of dissolution of the Union as
threat to frighten sunruly children, may on,
a.. ~ H. .o,,o tl,o,t t,s,ol ,n,-I moon than,
selves, in a form which has an earnest meaning
1t nav be their turn to make concessions to pre-
vent it.
The eliminating point Of the changed publ
feeling in Massachusetts this winter, has bee
shown by the election of Wilson to the Unite
States Senate. This is the fash of the long-gatl
ering cloud, the high-watcr mark Of the fast-risin
tide.
Nc appointment could have been more distast'
full to that aristocracy which has so long rule
Boston. To step from attic Everett, whose lily
were ''dewy with the Greek of Plato" to Hem
Wilson. from the shoemaker's bench at Mantle
seems truly a nine days fall, and accordingl
COMPOUNDED Chaos -oars."
But what has done it? Who has done it?
They outraged manhood and womanhood, and h
man nature, in the late atrocious slave capture
They have elected Wilson. They 1.-THE precior
diadem stole from the head of old Boston, th
they might "put it in their pocket" They shar
ed her in her own sight, in the sight of all h
sons and daughters; and the deep. hot heart
ahe people has never forgotten the insult, and tn
election Is the result.
A business man of Boston, who has hither
had large Southern dealings, said to us not lor
ago, in tones of suppressed feeling, 81 was barre
from my store by soldiers in Boston streets, tn
men might be carried back. / never have forge
ten it. Inerer ri.l. My partner and l have mat
up our minds. We have looked over our SoutheI
lists, and, if necessary, are ready to loose the
all; but our stand is taken"
Such has been the deep resolve of many a hear
and so deep is that groupd-swell of the State fe
ing, that Henry Wilson was borne upon it, AGAR
the will of the party that elected him, becau
that party knew the State would support them
no other terms. The stern voice Of the peol
was at their doors Elect this man, or your pal
lisa cobweb before us - and they did it.
We have faith that Henry Wilson will prove tt
tho people were right. The country sometim
comes to a stand, when she must put by o schol
and take q man and Wilson is q man. Let Of
body read one of his terse, nervous sentences,
hear one of his speeches, and then, if any Q
says, jeeringly, THAT man rose from a sh
makers bench" be will answer, Let him
proud Of it. Other men are made by colleges a
schools. This man made himself. And let sch
airs console themselves with classical precedent
men of low degree exalted, and remember pl;
ola Goodman Cincinnatus, called from his plou
to the Consulate, and be eomforted. Other fol
it seems, have done so before us: and that
something, in this precedent-loving world.
be sure, there has been one of the leather craft
Congress beiore-stout old Roger Sherman-v
learned to hammer out soles on his lapstone,
fore he tried his hand at hammering the COnst
ton. Old Roger, however, compromised W
Slavery. which Henry Wilson will not. His '
ind his speech will always be in the right pa