The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-10

but with n view OF increasing his own pecuni-
airy resources. In 1880 we find him back ut
Havcrhill. and in March OF the same year he
u 'ame editor Of the Esser Gazette. He also
issued proposals to publish "A History OF
Haverhill." but the limited encouragement
offered him led him to- abandon the project. In
July 1890 he was invited by the publishers Of
tho Ne,o ENGLAND Weekly Repieo OF Hartford to
take the place Of tho editor George ID. Prem
tice during the lattor's absence in Kentucky.
whittier he had gone to write campaign lite
of Henry Clay. Il could not have boon more
utterly astonishcd" Mr.. Whittier has said. " IL
I had been told that l was appointed
Prime Minister to the great Khan OF Tartnry."
The proprictors Of tho paper had never seen
him. and were much surprised ut his youth.
but Mt the 0rst meeting he discreetly put In
practice ii quaker doctrine Of silence. letting
them do all the talking. Whittier was editor Of
the Neto England Weekly Rerie'r for about eight
cen months. at the end Of which time he re-
turned to tho farm at Haverhill and engaged
in farming for the text Ave or six years.
While ut Hartford he published his first vol
ume. a thin little book entitled Legends Of New
England" This was a medley OF prose and
verse. and according to the biographer. was by
no means massive with thought Another
metrical production Mol Pitcher: Tale OF
the Witch Of Nahant.' which was published in
1901 OF 1909, SSeHls " HiiNc cOulplctCiy uiSup-
pearcd. Tho first Of Whittiers writings which
evinced much maturity OF mind was his intro
duction to tho Remains" OF his friend J. @.
c. Brainard. There is q passage in this
introduction worth quoting. because 1t
shows that at tho age Of twcnty-six Mr..
Whittier had formed tho resolution to ind
in his native land the sources Of poetic inspira-
ton. " 1t has been often said" he wrote. that
the New World is deficient in the elements Of
poetry and romance: that its bards must Of ne
cessity linger over the classic ruins OF other
lands. draw their sketches OF character from
foreign models. and paint nature under the
soft beauty OF an Eastern sky. On the contrary,
New England is full OF romance. and her writ
ers would do we'll to follow the example OF
Brninard. The great forest which our fathers
penetrated the red men. their struggle and
their disappearance. the powwow and the war
dance. the savage inroad and the English sally,
the tale OF superstition and the scenes OF witch
craft-all these are rich materials OF poetry"
1t is we'll remarked. however, at this point by
Mr.. Kennedy. that "laudable as was the Quaker
poets resolve to choose Indigenous subjects. 1t
cannot be said that either he or Bryant attained
to moro than an originality OF theme. In form
and style they are initiative. Emerson AMI
Whitman arc our only thoroughly original
poets"
We now approach the period OF Whittcr's
life during which he worked with the reform
ers and for which rather than for any literary
achievement. he has expressed n wish to be re-
WONDERED. The first decided anti slavery
step taken by Whittier was the publication at
his own expense in 1888 of fiery philippe en-
titled Justice and Expedency; or. Slavery
Considered with View to its Rightful and Ef-
fectual Remedy-Aboliton." According to the
biographer. this pamphlet shows dilgent and
systematic study OF the literature of the SUBJ
ject. but is intensely poemcal in tone, full Of
exclamation points, italicized sentences and
capital letters. The writer shrieks like tenn
perance lecturer or stump politician. Tho
pamphlet made the author known to the aboli-
tionists and in December 1893. he was one OF
tho Secretaries OF the Philadelphia conven-
ton for the formation OF the American
Anti-Slavery Society. About this time
also he began the writing Of his stirring anti
slavery poems. many OF them full of fierce in
vective and cutting irony. stirring the blood
like a trumpet blast. and giving impulse and
enthusiasm to the despiscd and half-despair-
ing abolitonsts OF that day. Whittier we'll IN
derstood the deep opprobrium that attached to
the word abotionist fifty years ago. and to
what self remuneration and social martyrdom
he condemned himself by casting in his lot
with tho dctested reformers. He knew that
his cooperation with the opponents OF slavery
meant the humiliation OF his hopes OF literary
prcferment and the exclusion OF his articles
from the pages OF magazines and newspapers.
" For twenty years" he has said. my name
would have injured the circulation OF any OF
the literary or political journals OF the country"
In the April OF 1884 the first anti-slavery So
ciety was organized in Haverhil with John g.
Whittier rs Corresponding Secretary. and not
long afterward a female anti-slavery society
W. lad in Ia m Ruft ho Yro
slavery feeling was as bitter in Haverhill as in
most other places in New England. and when.
on Sunday evening. the Rev. Samuel
]. May attempted to give an anti
slavery lecture. the church was stoned by
gang OF men and boys. and the audience mar
rowly escaped with their lives. for the infuri-
ated mob had actually drawn a loaded cannon
to the spot. On the same evening that Mr..
May was mobbed at Haverhill. Mr.. Whittier
was treated in similar manner at Con-
cord. n II. He was attacked in the street
with clubs and stones. and would unquestion-
ably have been killed had he not obtained
refuge in the house OF a man named Kent.
who. although not an abolitionist himself
barred his door. and told tho mob that they
should have Whittier only over his dead body.
1t Is a remarkable testimony to tho esteem in
which Mr.. Whittier must have been held by his
fellow townsmen OF Haverhill, that. no,with-
standing their bitter hatred OF abolitionism,
they elected him their representative to the
State Legislature in 1885 and again in 1886.
In the last-named year he was appointed per-
manent Secretary of the American Anti
Slavery Society and removed to Philadelphia.
While in that city he edited an anti slavery
paper called the Pennsylvania Freeman. whose
Office was sacked and burned by a mob in 1888
about the Same time that Pennsylvania Hall
was destroyed by the opponents of abolition
ism. During his stay in Philadelphia Mr.,
| Whittier edited the Letters Of John Quincy
| Adams to his Constituents" and published a
pamphlet named Views OF Slavery and
Emancipation" taken from Harriet Marti-
| neau's Society in America"
| After the sacking and burning OF the office OF
the Pennsylvania Freeman. Mr.. Whittier re-
| turned to Haverhll. and soon afterward sold
| tho old farm and removed with his mother to
| Amesbury. where he has since lived. although
| during the last six years he has passed q part
| OF each year at Danvers. His house at Ames-
| bury is plain white painted wooden building.
| etand at the cOrner nj two a and hay.