Evening journal., 1911-05-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Story Of AbOIitlOniSt
Days
BY ~HOllAnd."


Last Saturday | told of the chance
meeting that made two old time en-
emies friends--William Lloyd Garri-
son and Isaiah Rhynders, whose name,
though now forgotten, was almost as
well-known I'm ante-bellum days, as
that of the great abolitionist leader.
During the period of abolition agita-
tion Rhynders personified for a large
part of the North the pro-slavery
Democracy OF that section of the coun-
try. He was, in fact, one of the most
radical pro-slayery Democrats in all
the North, and as United States mar
shall for the southern district OF New
York, TO which office he was first ap-
pointed by President Pierce, he earned
the unmitigated hatred of all abolition
lists and a great many other persons
by the yigor he displayed from 1853 to
1857 in his official capacity of appre-
hending fugitive slaves and returning
them TO their owners. But, 10! and be-
! hold. when Marshal Rhynders, as he
was familiary called, was reappointed
| by President Buchanan, from that time
on until he quit the post Of marshal at
the end Of Buchanan's term he never
pursued or tried to arrest fugitive
slave, and great was the wonder there
J AT among the aboltionists.
Fifteen years after Rhynders had
quit office ] met him and ] asked him
to tell me how Il happened that, after
his reappointment as marshal for the
southern district of New York, he had
left OFF pursuing and arresting fugitive
slaves, TO the utter bewilderment OF his
| opponents.
This man who had been branded In
ante-bellum days as a demon in hu-
man form smiled gently upon me, and
when he spoke his voice was as soft
and gentle as his smile.
That's story haven't told tc
many persons he said. But | viii
tell il to you and first off I'll tell you
that / wouldn't have been reappoint.
ed marshal by Buchanan if it hadn'
been for William H. Seward. That's
funny. isn't It? Seward. you know, was
the great leader of the anti-slavery
party in the North, and yet he told me
30 say to President Buchanan that d
\ my name was sent to the Senate fol
reappointment as United States Mar.
shal, he would rise in executive ses
sion of the Senate and say that he
gave the nomination his cordial ap'
proval because he thought Marsha
Rhynders was the best representative
of the Democratic party in New York
"Of course, there was Joke behind
that; Seward was very fond OF joking
But the message that I carried from
him to Buchanan induced the latter &c
send in my reappointment to the Sen
ate. and there i'm executive session
Seward did exactly what he promised
he would do and because he did thai
my appointment was confirmed.
Now how could ! show my graft
tude towards an anti-slavery Republi.
can? That was a question which
tried 20 answer for several weeks after
my reappointment, was confirmed Az
last I said. TO myself.
Senator Seward is down on tbs
fugitive slave law He doesn't want e
see any fugitive slave arrested. ! vii
see TO Il that there won't be any ar
rested while / am marshal, and | vii
do il in this way. If | get a warran
for the arrest of fugitive slave, ] vii
cause that fact 10 be widely circulated
l will let the fugitive slaves friend
have a tip Then they can get him on
Of the way
Il pledged myself to do this. and
did do II And It is true, as you hav
heard, that not one fugitive slave wa
arrested in New York between lSo
and 1861. That was the way ' pai'
Senator Seward for the kindness h
did me"
Copyright. 1911, by 2. j. Edwards AL
rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell O
"The Remark That Caused Booth I
Play Hamlet"