The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-08-04

the highest character from all parts OF
the State met at Upper Alton, and re-
solved that the cause of human rights,
the liberty of speech and of the press i'm
peratively demanded that The Observer
be re-established at Alton with the pres
ent editor The ro-slavery party were
equally determined that the paper should
be suppressed.
At this critical juncture public meet
ING was held to see if the publication of
The Observer should be longer permitted.
At this meeting Mr.. Lovejoy appeared
and made an address. 81 am impelled, -
said he ''to the course | have taken be-
cause | fear God, and as shall answer to
Him on the great day, dare not abandon
my sentiments OF cease, in all proper
ways, to propagate them. | am aware of
all the sacrifice | make in pledging my
self to continue the contest to the last. L
am commanded to forsake father and
mother. wife and children, for Jesus S
sake. and as his professed disciple ] stand
pledged to do it, The time for fulfilling
this pledge III my case it seems to me has
come. Sir. | dare not flee away from
Alton. Should I attempt it | should feel
the angel of the Lord with drawn sword
was pursuing me wherever | went. 1t is
because | fear God that am not afraid of
all who oppose me. The contest has come
here, and here it must be met. Before
God and you all have pledged myself to
continue it. if need be till death, and if |
fall my grave shall be in Alton
This address had powerful effect even
upon some of his opponents. and for a
time it was hoped that the mob would not
be rallied to the commission of further
violence But when it became known that
another press had arrived an intense excite
| ment followed. The mob was warned of the
event by the blowing of horns. The press
was stored in building and Mr.. Lovejoy
and his friends were guarding it. At
midnight Nov. I, 1887, the building, in
which the press was stored was set on fire
by mob and MI Lovejoy was shot down
like dog while leaving the building, and
Immediately expired. He was buried in
lone spot on the Mississippi and his last
resting place remained unmarked for
years. Owen Lovejoy, his brother also
born in Albion, nine years younger than
Elijah. and graduate of Bowdoin Col
| ege, afterwards moved to Alton. Wit
Messing the martyrllom of his brother he
! llnelt upon his grave and vowed eternal
warfare against slavery. \ man of pow
erful physique intense feeling and great
magnetism us speaker he preached and
lectuled against slavery with a passionate
energy that carried the people with him.
In 1888 he became the pastor of Congre-
| gational Church at Princeton, ILL.,. where
he distinguished himself by the boldness
of his attacks upon slavery from the pull
pit In 1s56 he was elected to Congress,
where he took leading part in the con
tiict that preceded the Rebellion At
tempts were made to ntimdate him, and
threats of assassination were frequently
made but he held boldly to his course
and fought the good fight and kept the
him as a Congressman from Illinois,
Though native of Maine. sprung from
Puritan ancestry and educated to the
Christian faith as taught by Calvin, he mad
the fiery eloquence of French Revolution
list. Not even the eXasperatiny wit of
Thad Stevens or the studied taunts of
people as the speeches of Owen Lovejoy
He was recklessly bold, His brother had
been killed by mob for preaching the
abolition doctrine, and he seemed to court
the same fate He was daring enough to
say the Southern Democrats, at a time of
great excitement in the House. ina speech
/ delivered by him Ion" before the war;
| t hat the negroes We're destined to walk to
emancipation as the children of Israel
! journeyed to the promised land through
the Red Sea.
NOtnlnS IS more calculated 10 impress the
mind with the rapid change of sentiment in
relation to the question of slavery in the
State of Illinois than the fact that when
Elijah Lovejoy was shot down by a mob
as an abolition dog in 1897 a majority OF
the people thought that he threw his life
away and ''died as the fool dieth.' In
] IaSs than aiUhtaen wears his hrothar Owen
one of the most pronounced abolitionsts
of the land, was elected to Congress from
that State, and elected because he was an
| abolitionist j. o. j.
Liberty, Me-, July Is, ESQ.,.
The Soldier Vote.