The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-07
BEEoHER's ANrI-sLAvERY RECORD.
He Did Not Rock the Cradle of the Repub-
Ican Party,

Iican Party.
J. s. Gibbons, in N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.
In speech recently, at the Brooklyn rink, the
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher said:
81 rocked the cradle of the Republican party.
Let me not be pail bearer to convey the coffin
of the Republican party to the grave"
In this sentence Mr. Beecher did not copy
Senator Summers words correctly. The Rev.
Riley Thompson gave them in his admirable ad-
dress at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on
Thursday evening last. The Senator was dis
suading his party from nominating Grant for
a second term and said:
81 stood by the cradle of the Republican party.
Let me not stand a mourner by its grave"
Another correction Tor the recTeant clergy
man: It is not true that he rocked the cradle
of the Republican partly but he slandered the
man and the men who did rock that cradle, and
would have stopped the rocking and choked the
baby if he had had his way.
In Mr. Oliver Johnsons book, Garrison and
His Times find it stated that Doctor Lyman
Beecher, Their at the head of the Orthodox
Church in Boston, rebuked Garrison for his bit
terness of language when the latter called on
him and asked him to put his hand to the anti
slavery plow and the following conversation en-
sued:
Doctor BIZ have too many irons in the ire
already"
Garrison-''You had better let all your irons
burn than neglect your duty to the slave
Doctor B-'Your zeal is commendable, but
you are misguided If you will give up your fanat-
zeal notions ana be guided by US tine clergy We
will make you the Wherefore of America"
Doctor Lyman Beechers son, Henry, was
''about" at that time and witnessed the rock
ing of the cradle, but he did not put his hand
to it. Like others who did not touch the unpop-
ular thing she passed by, on the other side. "
Garrison continued to rock the cradle never
theless and died acknowledged as a great
prophet. Then the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
preached commemorative sermon on his life
and labor-and repeated the charge of bitterness,
.t,,xN, fl,A,,4 nit III Of
Permit me to add my own testimony as to the
'cradle- rockng" | was present at the anti-sla-
very meeting in 1880 in Philadelphia, when the
famous Declaration of Sentiments was adopted
The Hall was we'll filed with 'cradle-rockers. +"
Garrison. Whittier, Tappan, Sewell, James
and Lucretia Mott, Dr. Abram Coke,
Shirley, Atee, and many others. Henry
Ward Beecher was not there. The era of mobs
came on. Anti slavery halls were burned by
Southern medical students and Northern Demo
Gratis Garrison was dragged through the streets
of Boston with rope around his neck. Theo-
dore Parker was of the heroes of that day
Not less zealousy devoted to the ''cradle rock
ing was Ellis Gray Loripg, Francis Jackson.
Samuel Sewell. Wendell Phillips, David and
Maria Child, Maria Chapman, and the Westons
and many others Henry Ward Beecher was
not there His hand never rested on the cradle
until the baby grew to manhood L have been
not an inactive member of the Anti slavery
Society ever since that day-embracng period
of over fifty years. and | have never heard of
Henry Ward Beechers head being struck by a
brckbat or of his being set upon by mobs, or
vet of his touching the cradle that Garrison and
his CONDUCTORS rocked.