New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-03
THE FALL OF SLAVERY.
RECOLLECTIONs OF AN ABoLTTIoNIsT'
BY OLIVER JOHNSON.
THE GREAT BOSTON MOB.

| and elsewhere and to vndicate the liberty of the
| press and the sancity of the mails On the con-
trarv 1t was to apologize. openly or covertly, for
those outrages and to intensity the public hostility
| against the AbOtiOnists on account OF their law
full and peaceful efforts to abolish slavery. In other
words il was to put the AbolitiOnists down." and
thus protect he South from all danger of Interior
ence with her system OF slavery New-lork. Phila-
delphia Boston, and some Of the smaller cities, gave
utterance to the prevailing madness The Abolition
lists asked for Faneui Hall, wherein to explain their
objects and defend themselves against the assaults
of their enemies Their request rudely denied (;
but on the 18th of August the doors of the " Old
Cradle" were opened to their enemies and made to
echo with their misre presentations and calulnnies
The Mayor took the chair and the blood OF Boston,
already Mt fever heat still more infamed byfn-
TEMPERATE harangues from the lips of Harrison Gray
| Otis Richard Fletcher and Peleg Sprague Daniel
Webster for some unexplained reasOn,was reserved
| for later Immoaton upon the bloody altar oil siav-
erv The resolutions adopted were full OF the most
preposterous assumptions in the interests of slavery
and of the grosses hbeIs upon the AbolitIonsts 1t
was not long after thls that Mr.. Garrison was hung
IN efgy at bis own door. and there seemed only too
much reason to fear that his life might fall prey
to the madness of the time In the midst of all these
proceedings. which meuaced the overthrow OF the
freedom of speech and of tile press the destruction
of the sancity Of the mails, and the perpetual rule
of the Slave Power, the Pulpit of New-Engiand was
either apologize or dumb: or, if here and there
some minister Drawer than his brethren. vcntured
to demonstrate, his single voice seemed only to en-
pbasize the surrounding silence.
The Faneuil Hall meeting, Ivy ntensfying the
public hostility to the AboIitionists. led naturally
to the Boston mob Of " gentlemen of property and
standing on the 21st of October, 1885. ~ have
stated in previous chapter, the ayOwed design of
the mob was to do violence 10 SIR. George Thomp-
son. the eloquent antl-slavery lecturer from Eng
land The annual meeting of the Boston Female
Ant-Slavery Society was advertised TO be held on
that day in the Anti-Slayery Hall. No. 4G Washing
ton-st Alargcr hall had been engaged for the pur-
pose of holding the meeting at earlier date. bat
the owners, fearing mob, declined 20 open IFS
doors and after ecl's postponement the meet
ing was notified to be held rs above false report
that Mr.. thompson would deliver an address on the
occasion added to the public excitement. The
morning papers referred to the meeting in terms
well calculated to excite a mob. Once them-Ihe
Commercial Gazette, think it was-sad il was "in
vain to hold meetings in Faneu Hall IN vain that
speeches made and resolutions adopted, assur-
ing our brethren of the South that we cherish ra-
honal and correct notions on the subject of slavery,
if Thompson and Garrison, and their vile associates
in this city. are permitted to hold their meetings in
the broad face Of day and to continue their denun
Citations Of the planters OF the South. They must be
put down il We would preserve our consistency. The
evil is one Of tie greatest magnitude and the opin
ion prevails very generally that If there is 10 law
that will reach it, K must be reached in some other
way"
This and other similar articles had their
natural results in the gathering of an immense mob
of "genHemen of property and SANDING one of
the papers called it-that filed ali the streets
in the vicinity of the meeting. The antl-slayery
women rs they passed into the hall through
this crowd of chyalrou5 friends Of the South, were
assailoL in rude and indecent fashion They
entered quickly. aud went calmly about their bust
business The president. Miss Mary 8. Parker, read
a portion Of Scripture and then lifted up a firm but
gentle voice IN fervent prayer 10 God for His bless
ing upon the slaves cause for the forgiveness OF It's
deluded enemies and prosecutors, and for succor
and protection TO its friends in the hour of peril
She offered thanks that though there were many
T. modest there were that could make afraid
1t was" says Mr. Garrison. who was present by
invitation to address the meeting. an awful. sub |
lime and soul-thrillmg sccnc-enough. one would
suppose. to melt adamantnc hearts. and make
even ends of darkness staggcr aud retreat. Indeed
the clear untTemuous voice of that Christian hero
inc in praye- occasionally awed the ruflians into
silence and was heard distinctly even IN the midst |
of their misses, yeS and curses; for they could not
long silently endure the agony of conviction, |
and their conduct become furious" The Anti |
slavery Office was separated from the hall bya board
partition and TO this Mr.. Garrison retired, bv adj |
vice of the president. IN company with Mr.. c. {. |
Bureigh who locked the door to preserve the con-
tents Of the Depository from being destroyed. The
Mayor. who had shown his sympathy With the OBJ
jrct which the gcutec rulians had in view by pre-
1, OIL NJ he all
instead of taking the necessary means 70 disperse
the mob and protect the society, entered the meet
ing to command the ladies to retire. Seeing that no
efforts Of theirs could induce him ~ do his sworn
duty they adjourned 10 the house Of one OF their
number cncOuntcrng again, as they passed into the
street, the jcers and curses of the ruiian crowd.
The mob, having bravely demolished the anti
slavery sign, which the Mayor had ordered to be
given mp to them. and appropriated the Tcstaments
and prayer-bOoks that hal been thrown out OF tho
windows next turned their attention to Mr.. Gar
rison. whose place of retreat easily discovered.
We must have Garrison Out with him Lynch
him n they cried. Bv advice OF the Mayor he at
tempted to escape at the rear of the building. He
got safely from back window upon shed. max
ing. however, narrow escape from falling head
long TO the ground. He reached carpenters shop,
where friend tried to conceal him. but in vain.
!
TO window, with tho intention Of throwing him
from that height to the ground. But one OF thom
rclented and said. Don't kill him outright"
So thew drew him back. and c0ilcd "A rope around
his body. probably intending TO drag him through
the streets Herewith He descended to che street by
a ladder raised for the purpose. He fortunately ex-
treated himself from the rope but was seized by
two or three of the leading rioters, powerful and
athletic men, by whom Inc was dragged along bare
hcadcda friendly voice in the crowd shouting. He
shan't be hurt he is an American ~ This seemed
In nrcite nurnnafhu in snmn hrnnsfa and they 70 |