The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-21

last respects 10 the memory Vi this uin''h
gulshed champion of universal emancipa-
ton. Thus terminated the earthly career
of one of the most self.sacrificing and In.
defatigable reformers this country has ever
produced. Having resolved, twenty.three
years before his death, TO devote his life
and energies to the relief of the suffering
slave and the freedom. of the colored peo-
pie from bondage, he nobly and heroically
kept that pledge, and, so far as was In his
power, redeemed his promise, persevering
to the end, undiscouraged by difficulties,
not dismsyed by obstacles nor appalled, by
the magnitude of the herculean task tefore
him!
DECLINE AND DEATH OF THE "GENIus,"
After the demise Of It's founder, the
"Genias" had precarious existence. Mr..
Eastman, the young gentleman who had
assisted Mr.. Lundy In conducting 1t during
his fatal illness, carried 1t on for a time,
but 1t languished. Then Mr.. Hooper War.
rem, Of Henry, very able writer and an
"original abolitionist." came In as editor,
and for while II frightened up consider
ably. Besides Mr.. Warren's keen and we'll
composed productions, II contained speech
es, sermons and letters contributed by the
foremost literary talent In the Nation, on
the anti.slavery side. But with no local
advertising, without county, State or other
official patronage, and no advertising, de-
spite the unceasing efforts Of Its publish
err, 1t proved not only failure financially,
but too great burden upon Its few sup
porters, and at the end of the year. In 1910,
Mr.. Warren retired from its management,
and Mr.. Eastman took IT to Chicago. Like
dying candle, 1t had sputtered, doomed
up, grew dim, frightened and waned to a
faint luminous speck, and flickered out;
and Its type and material were absorbed In
the Chicago Republican, the torerunner
and predecessor of the great Chicago Trt-
bune of today.
OTHER PROMINENT ABOLITIOSIsTs.
Up TO 1910 abolitionism had not become
the central idea of any political party. Ii
had been stray sentiment here and there,
mixed up with other philanthroplc ideas,
and was pet theory of few radical re
formers here and there. But spread by
such men as Lundy, Garrison and Whittier,
1t had grown wonderfully, and was aug
menting amazingly, at the date mentioned,
and the Liberty party was formed with
James &. Birney at it. head, as presiden-
tial candidate. While he was beaten by an
overwhelming vote, this election discovered
abolitionists in nearly every precinct in the
North and some in the South. They
formed the nucleus of the abolition party
which subsequently carried several States,
and in turn, the abolitlonists became the
heart and brain of the republican party,
and 1t carried the Union Prominent abol-
itionists sprung up everywhere in the
North, and Illinois had her full share,
among whom were Owen Lovejoy, Warren
Hooper, j. Ii. Bryant, John Ii. Henderson,
Samuel II. Davis, and host of others La
Sale county had Elmer Baldwin, John
Hossack, Christopher Champlin, Levi Kel-
sey, Samuel r. Lewis, and many more big
and little guns In the abolition army.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
II will not be necessary to 90 back far
for the causes which led to the organization
Of this remarkable mode OF conveyance.
Its route led from the South TO Canada
from land of slavery to land of free
dom. Its conductors were white men, its
passengers we're fugitive slaves, its stations
were the dwellings of northern philanthro
pists, Its operations were nocturnal, and II
had no schedules of fares nor freights, nor
any stated time for the arrival or departure
of Its trains! The several compromises with
the South had resulted in fugitive slave
law; an act of congress Intended to pre-
vent the slave from shaking off his bonds,
and making 1t a penalty, severe and humb-
ling, for any white man to interfere in any
way with its execution. 1t was revolving to
abolitionist tastes, and seemed so inhu-
man in its requirements that they would
not obey, but detied It's operation, and
hence the railroad, which seemed to have
no headquarters, no depots, no officers, no
visible track, or any of the necessary para
phanalia of railway, and was therefore
called, by Its friends, "The Underground
Railroad" by Its enemies, the slave.hold-
ers, "Those id Abolitionists" 1t was SO
secret, and yet so defiant so insolent, and
still so successful, that 1t aroused the in
dignation and fury of the South. The Su.
preme Court OF the United States had de.
cided the obnoxious law to be constitu-
tional. The abolitionists decided that II
wasn't, and acted accordingly.
THE RAILWAY STATIONS
were scattered along at convenient points,
from neighborhood to neighborhood, from
the house of one sympathizer to that of