New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-05-16
Hon. Charles Summers lecture.
THE ANTI-sI VERY ENTERPRISE:

v
,ay, ..o..,orc. That a lecture on Anti-Slavery
,.e,,,d 10 rrpca,ed in New-York even before few
.,,..,;.sd fanatics is unparalleled occurrence
M, tbo. nm Anti-Savery lecture should lie repeated
;gbt after night to successive muItisudes, each more
enthusiastic than the last marks the epoch Q! revo
,,ton IN popular feeling; il is an in the history
Liberty.
Niblos Thoater was crowded last evening long be
xcro the hour Of commencement. Hundreds stood
through tho threeiours' lecture The equality OF the
races ives practically asserted By the presence of both
IN pit sod boxes. Gray-headed men were there young
mer-aIl with earnest look. Fans were waving.
EpauIettes were not whiting. We give full report
Of TIE words of the lecture, but only Of the words
Themagnfcent presence Of the orator physically a.
well as mentally q giant, and symmetrical as hs own
oratons the grand organ-music Of hs voice bearing I"
the heart the intense conviction that comes deep oGt
Of the heart; the calm strength Of his delivery oresh
ING the conscious assurance Of eventual victory the
thunderbursts of cheers and braves which electric
THROUGH the enchanted circle Of listeners-echoes of
,bunderburSts of eloquence-aI these cannot give
We give the words alone.
Mr. SUMNER was conducted to the stage By Mr.
.JostPH BLUST, the Chairman of the occasion. Mr..
BLUST said
FyIIow CIrIzTSs: The events lately transpiring on
the Western frontier Of Missouri have attracted the
community. Connected with tie repeal OF the Mir
sour COMPROMISE, they have shown 10 the people Of
the Northern States tGi there 80 utility M unueeS
sary OF further concessions lAppiausej that on The
subject of slavery mGs siaad upon the
ground marked out by orr fathers WHO formed
that Constitution; that we must MAINTAIN the ughis 81
the free men of the North TO the public Territory not
vet cursed with Slavery lApplousel. what measures
may be necessary in order % maintain those nights de-
Ponds alone uIon the future. Congress N repeating
the Missouri COMPROMISE. opened that territory 10
lint nal
las SO deeply divided the American pcOnlc since
the establishment Of our Government. The SET
tiers and residents in that Territory have
been silencod. and tlc.r voices overcome
by an organized and armed invasion from neighbor-
ing State In tie exciting contest the first blood has
been she'd How far It Is TO 20 must depend upon the
future and uyOn tie exercise Of the constitutional pow
ere vested in The Chief Magistrate of the country If
he has wisdom. frnnos aud decision be may prevent
fatal results. Without that il must depend upon the
froemeu Of the North 10 determine that their constu-
fional rights shall b. arall events maintained. In the
last Congress there were representative from the
North who stood firmly and maniuly by the rights o.
their constituents. Among them was one whom
introduce 20 you-the statesman the scholar and
the gentleman CHARLES SUMNER OF Massachusetts.
Mr.. Sumner was received with tremendous applause
which was prolonged for several minutes When at
Iast Il had subsidized lie said:
MR President AND FELLow-CITHESs OF NEW
YoRK: You have aptly said Mr.. President, that we
are on the eve Of a contest and shall be happy any
words that may fall from my lips may inyigorate single
soul to perform the duty which becomes a freeman.
History abounds in vicissitudes. From weak
ness and humility men ascend to power and place.
From defeat and dsparegement- enterprises
lifted to triumph and acceptance. The martyr of To-
day il gratefully enslrincd the morrow. The
store that the builders rejected il made the head of
the corner Thus it always has been and ever will be.
Only twenty years ago--in ls35-the friends Of the
"a, xVaak nd humble while
their great Enterprise just then showing itself
frampled down and despiscd The small companies
then gathered togetler in the name of Freedom
INTERRUPTED and often dispersed by riotous mobs.
AT Boston feeble association # women called the
Female Anti-slavery Society, convened in small
room Of an upper story in an obscure building, was
ineul.ed and then driven out Of doors by frantic
crowd politely termed, the time, assenblagc #
"genilemen 4 property and standing. Which. after
various deeds q violence and vcness, next directed
i.sef upon William Lloyd Garrison-known as the
determined editor II The Lsj,rafor, aud the orgna-
tor Il tie Anti-slsvcry Enterprise in our day-and,
ruihlessly tearing him away amid savage threats
and with halter about bis neck, dragged him
through the streets until, last, guilty only q low
ing liberty If not wisely too well, this unoiiending
citizen was thrust into the common jail for protection
against an infuriatc popusce. Nor was Boston alone
Even Villages in remote rural solitude beched forth
m similar outrage; while the large towns, like Prov
deIce New-Hayen, Udca, Worcester, Alton Cincln-
matt, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, became
90 many fiery craers Overlooking with rage and mai
ness What iawless violence failed TO accomplish was
next urged through the forms OF law by solemn
legislative acts, the Slave States called on tie Free
States promptly and efectually To suppress all
sociatons within their respective limits purpOrtlng 10
"bc Abolition Societes'; and Rhode Island, Massa-
chuseits and New-lork basey hearkened TO the base
propsition. Tie Press, too, with untold power,
erted itself in this behalf while the pulpit the po
eian and the merchant conspired to ste discussion
until the voice of Freedom hushed TO a whisper,
''alasl almost afraid TO know ITSELF
Since then in the lapse OF few years only, change
has taken place. Instead of those small companies
counted by tens we have this mighty assembly
counted BY thousands; instead of an Insignificant
apartment like that in Boston, the mere appendGge of
printing office, where ms Ia the manager itself Truth
was Graded, we have this Metropolitan Hall, am
pie in proportions and central in place instead OF
profane and camorous mob beating al gates, dis
persing our assembly and making one OF our number
the victim OF It's FURY have peace and harmony
at unguaIdod door, ruiled only by generous compe
fon to participate in this occasion; while legislatures
openly declare their sympahies, villages, towns and
cities vie in the manifestation; and the Press IL
self with increased power hcralds applauds aud ex-
tends the prevailing influence which, Oyerhowing from
every fountain and pouring through every channel az
last hy the awakened voice of Pulpit, politician and
merchant swells into rTepressible cry.
Here ~ great change worthy of notice and MEN,
ory for il atiosts the first stage of victory. Slavery in
ali its ysided wrong still continues but here in this
uetrorois ay, Sir and throughout the whole North,
freedom Of discussion is at length secured. And this
say the frsi stage Of vctoy-heiald OF the tran
secndent Future.
" Hsrt. ssd voice he lonely desert cheers:
Prepare the Way God, God appear