Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-12-03
X faQTr AA.
SPEECH OF R, W. EMERSON.
L. MARIA CHILD,

A meeting was recently held in Boston, on q
days notice, and convened on an evening not the
most propitious, yet it numbered tpo thousand
persons, admitted on trenty-foe cent tickets ; the
proceeds to go to the family of John Brown. Col
lections we're also taken up in the meeting. Ralph
Waldo Emerson contributed $40, and the follow
ing speech.
Mr.. Chairman and Feliow-Citizens l share the
sympathy and sorrow which have brought us to-
gether. Gentlemen who have preceded me have.
we'll said that no wall of separation could here ex.
ist. That commanding event-the sequel
Of which has brought us together u, -eclipses
all others which have occurred for a iots
time in our history, and ] am very glad
to see that this sudden interest in the hero ~olIlary-
ei's Ferry has provoked an extreme curiosity in all
parts OF the Republic, in regard to the details of
his history. Every anecdote is eagerly sought,
and i do not wonder that gentlemen fud traits of
relation readily between him and themselves. One
finds a relation in the church, another in tho pro.
fession, another in the place of his birth. He was
happily a representative Of the American repub-
lie. Captain John Brown is q farmer, the fifth in
descent from Peter Brown, who came to Plymouth
in the Mayfower, in 1920. All the six have been
farmers. His grandfather, of Simsbury, in Con-
%necticut, was a car tain in the Revolution. His
father, largely interested as o raiser Of stock, be-
came a contractor to supply the army with beef,
in the war of 1872. and our Captain John Brown,
then a boy with his father, was present and wit
messed the surrender of General Hull. He cher
ished a great respect for his father as a man of
strong character, and his respect is probably
;,sk Enp ht,nsalf L. = =,
men see him through. He is a man to make
friends wherever on earth courage and integrity
are esteemed; (applause)-tho Iarest of heroes, a
pure idealist, with no by-ends Of his own. Many
of you have seen him, and every one who has
heard him speak has been impressed alike by his
simple a%rtless goodness. joined with his sublime
courage. He joins that perfect Puritan faith
which brought his fifth ancestor toPlymouth Rock,
with his grandfather's ardor in the Revolution
lie believes in two articles-two instruments, shall
| say-the Golden Rule, and the Declaration of
Independence (applause) and be used this ex-
preston in conversation here, Better that a whole
generation of men, women and children should
pass away by q violent death, than that one wold
of either should be violated in this country There
is a Unionist-there is a strict constructionist for
you Applause and laughter.) lie believes in
the Union Of the United States, he believes in the
Union Of America, and be conceiv yes that the only
obstruction to the UniOn is slavery, and for that
reason, as a patriot, he works for its abolition.
The Governor of Virginia has pronounced bis eu-
logy in a manner that discredits the moderation Of
onr timid parties. His own speeches to the Court
have interested the nation in him. What magnan-
unity, and what innocent pleading. as of child
hood You remember bis words-'If | had in
terfered in behalf of the rich, the powerful, the
intelligent, the so-called great, or any OF their
friends. parents, wives or children. it would all
have been right. No man in this court would
have thought it = crime. But ] believe that to
have interfered as / have done. for the despised
poor, ! have done no wr0rR, bpt right +.