The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-03
SLAVE-CATCHER DEVENS
Further Particulars OF the
Purchase Of Sims.
WHY HAYES FRIENDS SOLD OUT.
Hampton Still Cracking the
SlaveholdinJ Whip.

Phillips have attracted moro attention Than MS re-
lnarkablc speech delivered in Philadelphia few even
ngs since, full report of which was published IN the
HERALD the subsequent morning. HIS Remuneration
81 General Devcns now OF President Hayes Capinet,
probably caused more criticism than even ms wholc
sale attack upon the President himself Thinking tha
Inc distinguished orator might have becn somewhat
stirred up by the journalistic batteries which have
been Ieveled at him during the last lew days, your
called upon bim this afternoon, at his
residence No SO Essex street. Hc found Dir. Philips
bad lust returned ccturng tour and In spite OF
the harsh things that had been said about him, he
seemed TO be calm and serene us a summer morn
,pg After q few commonplace observations asked
II he did not intend reply to tho numerous criti
csms which had been made on his Philadelphia ad-
dress
INDIFFERENT DEFAMERs
Mr. PHrLLIrs--Of course not. ] never notice such
criticisms Beside those who make thom have either
not read my speech not fit 10 read newspapers.
have anticipated and covered every point they refer
TO touching Mr.. Devens. Any ono who can count nve
will 1t II hc reads the speech atten;ively
CoKREspoSpEsT-But, sir, they say Mr.. Devcns
poaght back Sims furnished all the money and
deemed him; is that trueY
GENERAL pHvESs AGAIN ATTACKED.
Mr.. PHILLIps-No, he did not. Sims sent back
IN 1851. About ten years ancrward Devcns woke up
sius' release Devens took no part. For many years
the Stakeholder refused TO sell he had Sims cruelty
whipped, and when he thought no had punished the
negro enough for running away sent him TO Misss
sippi For many years we heard nothing Of him and
supposed him TO DO dead. Eleven years aiterward
the freed him and he camo TO Massachusetts,
This statement shows how absurd is the idea that
Devens' onor TO buy Sims was luil atonemcnt All
Devens' money did not and could not release Sims
from the wretched tate which the slavehound had
The negro This idea, that few hundred dollars are
full compensation for mortal sin and grave wrong done
your fellow man is heartess and cruel well ab-
surd The wrong done the victim is beyond your
reach. II is MS II you gave man a mortal wound and
then offered hc physician Thousands TO him. For
all the wretchcdness and wrong Sims suffered during
those eleven years Dcvens largely responsible
Astor lad u crazy who Knocked out attendant's
with the iron tip OF his cane. The man writhcd
In agony. Young Aston said, "What do you cry
tor? Ny father will pay for IT," Tho editors who
claim that Devcns' thousand dollars a FULL
atonemcnt crazy young Astor. But If Dcvens
had bought Sims and been in any way able to fully
compensate the negro that would not the whole
extent of tho evil no had done What atonement
would that have been the Boston he had dis
graced tho humane hearts he had torturcdY Would
that have neutralizcd the evil of his Infamous
pie? The of public men educate the people, The
wicked scrvy OF those days has done than any
thing else to
DULL THE AMERICAN CONSCIENCE
and make the corrupt people we to-day. Scratch
q saplng and the oak will show it for centuries.
coRRKsroSpExr-But sir, they say Mr. Devens
pentcd. Is his repentance nothings
DEvESs NEVER gErESTRD.
Mr.. PniLIIPs-Mr Devcns has never, to my knowI
edge. uttered, either publicly private the word
''repcnt" His Offering money to buy Sims docs not
show repentance. | never knew slave whero
the most hearess OF the hunters did not ediatcly
after, offer aid in redoemng their victim. That
family which most active sending Burns 10
chains all contributed to buy him back. But every
OF them gored meanwhile IN the part they had
taken Burns surrender Instead OF repenting they
boosted for years after Of what they had done II
Devcns does repent claim that his repentance shall
as public as his SIN; otherwise the elect OF u bad
example runs unchecked do not think much Of
the conscience which State street, IN the day
light, Mt tho head of 600 soldiers, amid paudits
and then rcpents IN skuking private letter To Mrs.
