The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-21
speech Of George Thompson.

At the close of Miss Dickinson lecture
in Boston, on Thursday, George Tbomp-
son, the English AbOIitiOnist was called
for, and responded as follows:
Ny FRIENDS: If one UnsccustOmed TO
public speaking Is ever placed in an en-
barrsssing position it is when be is cali
ed upon, as am now, to address an
audience that has been so charmed and
highly excited by such eloquence IS
that which it has been your privilege
and my privilege to listen to to might
Shakespeare says "as when some actor
who has crossed the stage retires, the
eye looks listlsssly TO see who follows
next;" and so l come before you to-
night Nine and twenty years ago
America cast me from her. was q
vile, pestilent man; l Was q distuFbeF
of the public peace l was an enemy
of the Union; was thought worthy
to be denounced by your President,
and in an address TO Congress. sm
unchanged. I hare not wandered of
from the point on which I then stood,
but have preserved it without vaFia-
bleness CT shadow of turning. When
I was cast forth these we're my last
words: America will yet witness sn0th-
er revolution. The first great, noble one
was for independence; the second, boiler.
more benign, more blessed, more impAr-
tial, will bs for liberty. Bat you, the
people of Msssschuset q will live, and I
pray God I may live to see the day when
the principles for which am hated, yer
secuted and bsBished, will be the prinoi-
pies of the Old Bay State" am no enc
nv of America now! | have been az
all but idoatrous admirer of your coun-
try Bring me sn American here tonight
and place him foot TO foot with me, and let
us see who is most American IN feeliDg.in
hope, or aspiration, be or 1. Thirty years
ago saw this dark cloud upon the hOri-
zon. Nothing that hiss taken place in
your country has surprised me but
this-nsmely, your enthusiasm for the
cause for which I pleaded apparently
in vain. I have nothing TO address to
you to night, nothing. I have been SPELL
bound. America, be proud of your dsugh-
ter. We're she nv eountryWoman I
should be proud of my country for her
sake. Appreciate her, reward her By
following her counsels. | must confess,
long accustomed 80 / have been TO public
meetings, and hearing the best elOquence
on either side of the Atlantic, and t.
heEring those who sre esteemed orr most
gifted men in Psrlis emf, have listened
to no speech which, for its psthos, its ar-
gument, its satire, its eloquence. It's hui
NOR, its sarcasm, and its well directed
denunciations, has ever been surpassed
By any have heard before. / pray God
that the life of this lady may be spared
that she may see the desire Of her heart
in the unanimous adoption by her fellow
citizsns Of the great principles she has
enunciated tonight. Give me America
free from slavery. Give me Americs in
which shall be established universally,
IS your lecturer has said tonight, with
out distinction Of cline, color, class, or
condition, liberty for sill government by
al and for all Then I see some hope
that your great example-gainiug the
greatest victory that mortals could win,
the victory over self-that your example
will cheer my country o., and though
we may be behind you we shall follow
after you. In TIE meantime, God bless
You in your great struggle in this fearful
war, so that the graves which we hsVe
heard of shall be covered up and rich
hsrvests wave over them, when your Con-
stitution in sll its plentitude and without
it's compromises snail stand forth the adj
miratiOn Of the world.