Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-04-21
Johnson's "Garrison and His Tlmes.v


lExrRAcrs-c CONTINUED
Next we give Mr. ,Johnson's account of
the celebrated Boston mob composed of
gentlemen of property and standing" dur
ing which Mr.. Garrison was dragged through
the streets and thrust into Jail. 1t seems
that during the year 1895 (Which has often
been described as prominently the "mob
year" in the history of the anti-savery
cause), large quantities of anti-savery pub
LEGATIONS were sent from the New York of
flee to leading Shareholders in the south.
This was deemed justifable on the score of
principle as well as courtesy, inasmuch as
they thought by appeals to reason and judg-
ment to eventually secure the object of their
association. But live coal in powder
magazine could not have produced so great
commotion, and the cry instantly rang
through the south of an attempt to incite a
slave instruction by means of " incendiary
publications" The post-ofice at Charleston,
South Carolina, was broken open and bon
fire made in the streets of these dangerous
publications. which example was generally
followed throughout the south-the then
postmaster-genera (Amos Kendall, man of
New England birth) wnking at the illegal
and outrageous practice. The excitement
at the south at once reacted upon the COM
mercial centers at the north, and the blue
bloods of Boston assembled in Faneuil Hall
August 10, 1885, and adopted resolutions
filed with the most preposterous assumptions
in the interest of slavery, and with the
grossest libels upon the abolitionists. Mr..
johnson thus describes the work of the mob
The Fanueil Hall meetng by intensifying the
| public hostility TO the Abolitonists, led naturally
| TO the Boston mob Of gentlemen Of standing"
on the Dist OF October, 1896 As have stated in
| a previous chapter, the avowed design OF the mob
| was to do violence to Mr.. George Thompson the
| eloquent anti.slavery lecturer from England. The
annual meeting Of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery
| Society was advertised to be held on that day in
the Anti-Savery Hall, 46 Washington street A
| larger hall had been engaged for the purpose OF
| holding the meeting at an earlier date, but the
owners fearing mob, declined to open its doors;
| and, after weeks postponement the meeting
was notified to be held as above. A 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 mob One of them
| the Commercial Gazette think 1t was-said it was
in vain to hold meetings in Faneuil Hall in
vain that speeches are made and resolutions
| adopted assuring our brethren Of the south that
we cherish rational and correct notions the sub
| ject OF slavery, II 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 denunciatioDs Of the planters Of
| the south They must be put down il would
preserve our consistency. The evil Is one of the
greatest magnitude; and the opinion prevails very
generally that II there is law that will reach it,
| m nba cd in ms nj hpr nv 10 md
other similar articles had their natural results in
| the gathering of an immense mob-of gentle
men OF property and standing, one OF the papers
called -that filled all the streets in the vicinity
| of the meeting The anti-slavery women, AZ they
passed into the hall through this crowd of chval-
rous friends OF the SOUTH were assaied in n rude
| and indecent fashion. They entered quietly and
went calmly about their business. The president,
| Miss Mary S Parker, read a portion of Scripture,
and then lifted up firm but gentle voice in fer
vent prayer to God for his blessing upon the
slaves cause, for the forgiveness of its deluded
enemies and prosecutors and for succor and pro-
lection to its friends in the hour Of peril She Of
| fered thanks that though there were many to
| modest, there were none to make afraid 1T
was, says Mr. Garrison, who was present by in
vitaton to address the meeting, " an awful, sub
| lime and southrilling scene--enough one would
| suppose, to melt adamantine hearts, and make
even fends Of darkness stagger and retreat. In
deed the clear, untremulous voice Of that Chris
tian heroine in prayer occasionally awed the ruff
| fans into silence, and was heard distinctly even
in the midst Of their hisses yells and curses for
| they could not long silently endure the agony OF
conviction, and their conduct became furious -
The Anti-Slavery Office was separated from the
hall by broad partition, and to this Mr. Garrison
retired by advice Of the president, in company
with Mr. G. c. Burlegh who locked the door to
preserve the contents of the depository from be-
ing destroyed. The mayor, who had shown his
| sympathy with the object which the gentee ruff
fans had in view by presiding with aacrity at the
Faneuil Hall meeting instead OF taking the neces-
