Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-01-24
rHoNooRArnrc REPORT BY MR.. YERRiNroN.
SPEECH OF OLIVER JOHNSON
Kr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Xr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
II ever coveted the gift of eloquence, do so
now. remember well the dark, dismal
night, twenty-five years ago, when, with
few others, L went to very obscure
African school-bouse, and organized the Anti
Slavery Society whose anniversary we are here
assembled to commemorate. remember the
hopes with which we entered into that enterprise,
and believe that | may speak for those associated
with me at that time, as well as for myself, when
say, that we looked to the triumph of our cause
in less than half the time which has since elapsed
We had no suspicion. sir, of the magnitude of the
work in which we wero engaged, OF of the length
OF tune which it would require to accomplish that
work.
wish it were in my power TO give you some
"reminiscences of that occasion. have had very
little time to look back to the few documents which
we have upon record. containing the facts in con
nection with that interesting event. and little time
to consult my own memory. But one thing |
remember, which occurred on the evening when
We finally adopted our constitution. remember
that after we had all signed our names-twelve of
us--to that instrument, Mr. Garrison said
Friends, we meet Tonight in this obscure school
house before many years. will rock Faneuil
Hail. (Cheers) But that prophecy was fulfilled
long ago. 1t was fulfilled first by our enemies,
next BY ourselves, un1 is fulfilled again toDight,as
I trust it will be many times more.
= -
We have been accused. Mt various times, OF
hostility to the Church in this movement. have
been reminded tonight, as have been casting my
mind back upon the history of the past, of the
fact, that Just before the annual meeting of the
New England (now the Massachusettsl Anti
Slavery Society, / depued Ms committee to
search the city of Boston for q clergyman who
would consent to open that meeting with prayer
and give you my word when say, that, making
out list of clergymen we supposed to be most
friendly or most likely to be friendly to the cause
some ten or twelve-l called upon every one OF
them, and found not one who was willing to per-
form that service and came back to my friend
aman with whom had been for some time init
mate-Rev. Amos A Phelps | shall never for
get the reluctance and hesitation with which he
came forward TO perform the service We had no
idea at that timo that it would be possible to hold
anti slavery meeting without the benedction Ct
clergyman. We had no conception that we had
to- fight this great hattie with the Church, III
which we have been o.loug eDgagads We took il
far grantsd.. n the si1nplictis OF hearts, that
we were to have The Chur hbno our side that
whoever else might oppose us, thas whatever other
influences might he enlisted against us, we should
at least have the Church, with her mighty in.
fuence, on our side and if ever party of re-
formers paid honest and earnest court to the clergy
and the Church, we did SO; and we gave up our
confidence in them inch by inch, and only because
we could not help t--because it became manifest
to us, as we went forward in the cause, that
they were apostate to the great principles oi
Liberty.