New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-16

mated. If the slaves had been so many wild
beasts, people could not more coolly. or with less
consciousness Of cruelty in doing, have dehieu W
them the rights of men. Indeed, II was almost
universally assumed that they ce beasts I'D passion
and revenge and if set free would cut the throals
Of their emancipatOrs Slaves with white sAlhS
ght be set free on the instant with perfect safety
but black slaves were so many wolves, held oy the
ears ~ their unfortunate masters, who could not
let 90 without being devOured. The primary diher-
ence between tue Aboitionists and their opponents
Law in the fact that the former asserted, while tine
latter denied the perfect humanity OF the negro III
was this that made the anti-slayery movement dam
gerous in the eyes of the slavehOders-thls that
commended the Colonization Society to their favor
and support Mr. Buifum true-hearted Quaker that
he was, understood this perfectly. and therefore
was able to strike effective blows. de was at once
gentle aud bold. cautious and faithful. lie would
not extenuate nor set down aught in malice
The gentle words which hung
Like a string Of pearls from bis cautious Up,
On their silver thread, he was tain TO clip,
Lest something more than The truth mlght sip'
For once, from Quaker's tongue
Such man could not but exert a wholesome in
uence in the face of even such preudices a. he was
compelled to encounter He might have accom-
plished still more if the sect to which he belonged
had given him its sympathy and support-nay, II 1t
Rad not brought ITS strong social and ecclesiastical
Influences 10 bear against him. He became a mark
for iavelins stealthily hurled by false brethren
The Quaker sect, As such, wOrsbippIng IN the
house of RimmOn ike all the rest, its ears hlled
with cotton its heart unresponslve TO the cry OF
the slave. a few tender-hearted and noble mem
bers of the society were true TO its principles and
traditions, and these espoused The cause with zeal
but those who sat in high places aud ruled the de-
nomination dscountenanced the movement. taking
sides practically and effectively with the opposl-
tion. Quaker meeting -houses, except IN a few in
stances, were steruly closed against anti-slavery
lecturers. aud members who attended anti-slavery
meetings were often labored with those who had
strayed from the true path. The ground assumed
by the leaders was that Quakers ought TO keep by
themselves and not mingle with the worlds peo-
Die - i'm philanthopc work; that the Abolitionists
were not truly inspired, but attempting to abolish
slavery in their own strength. and that 10 pay men
for lecturng against il was contrary 10 the Quaker
testimony against 4" hIreling ministry" Talk like
this was in many places the burden Of Quaker
preaching and IT was as effectual IN its influence
upon the sect as open defcnces and apologies Tor
slavery were in other denominations. But MI.
Butfum. though he became of no reputation among
his brethren and though he felt this opposition and
detraction very keenly never falteTed for a mo-
ment, bur held on his way until, in subsequent
years, the sect would gladly have blOtted out all
traces Of its unlrieudy course toward him. Others,
too, were equally faithful. How Invaluable and in
spring were the songs Whittier poured forth, heed
ess Of the dominant influences of the society. need
not say. He began early and continued even unto
the end and since the days Of George Fox no man
has done more than he to commend Quaker princi-
pies to the admiration of the world, or reflected
gher honor upon the Quaker name. The name OF
Whittier indeed is a bright star in the Quaker fir
mament, to which every member of the society now
points with pride that rebukes the degeneracy Of
an earlier day. Well Perez, / hope thee's done
running after the Aboliuonists," said high-seat
Friend TO one Of his humber brethren. Verify, ]
have.D said Perez I've caught up with and gone
lust a little beyond them" There were gOodly
number of men like Perez in the society after all
AT the time when the New England Anti-Savery
Society was formed. the movement in Great Britain
against slavery in the West Indies was nigh its cul
mination. The whole kingdom was shaken by thu
eloauence of Wilberforce, BrOugham, OCOnnell
Thompson and others. The English press was ful
of the subject; but such the power ot~slaverl
over the American press that the people here knew
hardly more Of the progress of the movement than
they did of what going on IN the wids OF Africa
Some few rays of light did now and then steal into
American minds from that source, but thew were
not sufficient to produce anv wide illumination
American newspapers were afraid print the trutt
lest it should help the Aboliionsts, while the
Abolitionists themselves with their limited re-
sources, were unable 10 give il any wide currency
Mr.. Garrison was the recipient now and then OF
batch of anti-slayerV publications from England
by which his own heart was cheered, and which be
used TOT the benefit of the cause in this country
Well do remember with what emotions hrst read
in The LbrGOr where lt appeared for the first time
ID America, the following passage from speech by
Lord BrOugham:
Tell NE not OF rghts-talk not OF the property Of the
planter IN his slaves. deny the right acknowledge
the property Tue PRINCIPLES, the FEELINGS or ouI
common nature rise IN rebellion against II. Be the ap
peal made to the understanding or the heart me sen
hat rejects m. In tell OF
the laws tuat SANCTION such cIalh lu'Ic - " Nv
above an the enactmeutS OF human ccdes-Jhe same
throug hOut the world, the i'm all tmesuch as n
was oeIore Tue u9IlhE Eelius ol oOlil'i'
night Of ages aud opened to one world tue sources o.
power wealth and knowledge, 70 another all unutter
able woes such If this dav. It is The law written
by the anger OF God on the heart or man ana Dy th
law unchang-abe aud eternal while men desp SO fraud
and Oathe rapine. ard amor blood they shall reject
with indignation the wild and guilty fantasy that man
can holO property in man.
While the hearts of British citizens and Christians
were stirred by appeals ike this from statesmen of
renown, and by orators ministers and Dhilanthro-
psts of every sort the statesmen and the divnes OF
America were weaving defences apologies for
slavery out of the Bible and the Constitution, and
leading their countrymen toward inevitable de-
structon. II the pulpit the church and the press
of the country had taken heed in time 10 the in
sDired words of Brougham. and rallied the American
people to the work of abOlishing slavery by moral
power the bloody war which cost Us the lives OF so
many of our noble sOns, and taxed us and our
pOsterity for generations with a buTdensOme debt,
would not have been necessary. / speak Of this
now with no yindictive feeling, but only with mex
pressible Sadness because it conveys lesson to this
and coming generations
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