tD disDprgn m oct
society, entered the meeting to command the
ladies to retire. Seeing that no efforts Of theirs
| could induce him to do his sworn duty, they ad-
journed TO the house Of one of their number, en-
countering again, as they passed into the street,
| the jeers and curses of the rufiian crowd. The
mob having bravey demolished the anti-slavery
sign, which the mayor had ordered to be given up
prayei-booRs tl,st lad Sren thrown out Of the
windows, next turned their attention to Mr. Gar
rison, whose place of retreat was easily discov-
| cred. 1--WE must have Garrison" Out with
| him! Lynch him!" they cried. BY advice of the
mayor he attempted to escape at the rear OF the
| building, lie got safely from a back window on
| to shed, making, however, narrow escape
| from falling headlong to the ground lie reached
carpenters shop, where friend tried to conceal
him, but in vain. The rioters, utterug a yell,
| furiously dragged him to a window, with the in
| tenton of throwing him from that height to the
| ground. But one of them relented and said,
= Don't kill him outright" SO they drew him
back, and eoiled rope around his body, probably
with. He descended TO the street by ladder
raised for the purpose. He fortunately extricated
| himself from the rope, but seized by two
three OF the leading rioters powerful and athletic
| men, by whom he was dragged along bareheaded
| q friendly voice in the crowd shouting, " He
| shant be hurt hei an American This seemed
| TO excite sympathy in some breasts, and they
| iterated the same cry. Blows, however, were
| aimed at his head by such of cruel
spirit and at last they succeeded in tearing nearly
all the clothes from his body. Thus he
| dragged from Wilson's Lane into State street, in
| the rear of City Hall, over ground that was
stained with the blood of the first martyrs in the
| cause of liberty and independence, in the memoir
able massacre of NO. and upon which, only a
lew years before, had been unfurled, with joyous
accamations, the beautiful banner presented by
| the young men of Boston to the gallant Poles
| At the south door Of the City Hall the mayor at
| tempted to protect him; but he was unassisted
| by any show Of authority or force he was quickly
| thrust aside. There was a tremendous rush to
| prevent him from being taken into the hall. For
time the conflict was desperate; but at length
rescue was effected by posse that came to the
| help OF the mayor, and he was taken up to the
mayors room. Here he furnished with need
| iul clothing, the NAV or and his advisors declaring
that the only way to preserve his life was 10 COM
| init him to jail AS disturber of the peacel Ac-
| cordingly hack was got ready at the door, and
| supported by Sheriff Parkman and Ebenezer
| Bailey Esq. (the mayor leading the way, he was
| put into the vehicle without much difficulty; the
| crowd not recognizing him at first in his new garb
ours that battles description As the ocean, dashed
into fury by the spirit of the storm, seeks to
| whelm the adventurous bark beneath the noun
| tam waves, so did the mob enraged by series of
disappointnents, rush like a ~hirwind upon the
| irail vehicle upon which | sat, and endeavor to
| drag me out OF it. Escape seemed physical in-
| possibility. They clung To the wheels, dashed
| open the doors, seized hold Of the horses, and
| tried 10 upset the carriage They were, however,
| vigorously repulsed by the poice-a constable
| sprung in by my side-the doors were closed-and
the driver, Justify using his whip upon the bodies
| OF his horses and the heads OF the rioters hap
| ply made an opening through the crowd, and
drove at a tremendous speed for Leverett street
| But many of the rioters followed even with supe-
| ror swiftness and repeatedly attempted to arrest
the progress Of the horses. To reach the jail bya
direct course was found impracticable; and after
going by a ciIcuitous direction, and encountering
| many hair-breadth escapes, drove up to the
new and last refuge of liberty and life, when
| another desperate attempt was made by the mob
TO seize me, but in vain. lu IA few moments |
was locked up in cell, safe from my Prosecutors
| accompanied by two delightful assocates-a good
conscience and cheerful mind In the course of
| the evening several of my friends came to my
grated window, TO sympathize and confer with
| me, with whom held strengthening CONVERSE
| ton until the honr for retirement, when threw
| my self upon my prison-bed and slept TRANQUILITY"
In the morning the prisoner inscribed upon the
walls of his cell, with pencil the following lines;
william Lloyd Garrison was put into this cell on
| Wednesday afternoon, October 81, 1875, to save
him from the violence of a respectable and in
ttul r.aah yhA ttsVht To-.