New-York tribune., 1909-04-11
cAnglo-ArneriCan Memories
Copyright 1909. by eeors, W. smal.y,
," He would disbelieve IT. as do"

coy de would disbelieve It. as I do"
"i 'aih ended i thanked him, but said his
! I'7enos would find US ready-that should, of
course, consider what he had said confidential
o. II would not alter our purpose. He wished
NE 10 tell Phillips, mentioning no names, and I
might tel any of our party who could be trusted
EVloently he hoped they would be more i'm
pressed than was. 1 did tell Phillips who said,
You seem to have queer friends" I said some
thlng also to the two men who were to be sta
toned at the ends Of the platform where the
! steps were, leading 10 the platform from the
BODY Of the hall; the two most dangerous points.
me only change they made in their plans
10 double the number of these outposts
From morning. when the convention assem-
hied till the noon recess and then all through
| The afternoon. the Temple was scene Of con-
! Iuslon disorder, uproar; rioting even, but of
violence. The deep gallery opposite the platform
was tnronged by the rioters. The formal busi-
ness Of organization once over, they broke in
upon every speech. Nobody was heard Phil
lips with all his tact IN dealing with such gangs
| could do little. Nov and then a sentence rang
clear A message had gone from the Temple to
the State House, where Governor Andrew sat
waiting, and watching the course of events. An
answer had come back by word of mouth. and
mad been misunderstood, as oral messages com
monty are.
In q lull, Phps's voice was heard In a direct
appeal to the gallery-mob: We have mes
sage from the Governor. The State Militia is
its way to the Temple and will sweep that rab-
bic where it belongs.-into the caIaboose" The
rabble thought # over for q while in silence. but
began again. When the adjournment came,
Phillips said to me: q am going to Governor
Andrew Come"
We found Governor Andrew in his room at
the golden -dorned State House of Massachusetts,.
He greeted US cordially and listened while Phil
| lips stated his case Phillips urged that the
Anti-Slavery Society had right 10 meet, a right
TO transact business. a right to the free use of
that free speech which right attaching to
citizenship in A1assa Chusetts; and a right TO be
protected when that right denied. Prina-
rily. he said it was the business Of the police to
keep order and give protection, but the police
acting under orders Of Mayor Wightman, refused
10 do their plain duty. Therefore," said Phil
lips, y come to the Governor of the State to
safeguard citizens Of the State in the exercise
Of their rights" Said Governor Andrew:
Mr.. Phillips. what do you wish me to do?"
send a sufficient force Of troops TO fremont
Temple TO put down the rioters and protect law
abiding citizens in the legal exercise of their
legal rights"
The Governor sat behind table on which lay
copy Of the Revised Statutes of Massa chU-
sets. He opened it. turned it to Us. and said:
IF you wish me. as Governor. to act. show
me the statute which gives me the power"
But Phillips was not TO be turned aside He
answered, in tones slightly less cool than before:
. Free speech is a common law right. The power
10 which I.appeal is common law power, in
herent in the Governor as the Chief Magistrate
Of the state"
But Andrew said again, SHOW the stat
ute" and again SHOW me the statute" and
from hat he was u0rI o be
his mind was made up Phillips turned away
abruptly saying to ne, Come and We de-
parted AS we went downstairs Phillips said
7 viii never again speak TO Andrew as long as
I live" And we went back TO the Temple. know
ing at last we had nothing to depend on but
ourselves, and our revolvers.
Again during the interval my friend came to
me. He said: You will be allowed to hold
your meeting this afternoon, though not without
Interruption But the attack I have warned
you Of Will be made this evening and I once
more beseech you to stay away" He knew, of
course. it was impossible. What took place after
that in the councils of the rioters I know not.
have always supposed that my friend, man
well known in Boston, went to the Mayor and
laid the case before him. ! do not know. What
is known is that before the hour when the
cietv was to assemble in the evening, the Mayor
closed the Temple. His decision was not i'm
parted 10 US Phillips and I drove TO the Temple.
and only on arriving heard what the Mayor had
done He was weak Mayor. disloyal lncom-
petent. But he had perhaps prevented a trag-
edv I think Governor Andrew, aware Of the
rroba bic course Of events in the South and at
Washington, desired TO avoid anything like a
conflict in Massachusetts. He said as much to
me afterward. That was his excuse
G.. S.