Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-11-12
seseher on the Boston Fire.

On Sunday night Henry Ward Beecher, Of
Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, made the fire in |
Boston, the subject Of bis discourss before an |
immense congregation. We make brief sx-
tract from the eloquent author, who ehesishes an |
uudying love for the city Of his youth. His
reference to the Mansard roof deserves attention:
1t was necessary, also, Mr.. Bsecher said. that
they should think Of the loss Of capital to the
citv and the nation. Those flames were ruin 10
hundreds nay, thousands. All the means and
appliances Of labor had been knocked aasunder. |
Some individuals were bankrupted, others were
in sore embarrassment. The men that did busi'
ness there yesterday looked down these golden
avenues, but now they are darkened. fegtef'
i4y these men counted their fortune 10 eo!d-
To-day red hot ashes we're their poation. They
must think Of the poor, too, driven from their
homea from their workshops. Those who had
little, had lost that little which to them vas
more than all the rich pooeesssd. Nov they
would have TO huddls in corners, or be driven
from street to street, with few in the awful ex-
element to pity them. And before them were
the cold and
HoUsELEss HORRORS OF WINTER
A year ago, said Mr.. Beecher, it was Chicago;
now It is Boston. First. the new city Of the
plain: then the old city Of the sea. First, the
city whose history had yet to b made; then the
city whose history was part Of the continent
East and West had Joined hands In . common
calamity. 1t would touch thu national heart and
feeling. From Boston had sprung che earliest
American ideas-a conception Of governmen:
from the people for the people. Boston stands
for the American idea of government. There
the oldest and ablest heroes Of liberty had their
homes 1t was from Massachusetts, that Virginia
kindisd their torch. When We began the War
Of Indspsndence and King George was disowned
and there seemed to b no peacei when justices
and sherias did not know in what terms 10 draw
ost the simplest warrant or writ; it was 10 the
Adamses in Boston that Jefferson sent, and from
them he received the first ideas Of Government
hassd on equality and liberty. During the long
struggle neither B0stol nor Massachusella
flinched. Boston was the true head Of the nation
in the best ssnse, and from ito old heroes the
stream began to Cow which vas 70 b. ,g#
4 RIVER OF LIrE To THE MATIoxA
People, said Mr.. Beecher, might laugh snd
have their joke at Boston y they plsassd. Bos.
Ton had never csased to be brimlal Of vitality
knowledge, liberty, religion. Boston had been
hatsd because il had been felt. Ais.uls hassI
rule; disorder haass orgaaissa syAsny passion
hates intelligence; anarchy hates regularity and
ibery. There was not . city Of any nols Ia
she Uoitsd 1tatss tha1 did mot owe dsbt d
gratitude to Boston. The whole nation was I
ashaoR 70 he. for her schools and li>sratvse. md
scholarly men. Nowhere else were there COM
uon schools Of such . high order. The vssy
sons of her draynen and lahorsn were tangh
bsttsr than the collsgians Of Europe century
sgo, and that without money and without prics
She vas noble old city-hoary in ysan. He
name was full Of soul stirring memories 6ham
b 70 the man who, on the day Of her ca:anit.
hes no sympathy to oosr her. hs
THE FIRE NOT A Jup0EHENT
Some might say, Mr.. Bsechsr continued, ths
this Gre was sent 70 humble the proud hearts q
her soss. Just - theagh asy spol would b
ofYhslt prida. Whafa would RrpoklYn sAd Ne,