The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-05-16
A Brief Lecture.

the following story of Abolition DAYS
in which brave Wendell Phillips figured.
A little Pennsylvania hamlet had been
thrown into commotion by the arrival
of slave hunters from the South one
day when the abolition agitation was
at its height. The obnoxious fugitive
slave law gave them protection.
Wendell Phillips was to speak in that
town that night. The fanatics and
the law and order" people We're all
stirred up. Some uneasy spirits pre-
dicted trouble. \ trial before the local
Justice was to come off in the evening
at the same hour OF the Phillips meet
ing. That trial was to determine
whether a black woman and black
man, claiming to be husband and wife,
should be delivered up, with their three
children, to the I.egree creatures, who,
armed with abundant legal processes,
were bent on taking them to Georgia
cotton fields, whence, 1t was alleged,
they had run away. When Wendell
Phillips came upon the platform that
night his hall was not filled: many of
his sympathizers were with the rest of
the town down AT the Justices court.
L
Citement III town; those who had come
to hear him expected a storm OF indig-
nant eloquence fitted to this local
text. They were disappointed. He
spoke scarce five minutes, and when
be retired it was abruptly. The court
ly, polished BostOnian was become al
most rude in his conduct The trial in
the justice's court was long Abolition
ists were inclined to dispute the South
ern claim inch by inch. A message de
livered to the Judge in the middle
Of the trial stayed proceedings for
minute or two, that that officer might
step into an anteroom to see a caller.
In this anterOOm were locked up the
five human beings whose fate was in
the balance, When the Judge returned
to the bench he seemed unusually
stern; he reprimanded every man W no
spoke IN the fugitives' behalf. talked
energetically of upholding the law, the
country's safeguard, and in language
that admitted of no misunderstanding
announced again and again that his
decision would deliver up the negroes
again O servitude. He seemed strange
ly intent upon argument, unnecessary
ly combative, and for no reason so
much az his volubility the trial
stretched out to the edge OF midnight
Then when an adjournment came, the
Justice with some ado handed over an
| order to the gentlemenf from the South
to remove heproperty. But that back
room was empty; the birds had flown.
And the people who had arranged to
| entertain Wendell Phillips that night
waited up till morning broke all in
vain. No Wendell Phillips came; he
had disappeared as mysteriously as
had the negroes OF that anteroom.
There We're folks who put two and two
together; there were folks who didn't
wonder when at the next election the
Abolition vote went solid for the rebel
justice. His sternness, his Southern
sympathy, and long-winded oratory
had been a sham; he had followed in
structlons from Wendell Phillips, and
gwen the father and mother and
children time to push on many mile
toward freedom further North.
IT Is strange how luck seems to fol-
low certain ships. An officer on one
OF the transatlantic steamships AYERS
uhat though there Is not a stauncher
or more seaworthy steamer on the At
lantlc than certain designated vessel.
yet 1t Is terror to be compelled to
sail on her. From beginning to end of
the voyage there is an uninterrupted
chapter of accidents. The last time
that the officer referred to crossed in
that unhappy craft there was a2 ew-
ful storm, in which the wheel-house,
part OF the captains room and two
boats were carried away; cabin
passenger broke two of her fingers and
steerage passenger broke a leg; the
sailors required constant attendance,
and a poor little girl fell down the
hatchway and was killed the very day
she arrived in port. Those who are
posted resort to every expedient to
avoid being ordered to the Inflated
vessel.
A OF 4 he, l I