Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-03-21
Lincoln 5
Love Affairs
And His Early Expert
ences as a Lawmaker
BY WARD HILL LAMON,
Liacoln's Friend and Bodyguard
CHAPTER TX.
Famous Lovejoy Incident at Alton and
lincoln's Attitude.

Famous Lovejoy Incident at Alton and
Lncoln's Attitude.
N 1886 Rev. Elijah P. Loveioy
had been publishing a moderately
antislavery paper at st. Louis,
but the people Of that city did
not look with favor upon his enter
prise, and, after meeting with consid-
cradle opposition, in the summer Of
1886 he moved his types and press
across the river to Alton, ILL., Here he
found an opposition more violent than
that from which he had fed. His
press was thrown into the river the
night after it's arrival, and he was in
formed that no abolition paper would
be allowed in the town. The better
class Of citizens, however, deprecated
the outrage and pledged themselves to
reimburse Mr.. Lovejoy in case he
would agree not to make his paper an
abolition journal. Mr.. Lovejoy assured
them it was not his purpose to estab-
hsh such a paper in Alton, but one Of
religious character. At the same
time he would not give up his right as
an American citizen to publish what.
ever he pleased on any subject, holding
himself answerable to the laws Of his
country in so doing. With this general
understanding, he was permitted to go
forward. He continued about a year,
discussing in his paper the slavery
question occasionally, not, however, in
a violent manner, but with a tone Of
moderation. This policy, however, was
not satisfactory. 1t was regarded as a
violation of his pledge, and the con-
tents Of his Office were again DESTROYED.
Mr.. Lovejoy Issued an appeal for aid
to re-establish his paper, which met
with a prompt and generous response.
He proposed to bring up another press
and announced that armed men would
protect 1t. Meantime committee pre-
scented him with some resolutions
adopted at large meeting Of the citi-
zens Of Alton reminding him that he
had previously given pledge that In
his paper he would refrain from advo-
eating abolitionism and also censuring
him for not having kept his promise
and desiring to know If he intended to
continue the publication Of such doc
trines IN the future. His response con-
sisted Of denial Of the right Of any
portion Of the people of Alton to pre-
scribe what questions he should or
should not discuss In his paper. Great
excitement followed Another press
was brought up on the Dist Of Septem-
Der, which shortly after followed the
fate of its predecessor. Another ar
rived Nov. 7, 1887, and was conveyed
to stone warehouse by the riverside,
where Mr.. Lovejoy and a few friends
(some Of them not abolitionists) re-
solved to defend 1t to the last. That
night they were attacked. First there
was a brief parley, then a volley Of
stones, then an attempt to carry the
building by assault. At this juncture
a shot was fired out of a second story
window, which killed a young man in
the crowd. It was said to have been
fred by Lovejoy, and as the corpse
was borne away the wrath of the pop
ulace knew no bounds. It was pro-
posed to get powder from the maya
zine and blow the warehouse up. 9th
ers thought the torch would be better
agent, and finally man ran up lad
der to fire the roof. Lovejoy came out
Of the door and, firing one shot, re-
treated within, where he rallied the
garrison for a sortie. In the meantime
many shots were fred both by the as
nd ho
was once actually set on fire by one
person from the mob and saved by an
other. But the courage Of Mr.. Love-
joys friends was gradually sinking,
and they responded but family to his
strong appeals for action. As a last
resource he rushed to the door with a
single companion, gun in hand, and
was shot dead on the threshold. The
other man was wounded in the leg.
The warehouse was In flames. The
mob grew more ferocious over the
blood that had been shed and ridd1ed
the doors and windows with volleys
from all sorts Of firearms. The aboi-
tionists had fought good fight; but
seeing now nothing but death before
them in that dismal, bloody and burn
ing house, they escaped down the river
bank by twos and threes as best they
could, and their press was tumbled
after them into the river. And thus
ended the first attempt to establish an
abolition paper in Illinois. The result
was certainly anything but encourag-
ing and indicated pretty clearly what
must have been the general state Of
public feeling throughout the state In
regard to slavery agitation.
Protest Against Abolition.
In fact, no state was more alive to
the necessity Of depressing the aboli.
tionists than Illinois, and accordingly
It was proposed in the legislature to
take some action similar to that which
had been already taken or was actually
pending In the legislatures Of sister
CONFERENCE.-The, from Massachusetts,
through the list. A number Of resolu-
lions were reported and passed with
no serious opposition. The record does
not disclose the precise form In which
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