Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-01-29
OBJ 1lailp Spp9,


WarIike Defaaces.
The Boston Herald, of the 9th inst, pub
fishes the following extract, as part of speech,
delivered by Stephen S. Foster, in Boston, last
week, before the Massachusetts Anti Slavery
Society.
1--WE have proclaimed Worcester the Cana
da of the United States. We have your Flu
gitive (referring to the late alarm concerning
Jackson) in our city, and we mean to keep
him. Ifyour United States officers want hun,
let them come and get him. But they will
do well to remember we are not all non-resst-
ants there. Worcester is in a state of insur-
rection to-day We have deied the govern
ment, and do defy it. The government is
mighty weak. All we want to overcome it,
is little pluck"
When Mr.. Foster speaks for himself no
one has any right to complain of what he
says; but, when he gratuitously undertakes
to speak defantly, for poor, hunted, fugi-
gitive slave, and for the city of Worcester, we
think we are justified in taking exceptions to
his declarations.
We do not think that Mr.. Foster has any
right to defy the government in Jackson's
name, or in the name of the citizens of Wor
cester. He has no authority to utter any such
defiance. 1t is true that the consequences of
such bravado might not, probably, be of any
great Importance to Mr.. Foster, but to Jack
son ard the resistant portion OF our antislavery
citizens they might be very serious. Jackson
might be carried into bondage, and many ofour
citizens might be shot down, if the government
undertook to send the Sims brigade to Wor-
cester.
The citizens of Worcester, no doubt, desire
that this city shall be d" Canada to the fugi-
tive;' but they do not desire to provoke
bloody collision with the government. Most
Of them are not non-reslstants, but they are
not Gascons. They do not believe in passive
obedience to slave edicts, and red tape acts
and, at the same time, they do not believe
that it is the office of non resistant to go
through the country, blowing the trumpet of
war. Non-resistauce, in their estimation, is
a logical, consistent principle. Those who
are honest non resistants will not " stir up
strife" neither will they "return evil for
good" They certainly will not call down
fire and sword upon men who sympathize with
them, in hatred to slavery, and then take ref
u e themselves, from the bayonet and the ball,
behind the agis of their resistance. We
welcome the presence among Us, of fugitiyes
from Southern slavery, and we wish to have
them remain among us, if they feel at peace
tn do so We do mt think the atmosuhern
Of our city is favorable for the health of kid
nappers, no matter whether they may come
with lies on their tongues, or weapons in their
hands. At the same time, we have no desire
to place ourselves in an aggressive, defiant at
titude, towards the government and its slave
hunting minions If they come here to hunt
for slaves, they must do it from their own
spontaneous free will, and not at our invita-.
ton. And if any unpleasant consequences
come out Of their visits we trust that they
will never be originated by any citizen of
Worcester. We do not think there is any
valor shown in warlke bluster. The true
friend of the fugitive will never indulge in it,
but will stand by the poor stranger in the hour
of his need. We trust that Jackson, now, is
where no slave hunter will ever dare TO annoy
him.