Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-08-19

sometimes used the word men and
sometimes Citizens There was so much
said at the time about the rescue that it
is not strange that my enemies should at
tribute what others said to me. The i'm
mediate cause of the rescue was the
speech and report of c. *. Watkins,
chairman of the committee to wait on
Judge Miller and inquire if the writ of
liberty would be obeyed. He reported
that Judge Miller said, NO power on
earth could take from him his jurisdic-
ton Watkins expatiated upon the
tyranny of the judge and the hardships
in imprisoning Glover over the Sabbath.
l had invited the Racine delegation to
meet our committee at the American
house (where the Plankinton house now
stands, and was about to start when l
for the Jail, and Anticipated the
result. | went up to DR.. VOL
colt and Byron Paine, standing on the
courthouse steps, and said to them, as
the crowd was bringing Glover out, that
l regretted the act: that it was bad
precedent, and that people would not
discriminate against this case and one IN
which prisoner was rightfully held.
To the personal appeals Of Democrats
before the meeting. opened, Mr.. Booth,
let US take him out I said, No; we must
use legal and peaceful methods Dur
ing the entire scene 1 counseled against
violence, publically and privately. Yet
in all publications. histories and news
papers, | am quoted as having shouted
as | rode through the streets, 'Freemen to
the rescue
''In my speech. on my examination be-
fore United States Commissioner, Win
field Smith, I said: The warrant charges
me-so the legal fiction runs-with I'M
lawfully aiding and abetting' the escape
of a human being from bondage. Ny
answer to that charge is that it is not
true. Whatever aid and comfort | may
have rendered the hunted and battered
fugitive it was only such aid and COM
fort as the laws permit, as humanity die
tates AID as the plainest precepts of the
Christian religion required of me on peril
of my soul. So far, therefore, from hav-
ing to reproach myself with what l have
done, | ought, perhaps, to blame myself
for not having done more. Instead OF
keeping, as | have done, strictly within
the letter of the law, perhaps l ought
to have braved the penalty of those who
broke open the JAIL and set an example
of resistance to this fugitive slave law by
aiding ia the forcible rescue of Glover.
But [ am frank to say-and the prose
cutlon may make the most of lt-that
sympathize with the rescuers of Glover
and rejoice at MS escape. [ rejoice that
in the first attempt of the slave-hunters
to convert our jail into a slavepen, and
our citizens into slave-catchers, they have
signally failed, and that it has been de-
clded, by the spontaneous uprising and
sovereign voice of the people, that no
human being can be dragged into bond
age from Milwaukee. And | am bold
to say, that. rather than have the great
constitutional rights and safeguards Of
N-thn NJ ~
the right of trial by jury-stricken down
by this fugitive law, L would prefer to
see every federal officer in Wisconsin
hanged on a gallows, fifty cubits higher
than Haman's."
While anti-sIavery was the keynote to
the actions and eloquence of Mr.. Booth
previous and during the War Of the Re
bellion, he took pronounced part in near
ly every public question of the day.
That his feelings upon various great ques-
tons were always intense and his mind
| active, is shown by the following quota
ton from his editorial address at Madi-
son in 1897:
His Opinion of Trusts.
Gentlemen, 1 have already occupied
too much Of your time | meant to have
| appealed to you against trusts and unre-
stricted monopolies. Corporate wealth,
rightfully regulated by law and public
opinion, is an unmixed blessing. But I'M
restricted trusts-vast aggregations Of
wealth which are simply conspiracies to
| rob the people under the forms of law.
are an unmitigated curse. Watch them !
Warn all Of the present and coming dan
ger. Insist that the powerful agencies,
into which the law has breathed the
breath Of life, shall be the servants and
| not the masters of the people. The Off
| GERS of the state are just what the peo-
! pie make them. The stream can rise no
| higher than the foundation. If the peo-
| pie are wise and honest their rulers will
| be just. Despite all lamentations, the
| people are improved and improving in
| health, wealth and morals. There is less
wickedness now, but more exposure Of
vice than ever before in our history. The
distinguishing characteristic of today Is
| light-lght in the valleys and dark places
| of the earth, as well as on the mountain
| top. The world is wiser and better. and
| it is your province, my brothers, to furth-
err improve it"
Here at the Semi CenterniaI.
| One of Mr.. Booths last public appear
ances in Milwaukee was during the cele-
| bratiOn of WiScOnSin'S semi-centennial,
| May 81, 1897, when he was invited to de-
| liver an address. This speech was made
| from the south steps Of the courthouse,
the spot upon which he stood being nearly
the identical place occupied by him when
| nc SBOhC upon INC blONpr rescue uuLIeE
at Milwaukces great public gathering in
the old courthouse square, in 1854. AT
that time the venerable abolitionist
seemed as vigorous mentally and of as
| pronounced views upon leading questions
! of the hour, as when he kindled the fires
Of patriotism in the hearts of hesitatins
/ citizens at the dawn OF the nations great
est struggle.
I 1t was noted upon this latter-day occa-
sion that Mr. Booth spoke with much
earnestness and feeling, and he seemed to
| be living over again, to degree, those
trying times during which he was the
central figure as one Of the few outspokan
and pronounced anti-slavery orators of
| the day.
Several times since the semi-centen-
NAL he visited among his numerous Mil
waukee friends. In recent years. how
ever. he confined himself closely to his
| home in Chicago, as result of the
| weight of advancing years. But those of
his Milwaukee friends who knew him
| best and longest have at various times
attested the fact that the venerable pa
! triot turned frequently in recollection to
his life and the stirring events in Mil
waukee, in which events he took so keen
an interest and acted so noble a mart.
That his body should rest here is the
result of compliance by loving hands
with q fond and long-known wish uDon
! the part of Sherman NJ Booth.
1t was the wish of Nh Booth that his
body be laid away in Forest Home Gene