The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-02-15
WASHINGTON, d. c..
Correspondence.
A LETTER FROM MRS. STOWE.
BosToN, February ?, 1855.

sleepy, it has this winter started into an an
rop,ed life. Lectures abound, and are crosdsd,
and the opera is said never to have draw5 such
fall and brilliant houses.
The course of AntiSlayery lectures IN the
fremont temple have been wonderfully sue
,sss'a. Tickets have been sold at premium,
and tie hall, which seets about three thou
sand. las generally been as full rs il could be
packed.
It's a noticeable thing about these lectures,
that all the more decided, fearless, and out
spyken expressions of feeling, such as once
we're called ultra, have been listened to with
the greatest enthusiasm. Never, since Kossuth
was in Boston, have we seen a whole house
sarging with greater enthusiasm than during
some Of these lectures. The lecturers do not
50 much seem to produce feeling, as to develop
that which exists. On this subject the whole
air seems to be charged with electricity, and
,9eaker seems to be only the conductor through
rhom It flashes into expression.
1t i, remarkable and most noticeable
h., that Wendell Phillips, who in other days
vas considered almost as beneath attention,
Is dsorganizer and 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, he was heard throughout without the
sElhtc5t intimation Of disapprobation, in the
most solemn and attentive silence The pa
pers endeavor to account for this fact, by at
tr.buting 10 Mr.. Phillips an almost fabulous
mastery Of the magical arts of oratory. As
in the time of Luther, the Romish tractarians
sought 70 cover up the mighty fact that Of the
aroused movement Of society by ascribing to
Lather superhuman gifts of person, intellect,
voice, and manner; so now, many seek to blind
Themselves TO the great change in the commu-
lity, by attrbuting it to the oratorical power of
an individual. They forget the days when the
same dazzling, smooth, and polished eloquence
spent its lightningS almost wholly in vain, and
that such an audience would once have re-
ceved such communication as the Jews did
OF old, by CRYING out, and stopping their ears.
Inc fact, which newspaper writer's ignore, is,
that the tide is rising-slowly, surely, and with
RESTLESS regularity. Every year lifts it higher.
What once was called ultraism, is now calm,
universal belief aud ,hc las. and ULTIMATE ex-
i'ent OF the most uncompromising Abolitionists
Is now looked N the face with a serious scru-
tiny. II is true that the Northern public have
lot, as mass, brought themselves to wish the
dissolution of the Union; but they have come
T. that point in which they are willing to sit
ELL, aud give calm attention to the discussion
O. Lat subject. The fact that this subject was
Carefully considered, in a long and elaborate
sere5 Of articles in the Tribune, last season,
and that Wendell Phillips has met with such
decided acceptance in presenting it before pub
DC audiences this winter, are signs Of deep sig
hleance. Those who have used the cry of
dissolution OF tho Union as threat to brighten
uAruiy children, may one day find tho same
Threat turned round upon themselves, in form
winch has an earnest meaning 1t may be
iatr turn to make concessions to prevent it.
iIe eliminating point of the changed public
ieeiing IN Massachusetts, this winter, has been
SHOWN by the election of Wilson to the United
states Senate. This is the flash of the long
Gathering cloud, the high-water mark of the
hst-ri.ing tide.
No appointment could have been more dig
tasteful to that aristocracy which has so long
f.ei Boston. To step from attic Everett,
whose lips were "dewy with the Greek of
fiao' To Henry Wilson, from the shoemakers
beach At Natick, seems truly nine days fall,
@'l' accordingly, " COMPOUNDED Chaos roars."
But what has done it7 Who have done
~ They who outraged manhood and woman
A''i' and human nature, in the late afro
D.n' slave captures. They have elected
""'oh' They the precious diadcm stole
from The head Of old Boston, that they might
I"' Il IN their pocket" They shamed her
'A Her own sight, in. the sight of all her
sons and daughters; and the deep, hot heart
" me people has never forgotten the insult,
ana THIS election is the result
business man Of Boston, who has hitherto
had large Southern dealings, said to us not long
ago IN tones of suppressed feeling, " was bar
Tee from my store by soldiers in Boston streets,
mat that man might be carried back. Inever
nave forgotten it. Inerer ,oiH. Ny partner and
! nave made up our minds. We have looked
over our Southern lists, and, if necessary, are
ready to lose them all but our stand is ia
ken"
''ch has been the deep resolve of many
I'aT' and SO deep is that ground-swell of the
''1'e feeling, thai Henry Wilson was borne
upon IT, against the will of the party that elect
MN, because that party knew the State
'-'d support them on no other terms. The
'r,A Voice Of the people was at their doors
'-'yc' Tins man, or your party is cobweb be-
IRE US and they did it.
=, We nave faith that Henry Wilson will prove
- 'he people were right The country some
ea comes to strait, when she must put by
uoiaT, and take man; and Wilson is a
la" Let anybody read one of his terse, ner-
sentences, or hear one of his speeches,
men, II any one says, jeeringly, g That
iOse from shoemaker's BENCH" he will
'"er' Let him be proud of it. Other men
'aue by colleges and schools. This man
Oe himself And let scholars console them
\ Is with classical precedent of men of low
9'ee exalted, and remember plain old Good
C'nclnnatus, called from his plough to the
'''S1late, and be comforted. Other folks, it
us nave done SO before US and that is
!. '''Hihg' In this precedent-loving world. To
:, mere has been one of the leather craft
n Sress before-stout old Roger Sherman
CT earned to hammer out soles on his lap
81 -, before he tried his hand at hammering
- constitution Old Roger, however. COM
fonlsed with Slaverv u,b;.b u Ira.on