The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-15
THE PROGRESS OF LIBERAL OPINION.

or threat.
THE PROGRESS OF LIBERAL OPINION.
The immense progress which liberal opinions
have made within few years has been brought
forcibly to our notice, by reading speech of
VIM. Lloyd Garrison, made at Boston, on the
Dist October.
On that day, twenty years ago, mob of five
thousand gentlemen Of property and stand
ing mobbed a dozen ladies, who had Assem-.
bled at Stacy Hall, in Washington street, for
the purpose of praying and talking together on
the subject of Slavery. They were expelled
from the Hall by the mob, and the Mayor OF
the city who acted in obedience to its dictates
and Garrison, who was to address them, was
caught in the attempt to escape through the
window, las he was advised to do by the May
or and by friends tied with ropes, and sent
to jail, by the authorities, to prevent the mob
from tearing him in pieces.
In less than twenty years. it required all the
power of the Federal and State Governments to
prevent the same Boston people and their
children now grown to be men, from forcibly
liberating Anthony Burns from Slavery, in
spite of the Fugitive Slave Bill. In other
words, the revolution in public opinion has been
so complete, that the same people are now
ready to reduce to practice in violation of
the statute, the very principles of liberty which
they mobbed Garrison for proclaimng in 1885.
The following extracts from Mr.. Garrisons
speech will be read with interest:
al know Of no language more appropriate
to this occasion than that which was uttered
by the Apostle, eighteen centuries ago Hav-
ing obtained help of God, we continue unto
this day.
C need not say to any one in this hall, this
afternoon, what it is that has brought us to-
gether. Twenty years ago, today, this street was
crowded with men inflamed to the highest de-
gree of madness, who riotously attempted to
break up meeting of Anti-Slavery women,
assembled within these walls, for the purpose
of looking to God for strength to overthrow
Slavery in our land. The sequel you all know
Many of you know all the particulars connect.
ed with it,"
AT that troubOus period, every attempt to
elevate the colored man in this country was as
sailed in the most rabid manner. When, for
instance, Miss Prudence Crandall, n noble
Christian lady in Canterbury, Conn.,, who had
been teaching a school Of white Young ladies
in that village, feeling her soul baptized into
the spirit of deepest sympathy with the op-
pressed, made up her mind that she would ed
ucate colored young ladies, instead of white,
all Canterbury, the region round about, the
whole State of Connecticut, combined to crush
her. She was denounced by every hateful cpl.
tibet; though, up to that hour, she had been
greatly esteemed and admired as teacher.
Among other outrages committed to drive her
from the place, the well near her house had a
large quantity of filth thrown into it, so that
the family should have no water to drink An
agreement was made by the traders of the vii
lage, that they would not sell her anything,
even to eat; and she actually had to send TO
other towns to procure food to keep her family
from starvation. Her house was assailed and
brickbats, rotten eggs, and other missiles, were
dashed through her windows; and, finally, it
was set on fire, to burn it down over the heads
of the teacher and the taught
Gin Philadelphia, in the summer of 1885,
mob sacked some thirty houses occupied by the
colored inhabitants many of whom were driven
out into the woods like wild beasts, to hide
themselves from the fury of their merciless as
sailants. AT an earlier day, the colored cti-
zens of New York were treated in similar
manner.
At that time, too the shareholders were
busily engaged in rifing the United States mail
of every letter, paper, and pamphlet, that SAVIOR
ed of Aboltionism. These were taken out, and
made bonfire Of, as at Charleston, South Car
DINA, in the presence of the clergy and the lead
ing citizens. The Charleston Courier gave the
following account of this transaction
"'Ahdck on the Post Ofice.-The recent
abuse of the United States mail to the purpose
of disseminating the vile and criminal incendi-
arsm of Northern fanatics, has caused a great
and general excitement in our community, and
led, on Wednesday night, as may have been ex-
pected to an attack on the Post Office, which,
although perhaps not to be justified, had much
to excuse it, in the cause of provocation.
"'Between the hours of 10 and IL o'clock,
that night, number of persons assembled
about the Exchange, and, without any noise or
disturbance, but, on the contrary, with GOODNESS
and deliberation, made a forcible entry into the
Post Office, by wrenching open one Of its win
dows, and carried off the packages containing
the incendiary matter.
"'Accordng to full notice published, the
pamphlets, &C., were burned at P. NJ, the
next evening, opposite the main guard-house,
5000 persons being present. The efigies OF
Arthur Tappan, DIR. Cox, and w. L. Garrison,
were at the same time suspended. At o'clock,
the pdHoOn was iet on, ana the efhgleS were
consumed by the neck, with the offensive docu
ments at their feet
This lawless procedure was virtually iusti
fed by the Postmaster General, Amos Kendall
in long and elaborate paper as a measure of
self-preservaton against the designs of North
ern incendiariesl This was his view of it,
There is reason to doubt whether the
Abolitionists have a right to make use of the
mails of the United States to convey their pub
locations into States where their circulation is
forbidden by law and it is by no means GER
tain that the mail carriers and postmasters are
secure from the penalties of that law, if they
knowingly carry, distribute, or hand them out.
Every citizen may use the mail for any lawful
purpose. The Abolitionists may have legal
right to its use for distributing their papers in
New York, where it is lawful to distribute them;
but it does not follow that they have legal
right to that privilege for such a purpose in
Louisiana and Georgia, where it is unlawful.
AS well may the counterfeiter and the robber
demand the use of the mails for concentrating
their crimes, and complain Of violation of
their rights when it is denied.
"'Upon these grounds, postmaster may
well hesitate to be the agent of the Abolition
lists in sending their incendiary publications
into States where their circulation is prohibited
by law, and much more may postmasters resi-
ding in those States refuse to distribute them.