The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-25

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WEDNEsDAY........-..JUF'Eis. = 70, l totS'
Death Of Lewis Tappasa
Lsyss TArpAs died ia Brooklyn, N. ! !. on
SATURDAY.. ax the advanced age OF eighty 'hVe''
He had been conspicuous man III eoan-
merce and, in politics for sixty years. ne nc
and bfs late brother, ARTHUR TArPaN, were
in some degree fathers OF abolitionisn IN
its active connection with national politics.
They were much in advance of northern
sentiment, and incurred q great tteat Of ohio
ouy amongst their own people by their zeal.
The northern people then respected the
rights of the southern people under the
charter of the Union, and looked with III
dignation upon the TArPANs for their 'oasy
efforts to disturb the national peace oy ex-
citing the public mind against slavery, an
institution for which their ancestors were
more responsible than ours. It: was not
that the northern people then were
"pro-slayery sympatbizers,' as an obitu-
arv, of the late DIR. TArPAN In the 1Ts.
bune enormously says. They were too re-
Gently out Of slavery themselves to damn
the southern people on account of slavery,
and they were sufficiently satisfied of its in
utility to be sympatbizers with it. They
were honestly determined to let slavery
alone, and leave, the South its rights under
the Constitution. Sincerely thus inclined,
they were indignant at the TAPrANs for dis
turbing the era Of good feeling which was
established under Mr.. MADISON, and under
which the most pleasant and profitable in.
tercourse between North and South had
sprung UP. ..' E a"a 8sr{ -
With these feelings strongly animating the
northern people, the TAPPANs naturally be-.
clme the especial objects of public displea-
sure, as they were abolitionist leaders. An
attack was made upon the house Of LEWIS
TArrAs in New York in July, 1884. The
building was defaced and the furniture,
pitched into the street, was set on fire and
burned up. This was an act of great
indiscretion and gave strength to the agita-.
tons of the abolitiontsts. LEWIS had been
especially jealous in bis anti-slavery crusade;
but ARTHUR soon rallied to the cause with
equal ardor, and in '33 became the head of
the movement.
Had the North continued firm in the views
it had entertained the late separation and
war would have been avoided. But the
TApPANs and their confederates bad, with
the help Of money and fanatical zeal, aided
by the impulsive hostility with which they
were opposed, gotten together party strong
enough to become an element in elections,
and the politicians Immediately sought their
votes and conniyed at their mischief, or
joined them outright. Of course this rapidly
increased the power of the anti-slavery party
until in less than thirty years. time that
party held the key to the Presidency, and,
of course, the sectional rupture and war OF
1861 was the inevitable result. .e"
The TAPrANs, with GARRISON, came to Rich
mond in '3o-'Sl-'32 during the discussion
oft the amendments to the Virginia Consti-
tuition in the Convention, and the le-
gis!ation of the General Assembly suit
ed to the Constitution framed by the
Convention. Slavery had been dis
cussed in the Convention, and was still a
subject of painful interest, with "a strong
probability that abolition after the plan of
Mr.. JEFFERSON would prevail. But the TAP |
PANS and their colleagues could not wait for |
the deliberate consideration of the question; |
they could not trust il to the wisdom |
and philanthropy of Virginia; but must
obtrude themselves, as needless fanatics |
are always sure to do. Their med |
ding WAS distateful to Virginians,
aud caused suspicion and jealousy. They |
were not ready to acquiesce in the views |
of men who showed as little wisdom as pro-
prety in their obtrusiveness. Those in Viz
Sina who advocated abolition were irritated
at the interference, and many said that tile pre-
sence of these agitators defeated them, and
it is highly probable that it did. .
But the speck of trouble when the Tap.
pans first began their work, which was SO
small and contemplate, in time oyerspread
the whole land, and brought upon us woes
over which the misguided agitators mo
doubt shed tears in vain.
The TAPPANs were members Of a remark |
able family. They were sons of BENJAMIN |
TAPPAN, of Northampton, Massachusetts. |
LEWIS was the ninth child of bis arents. he |
had brother who was Professor of Divinity |
in Harvard College, and the whole family |
were remarkable for activity in business and |
general intelligence. ARTHUR founded Ober-
lin College, in Ohio. LEWIS survived his |!
brother ARTHUR, and was stricken with |
paralysis just after having sent the MS. of
the life # his brother to the printer. He
was ont Of the founders, and for time the /
editor, of the Journal of Commerce, paper
originally built up in opposition to all fash
. ionable vices. He sold out the paper in 81
to Messrs. HALE and aALLocK, its we'll
known conductors for more than thirty /
years, who, before and during the war,
proved their faith to the national Consti.
tuition and their fairness to the South in such
manner as to bring down the eye and the
menace of the Federal Government upon
them.
We make this rather extended notice of |
the late Mr.. TAPpAN because of bis promI-
hence in the troubles which finally culrni-
mated in the greatest calamity OF our times.
1t affords lesson Of what fearful events may
come from the zeal of few persons whose |