Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-05-04

LETTER FROM WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON -
Alta recent meeting held in Boston, last week. in
"honor Of Orsini and Pierri. the martys of liber.
IT," the following letter was read from William
Lloyd Garrison, written in his most characters
tic style, as the champion of universal and i'm
partial liberty:
"BosroN, April %, 1853
Dear Sir IL deem it an honor to have receiy.
ed an official invitation to be present, this even
ing, at the meeting at Nassau Hall, TO commem-
crate the memories Of Orsini and his associates
who have recently been beheaded by the decree
of a remOrseless tyrant in the person OF Louis Ma
poleon, because it implies that you believe my
sympathies aud aspirations with the Cypress
ed throughout the world, without regard to race,
color or cline. Yop rightly judge my charac.
ter. l am not only an aoolltionlst for the chatel-
lied slave but an emancipationist for the whole
human race. l am no advocate for one-sided
liberty, or mere national independence but
wherever tyranny exists, | loathe and execrate it
and proclaim liberty TO be the iaalenable right Of
every human being-liberty of person, Of loeomo-
ton, Of thought, OF speech, of the press-liberty
in all things, at all times under all circumstan
ess, in all lanes for all people, through all time
and to all eternity. For more than quarter Of
a century have publicly inscribed my flag
this motto My country is the world my
eountrymen are all mankind This sentiment is
in my heart, and crculates with every drop of
blood in my body ; and when prove recreant to
it, let my tongue eleave to the roof of my
mouth Therefore it is that deeply sympathize
with your gathering, this evening, because it is
aheaTtfelt protest against the cowardly, peridi
Gus, bloodstained usurper who has crushed the
liberties Of France, perpetrated innumerable
crimes and atrocities and is seeking to aid every
form OF European despotism.
1t is true, i do not believe in killing any man
not even such monster Louis Napoleon, be
cause believe in the inyiolabilitJ Of human life,
and that the weapons of death are the Legitimate
weapons OF despetism while those of liberty are
thought, speech, intellectual enlightenment, pro-
test, eontumaey. non-colformityS uutiring perss.
tency, iRdomtabie purpose, unconqaeFsole will,
moral rebehioc, abiding faith in the right, the d.
vine spirit Of martyrdom Nevertheless, judging
from the stand point of patriotism as manifested
on Bunker Hill and at Yorktown, at Bannock-
burn and ThermopylR, and during the famous
'three days in Paris when the republic was in
augurated, with Liberty, Equality fraternity,
for its watchwsrds,I am bound TO say, (tha
may not be misunderstood by any One,) that Or
sini was no assassin in spirit or purpose, but
brave man, true to his convictions Of duty his ha.
tired of OPPRESSION and his desire for the reign of
freedom throughout Europe and that it was the
murderer Louis Napoleon who deserved to be be-
headed, rather than Orsni
Your meeting will receive no sanction from the
American press, people, or government. How
can America sympathize with any struggle for
freedom in the old Werd She holds every sew
enth person Of her vast population in letters of
iron, as brute beast, as an article OF merchan'
disc. With four millions of slaves in her ruth
less grasp, she has not only lost all reverance for
human rights but she ridicules and rejects her
own Declaration of Independence, and hence,
her instincts and feelings with every tyrant
in Europe, and against its down trodden masses,
and such will be her state aud attitude until she
breaks every fetter, and liberates every slave on
her own soil then shall she lead the nations Of
the earth to universal freedom.
Much more could add, for my heats full, and
could pour it out like water, but must pause.
Let me conclude with this sentiment;
Liberty for France, for Germany, for Italy, for
all nations Liberty for he slaves in America,
for the seris 10 Russia, for all people who are
held in thraidom Defiance and resistancer to
despots, come what may, aud success to tire on
as against bloody usurpation
Accept this testimony as substitute for my
bodily presence. and believe me, dear sill,
Yours, to break everv yoke,
VIM. LLOYD GARRISON.
Editor Of the Li6erGtor."