The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-05-09
THE ANNIVERSARIES.
; THE CITY ANTI SLAVERY SOCIETY.

nRyIEw OF AB0LITioNIsM or THE OLD PARTIES
AND OF THE ADMINISTRATIONS.
The Hon HENRY WusoS u S. Senator from Massa-
chusstts, delivered last evening 1T the Meropolitau
Theatre Broadway, lecture, supplemental to the New
York Anti Slavery Socety's second annual course
The subject Of the lecture was announced as Anti
Slavery in 1885 and Anti Slavery In 1855 Coursstedn y
Though the price OF tickets twenty five cents
tendance pretty large but yet by NO means large
or fashionable that which convened in the Same
building week two ago sloriy the passage OF
the Maine Liquor law One colored LADY, with colored
gentleman occupied front seats in the family circle and
the only of the coored present
Visible to reporter
The entertainments of the evening were commenced
by the Hutchinson Family singing what they termed
the Freeman's Ranyipg Song the refrain OF which is
And voices from the mountain height
And voices from the vale
Say for freedoms fearless host
There's such werd as Fail
Rev. HENRY WARD BEEcHER then forward and
sadIt made his agreeable duty to introduce to their
attention the speaker for the night he was Mas.
tachusetts he would not need to introduce him. for
there he s known for his good works in behalf Of free
dom. He thought there must have beena great change
in public opinion for the last few years In 1851 or
1852 there could not have been such meeting this
in the city of New York and IL there was Massachusetts
Senator's would not be the speakers and If thsywere he
would not be found introducing them. He had
pleasure, however, in introducing to them Senator
Wilson, the shoemaker of Natck
Senator WILSON then forward, and after the ap
pause which greeted him had subsided said-Americau
slavery our connections to it. and the obligations i'm
posed by those connections, make up the grand
issues of American politics These issues srrssting
the attention OF phanthropist scholars and
He could hardly hope before this auditory, often in.
structed by the genius and eloquence OF OF the
greatest orators of the age to deserve passing
notice, but be intended speak that there could
not be the slightest misapprehension of his sentiments
He was committed-iuly committed-in fsvor Of the
absolute abolition OF slavery Wherever it exists under
to vote in favor of erasing from the statutes the
United States and forever every sanctonn the
He od 81 IN .ne sa G
In 1885 and antslavery in 1855. These grand
epechs Anti slavery in 1885 was In the nadir Of its
weakness Anti slavery in 1856 is In the zenith of its
power. 1hen few nameess men were its lcaders-now
the greatest inteliects of America its cheftaus
Then not single in all America accepted its
doctrines defended its measures Now 1t has
ority in the House Of Representatives and is rapidly
modifying the complexion of the United States Senate
Then the press Iidcusd itnow the greatest journals
of the country support It, Now shapes, moulds ard
fashions religious and literary organizations at its plea
sure to compel the Oldest literary institution
In the country to cast its bosom officer who had
delivered man to the stakeholder Applause and misses
in the palm Of its right hand and it has only to be true
to itself to hold the &C. tIe Of government in Its hand
days. 10 be an abotonst then vas to be branded
an outlaw" 1t was emphatically the reign OF terror
slave, when they laid their heals their pillow, did
saying, with the psalmist, Lord, save me from the
mitted no offence against law, humanity or religion.
Rejecting the wild and guilty delus,on that the crime of
belonged to past and the duty Of
the nation the words " Let the slave go free." They
proclaimed that immediate emancipation was the duty
Of the master and the right OF the slave Their offence
Had that extent-no more.
And for that offence they branded as outla vs..
Now, is and win continue to be- Ito the Last syllable
memb,anss for hs roos ieeas bv s Mpr
murs Of discomfort sometimes spoke in the ear Of the
country against the domination OF power which held the
North in subjugation. rapid review Of the rss and
progress of slavery will show why this So In li43,
bali century before Columbus gave the New World to
the DID, African bondsmen were imported into Europe by
Portuguese Davigatcrs Spain followed the example.
Early in the sixteenth century Spain legalzsd the
African slave traffic, and sent African slaves to
work the rich mines Of Hspauiola In 1926,
t|enty six slaves brought by the Dutch to the
to New England but rejected by the Puritan fathers
Encouraged by British legislation the English merchants
imported to this country nearly Of the children
centuries dictated the policy Of England Parliament
declared the trade to be highly beneficial and in 74s
when the charter Of the Royal African Company expired
the ports of Africa thrown open to the free trade
in African slaves. The American colonies foresaw. and
strovs against the evil South Carolina, late as $780,
undertook the rapid importation Of slaves and
she received the rebuke OF English there
o the coonss in Nsw Eorsnd and on Tie banks 81
the Hudsop Delaware and Potomac, advocated emanci
patton. The Frst American Congress declared that
God never intended one portion OF mankind
to hold their fellow in bondage. Gradual emana-
patton proposed BY Jefferson and other statesmen
Of Virginia. but timd counsels prevailed and Virginia
remained slave State The great OF the revolution
who in favor Of emancipation shrunk from the SON.
test with the slave power admitted provision in
the Constitution color of which the fugitive slave
laws OF 1898 and 1850 were enacted. in 1853, North
copSon Se no aes bv tend to
the emancipation Of slaves and Congress by receiving
the cession commenced the policy OF compromise. he
hoI nf Tho
promise In 1907, the ant.slavery sentiment of the
twenty years teiore had nearly died out 1919 there
partial revival Of that sentiment. The Hou,e OF
Representatives declared against the ntroencs'1n OF
fused to concur. The United States Senate-said the
ecturer-has been as firm supporter o. southern ns
British oaarcby. The Missouri contest proved TO the
country that the Of Southern statesmen Who be
new race had sprung up, which made slavery the cor
per stone Of the republic. Henry Clay, who had once
slavery William Pincinsy the great Maryland lawyer
and orator. who had painted its dangers, now lent the
Influence Of his great name to crush h. out sIt.s the
Of n'% slavery IN is9o ~ss s % overshado~ins and
complete. Southern States revived old statutes and
boId.msn, Northern legislatures passed sta
tues aganst the welfare of the colored The policy
such condition that James G. Brney declared that if
the Abolition Society had been deferred for five years
longer IL would nave oeen 700 iate Ine time nas noe
yet said the ecturer-to do honor to those great
spirits who organized and managed the movement In
other times, when that sentiment will have trumphed,
and when the flag Of the republic shall not wave
over foot OF American soil on which slave
bresthes, posterity will do honor to these men.
(Applause.) In 1881 paper was established In
Hoston TO advocate abolition. In 1882 the New England
Anti Slavery Society organized; and in 1888 the
American Anti Slavery Society organized In Phila.
oepba. The conscience the North seemed TO be at
length Walking mp from its sumbers. The south took
the alarnspendd brbes were offered for the arrest OF
Tappan, Garrison and other friends of the slave The
North trembled before the demands OF the imPerous
South snd FASTENED depoupce the heresy OF the doc
rine OF immediate emancipation. The reign OF terror
was uaugurated and the property, liberty and life 1t.
sell OF those who dared to advocate emancipation, we're
held at the mercy Of ruthless mos TO advo,ate abo-
tonsm In New York in 1885 was, said Whittier, Ike
preachpg democracy Constautinope. In Canaan,
New Hsmpsbre, on the 10th of August, 1885,