ABC But neither in private letter nor in any pub
lie act does there exist the slg htest evidence
Dovens has over repented
CoRRLsros DEST-Mcn say sir, that Mr.. Devens
United States officer, and Dount 10 hunt slaves II APP
piled tor
Mr. PniLLirs--Hc United States Marshal. But
no man Is obliged authorized to hold on TO Office
This conscience orbids the act bis Office calls him 10 do
Every agrees TO this. As Dcvcns held on to
his Office | have right 10 infer that his conscience
Justified HIM In the act lie called 10 do. THIS Is all
l have charged him. and | have estimated the low
oil his by the fact that he unable
TO the iniamy OF slave catching My did re-
signY How hts letter Of resignation would rung
through The land rousing It's and lifting
young men to higher moral evell Granville Sharpe
resigned his place 10 the English War Office rather
than sign, mere clerk. the order sending troops
America ip our Revolution Is 1t too much TO expect
that Massachusetts lawyer shall have Keen sense
OF honor as English gentleman Charles sumner
was United states COMMISSIONER authorized and
bound to execute the Fugitive slave When one
asked him. Il he, as Commissioner, would ordcr the
OF fugitive slaves he Ills thy servant
dog that ne should DO tins thing was a man be-
lore was a Commissioner" When the Boston police
ordered out to help the surrender OF Burns, Mr.
Joseph X. Hayes, captain IN that force, re-
signed his place rather than AID IN that
wckedness. Could not tour years at Harvard College
and ten years at the Bar teach Dcvcns as much
morals. wakcn in him keen IA OF honor US
service in the police had gwen HaycsS No, Deveus
deliberately chose 10 80 ON and earn has salary the
risk OF earning also
THE DISGUST or ALL HONORABLE MEN
DO has had the blood money, alc 1t or aiu up lie
must not whine u the disgust OF mankind c!ings to
him. Ike Nessus' shirt IN The classic liable,
ments him forever.
CoRREsrosnRNT but sir, other beside Dcvens
supported the Fusi'ive slave law
Mr.. PniLLirs-True But 1t is very different thing
to Justify. intellectually, aw when will torture
thousand miles on from what II l.. TO torture Que OF
those with your own hands. rhe mind may be
blinded and confused. The appeal Of your single fell
bowman wakvns the heart. which, as Madison sad. IS
cube pest iogcIan.' Sicrnes picture 81 the single
prisoner is more effective than whole loos rena
laws DR. johnson said, 'tbc man who could hear OF
the sluking Of The whole Chinese Empire
into the without emotion might posi-.
by faint the surgeon cut OH
his neighbours hitIe finger" heard benjamin H.
Curtis, Judge OF Tic Supreme Court OF the United
States. uphold the Fugitive Slave act In Fabcnil Hall
in elaborate speech Ten days aflcrward The hunt
trs IN search OF negro who worked Tor judge
Curtis. The Judge gave The man money anu helped
bis light ~ Canada. Curtis could not resist the NIUE
appeal Of that single black face. Dcvens could Cur.
rs inabnity showed be was man, IN spite OF his
Wicked argument ia Fancul Hall
DEyESs' mKAKrLkss fspIFFERENCE
proves him hOund hot man. To return fugitive
Slave the sin against the Holy Gnost AZ any
!hibg eau imagine
DExrThe journals, cir, scold great deal
ibout your attack on Dcvcns.
fooh Rid AND B)wLEs.
Mr. PHLLfPS--Yeg see tho Tribune and tho
Springfield RepiJlcdn scod Tor expressing my dis
.ust toward him. certainly shall not critlcsc them.
hr Reid aud Mr.. Bowcs know best what company
hey Ike and 1T Tor. II they feel Ut home In the
..1.l .l.s L