New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-03
THOMAS HUGHEs ON SLAVERY.
Mr.. LOWELLS PART IN IT'S OVERTHROW
A SECOND LECTURE THAT CHARMED A LARGE AUDI
ENCE-THE BIGLOw PAPERS.

A SECOND LECTURE THAT CHARMED A LARGE AUDI
EYCE-THE BIGLow PAPERS.
The second lecture of Thomas Hughes on
"James Russell Loweps Works" last night al
Association Hal proved. as the lecturer himself
predicted, tie moro interesting one OF the two,
devoted as was to tho National side Of Mr. 10 yelrs
poetical writings mainly presented IN the Bglow Pa
pers" Mr. Hughes appeared. too, In his happiestven'
and interpreted the vigorous and quaint lines OF Hosea
Bigow with zest and happy Characterization whch dS
lighted his hearers and caused frequent nroads on the
reading through bursts OF merrment and applause Tha
audience was large much larger Tuesday even-
ing John L. Cadwaader presided, and art and litera
ture largely represented among the auditors.
Mr. Hughes that, he had said tha. he
were professor OF literature in an American college be
would take as his textbook on American authors the
Fable for Critics. So he professor OF modern
history here he would regard as indispensable Mr..
Lowe's National poems. Mightyes we're The Days OF
the Lord or crucial epochs in European history such
rs the days OF Napoleon the FRANCE
the crisis of 1915 when the muterngs OF state socialism
were first heard and ths collision between France and
Germany in 1870 OF these epochs compared In i'm
portance so far as tho practical interest OF
mankind was concerned, with that epoch begin
ming in this country in 1910 and ending In
1865 .'For that period" said the lecturer. " know
of no American writer who so completely puts you In
the way to understand forces which were IN antag
onism in your own country these writings OF Mr. Low
ell which shall put before you Tonight.
"The question was whether the great movement Oh
which America was always the symbol should be al
lowed to work itself out The struggle was practically
begun I'm 1910 Earlier than that there had been an IN
of the growth of cotton and the demand for had
increased the slave power to large extent About
1870 came the struggle whether the slave power should
control this continent You all know what
| advert to, whether the South should increase
its power by extending slavery into the new States, and
so should increase its votes The State Of the Lone st
had Deen created aud application had persisently been
made for admis into the Union, and that question
came to crisis about 1870 In the beginning OF Isle
Texas was admitted aud war with Mexico then broke
out Since S31 small paper called TIC LoeIdtor hae
been published Boston against slavery IL was edited
by one young printer named Garrison who was assisted
by single negro boy, and when it found that th
constituted the whole force, there came first do
rsive laughter and then anger against IL
Riots followed and Garrison, dragged through the
streets OF Boston with rope around his neck, wa.
saved by some students, who carried him OIL to tho
State Jail.
at this time Lowell, young man, began to publish
poems and became the spokesman of the Abolition party
The nrs lines which he wrote were very noble proph
eey OF what he do for his country and mankind
in this great struggle. They were written In 1872 and
cr, entitled .stanzas to Freedom AS all the nucn
t,l classes were the wrong side, you can Imagine
the courage OF the young man whose lines began Men
whose boast, etc.
Mr. Hughes read the opening lines and then those
upon Garrison followed with the elegy the death OF
Dr. Claiming. He quoted from THE Present Crisis"
and referred in aud earnest terms TO Mr.. Lowes
warning words in that poem, adding: "You will feel,
| my friends whatever you may think OF the poetry
which to me Is nl of inspiratOn-he earnestness OF
the poet and that speaking from the depths of his
he AIT to his own people" Great applause
Finding that the fatal course was still pursued, Mr.
with the high courage he possessed looked around
TO see what there might be. And so,
timed tho speaker have to call your attention TO
many of which are familiar TO you. called the
'Bglow Papers War declared in April,
1916 In June recruiting officers arrived
on Boston Common, whereupon in leading Boston
paper thcro appeared communication purportng to be
from old farmer"
Mr. Hughes read the the appearance Of tho
rccI uiting officers, beginning;
Thrash away you'll have TO rattle"
and the rendering received with almost constant
bursts Of laughter Mr.. Hughes in his clement aud
interrupted with OF Hear, hear lie took up Mr.
IOwcrs satircal and witty assaults on the slavery
party which had lugged the United states into war;"
and spoke OF Mr. LOwells vcin since having como
out TO fight, he hit out all around" The lecturer
followed Hosea BiglOw through the Mexican
War. evoked pcals OF laughter over the John
y. Robinson episode, pointed out how Mr.. Bigow
turned on the regular politicians of his country.
brought the satire IN tho paraphrase OF Cahouns
specch the Mexican War, dwelt on Mr.. Lowes " ex-
tfaordnary stretch and reach satire and wit which
had an extraordinary effect at the time, his Kidding OF
pous and OF candidates. and finally the constant
play of peculiar powers IN the crisis OF 1S6065.
Seen m the fines tho Mason aud sdc episode, and
particularly the happy vein running through Jonathan
To Jchn" The lecturers remark that Mr. Lowell we'll
as the auditors had modified their views OF John since
those days drew out Il burst OF applause