New-York tribune., 1870-09-30

him if they had conducted the paper In suppoi. ~.
ra her than opposed to- the anti-slavery son" =. ~
he had afterwards cherished, and had i.a iu'oo -
auxiliary TO the great plan OF uhNe's,i ~ -,
tion that has under an ovenuling Providence ooon
so signally successful =, ,r-o,, tool, in tbo
The prominent part which MI. i'pp''', VIZ, -
,L,ltion movement, and the suiierihgs W NV" A
rs ovnosed in consequence, are among INC n,o',
noteworthy features in his career anu "ro
~, his biographer with fullness ID propofuoh ~
-; ~ ;,,,,ortonce The most strenuous efforts were
,,odo bv shareholders to h.jure him in ns business
roIotons and to prevent purchasers from continuing
their custom A large sum of money was offered Tor
his head. Numerous merchants of the conservative
class made perpetual attempts to induce him to give
ND the work of ant-Slavery agitation. The
conductors of the great moneyed corpora
tions tried to persuade him of the folly
of his course and threatened that they
would not discount his paper, nor that of any mer-
chant with his name upon it. He listened to their
statements. but gave no encouragement that he
should alter his course. On one occasion he was
appealed to on the ground of the injury which ms
zeal for anti-Slavery might cause to his creditors
He listened for some time in silence. His mlhu
seemed TO be deeply engaged in thought At lehg'h
he replied, with great emphasis and earnesthess'
You wish that should cease from my anti-Slayery
labors. or make some apology or recantaton-l VIII
rather 60 to the gallows"
The disastrous fire of 1885, in New-YOrk, was the
cause of severe pecuniaTy loss TO Mr. Tappan as well
rs to many others of the soundest mercantile men OF
the city. His store was near the building in which
the fire commenced on the opposite side of the street
1t was substantially built of granite, and at first 1t
was hoped that it might be saved and stay the pro-
eTess of the flames in that direction. But in short
time it was totally consumed, with considerable
portion of the goods, although the valuable papers
of the firm were removed in safety. A new store
erected early in the ensuing year. and the busi-
ness resumed with undated energy. But financial
crisis was at hand. The excessive expansion of
trade, the failure of many Southern traders to pay
their notes. and the losses by the fire. threat
ened general bankruptcy Mr.. Tappan was obliged
to sacrifice great deal by bad debts. He struggled
bravely to weather the storm, but at last he
was forced to succumb, and suspended payment In
the Spring of 1887. No effort was spared to make
the blow fall lightly on his creditors. The result
was deemed to reflect honor on his financial skill and
strength of purpose. 1t raised him still higher III
public estimation as an honorable merchant.
The remainder of Mr. Tappan's life, though pro-
longed for nearly thirty years, presents no new
features of character but forms complete whole of
strong and admirable texture steadily ripening to
the harvest Of sweet and mellow maturity. His
career was identified with the development of the
religious and social principles of which he was ever
an active representative. His life affords series of
milestOnes which mark the progress of the age in the
thorny path of public reform.