Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-07-04


BE ready Cor such an event. Make ready for
Il BY acting as did the Irish boy, who fearing
that the catholic prieet would take his Bible
from him. fell 10 committing 10 to memory 70
thai when she priest did sever and bum the
book, he was able TO say "there Is one thing
you can't burn, and that's them ten chapters
I've got laid up in my heart"
So you lay up the word Of God in your
hearts, and in whatever strait you may be, even
Il you are east into prison for obeying The law
Of God, you will enjoy constant comfort and
peace.
Prof ELLIS then said that three minutes were
still LEFT and he would call on another prisoner,
Mr. PLUnB, to occupy that time.
Mr. P came forward and said--It is q good
thing to look upon the bright and joyous faces
Of children and youth, and never can meet q
multitude Of those who are ioyously rsvellinR
in their first wo orld--the world Of ianoy-oi
perchanoe more advanced have entered the
world Of feeling, but Il carries me back to th'
glad time when too was a cbid-when looked
up into the azure sky and it was to my youth
fu eye clothed with brightness which har
forever gone, when in my youthful gambol
/ would lay me down upon the grass by thu
banks Of the purling brook and listen to its song
IA song, OH how sweet to me then, sweet al
the bird songs Of my youths morning
But the actualiGes of stern life are upon me
and my ears refuse to listen to the symphony
Of the sweet warblings Of boyhood's brooks
and birds, only as your presence reviyes theii
echo in my soul
But, children, YOU too are fast merging int,
manhood and womanhood, and soon the trial
and duties that press so heavily upon ne now
must be borne BY you
You come from your glad homes with youl
teachers forming this great company, chiefly 10
the purpose of visiting in prison your worthy
Superintendent and what do your eyes behold
These prison walls are made to detaiD your faith
ers, your brothers and your loved ones, merely
because they have obeyed God and loved thei
fellow-man
This brings me, children, to say, that altho
you are permitted to live in an age OF progress
and promise, much remains to be done-anl
perhaps by you.
You have visited the murky prison, whost
| gloomy walls restrain the liberty Of your love,
ones, and they stand before you now. And ye
the scoundrels who have in the name of Law
outraged law and enforced thus far the infamoul
Fugitive Slave Act, still stand erect and stalI
through the streets Of this city without shame
--and what is more, themselves and the poll
ticians who sustain them are we'll received il
the social circle not only, but they sit in the
slips of your churches and gather around the
communion table without Tebuke. God bt
praised some of the clergy Of Cleveland hsyt
learlessly and faithfully denounced these out
RACES, but others have either family spoken ol
have utterly refrained from speaking the truth
lest they should offend some Government Off
cial or apologist who sat before them.
| Children, l have spoken beyond the time
allotted and must close. Let the extraordinary
scenes which now surround you, be the means
of preparing you to do your duty faithfully and
well. Time rolls on-your fathers and mothers
will soon be called TO lay aside the mortal coil
and GU must stand in their stead and chill.
dTen let us promise you that if when we go
hence, the great wheel of oppression which
has already crushed in the prison house Of
Slavery its millions of parents and children
should come upon you, and cast you into pris
sons, from which the government under which
you live refuses to deliver you, our free spiriti
shall visit you there, laden with comfortings
and blessings such as the world knows not Of
But ] trust such things may not come upon
you. The great struggle for freedom in which
we are engaged MUST end in victory. Truth il
on our side, and it must triumph as sure as
there is a God.
Af.er brief and appropriate response by
Prof. Ellis, the procession formed and march
ed to the Depot on their homeward way, which
we trust they pursued without accident. What
a scene!