Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-04-26

thousands, once counted friends of
freedom, bowed abjectly to this in.
famous decision.
Daniel Webster, the leading Wing
statesman, made set speech in favor
Of thus giving up the whole country
to the dominion Of the slave power.
1t was another great bid for the next
presidential nomination, which must
be controlled by the South. The dan
ger was imminent, the crisis alarm
ing, and the excitement very great.
longed to be in Washington, so wrote
to Horace Greeley, who answered that
he would pay me five dollars a column
for letters. It was said that this was
the first time woman had been en-
gagged in that capacity.
l went to Washington in the early
part of 80, going by canal to the west
ern foot of the Alleghenies, and then
by rail to the foot of the inclined
plane, where our cars were wound up
and let down by huge windlasses. l
was in a Whirl Of wonder and excite
ment by this, my first acquaintance
with the iron-horse, but had to stay
all night in Baltimore because the
daily train for Washington had left
before ours came.
had letters to the proprietor of the
Irving House, where took board. Had
others to Col. Benton, Henry Clay,
and other great men, but he who most
interested me was DR.. Gamaliel Bal
ley, editor Of the National Era. The
great want of an anti-slavery paper
at the capitol had been supplied by
fve-dollar subscriptions to a publica-
ton fund, and DR.. Bailey called from
Cincinnati to take charge of it, and
few men have kept a charge with
more care and skill. He and the Era
had just passed the ordeal of fright
full mob, in which he was conciliatory,
unyielding and victorious; and he was
just then gravely anxious about the
great crisis, but most of all anxious
that the Era should do yeoman serv-
ice to the cause which had called it
into life.
The Era had a large circulation, and
high literary standing, but DR.. Bailey
was troubled about the difficulty or
impossibility of procuring anti-slavery
tales. Mrs. Southworth was writing
serials for it, and he had hoped that
she, Southern woman with North
ern principles, could weave into her
stories pictures Of slavery which
would call damaging attention to it,
but in this she had failed.
Anti-slavery tales, anti-slavery tales,
was what the good Doctor wanted.
Temperance had it's story writer in
Arthur. If only abolition had a good
writer Of fiction, one who could inter
est and educate the young. He knew
of but one pen able to write what he
VIZ Mt 81 hn fin ~ %h1
Era could not command it. If only
he could engage Mrs. Stowe. I had
not heard of her, and he explained
that she was a daughter of Lyman
Beecher. l was surprised and ex-
claimed:
"A daughter of Lyman Beecher
write abolition stories! Saul among
the prophets!"
I reminded the Doctor that Presi-
dent Beecher and Prof. Stowe had
broken up the theological department
of Lane Seminary by suppressing the
| antislavery agitation raised by Thee.
| dore Weld, Kentucky student, and
| threw their influence against disturb
ing the Congregational churches with
the new fanaticism; that Edward
| Beecher invented the "organic SIM"
devil, behind which churches and in
dividuals took refuge when called I'D
on to "come up to the help of the
Lord against the mighty" But DR..
Bailey said he knew them personally.
and that despite their public record,
they were at heart anti-slavery, and
that prudence alone dictated their
course. Mrs. Stowe was a graphic
| story-teller, had been in Kentucky,
taken in the situation and could de-
scribe the peculiar institution as no
one else could. If he could only en-
list her, the whole family would most
likely follow into the abolition ranks:
but the bounty money, alas, where
could he raise it?
Where there is the will there is a
way, and it was but few months af-
ter that conversation when DR.. Bailey
forwarded one hundred dollars to Mrs.
Stowe as retaining fee for her serv-
ices in the cause of the slave, and
10! the result, "Uncle Toms Cabin"
AS 1t progressed he sent her another,
and then another hundred dollars.
Was ever money so we'll expended?
That grand old lion, Joshua R. Gid.
dings, had also passed through the
mob, and as went with him to be
presented to President Taylor, a wo-
man in the crowd stepped back, drew
away her skirts, and with a snarl ex-
claimed:
"A pair Of abolitionists!"
The whole air of Freedoms capital
thrilled and palpitated with hatred of
her and her cause. On the question
of the pending Fugitive Slave Bill,
the feeling was intense and bitterly
partisan, although not a party meas
ure. Mr.. Taylor, the Wing President,
had pronounced the bill an insult to
the North, and stated his determina-
ton to veto it. Fillmore, the Vice.
President, was in favor of it. So,
Freedom looked to a man owning
three hundred slaves, while slavery
relied on "a Northern man with
Southern principles" President Tay-
lor was hated by the South, was de-
nOunced as traitor to his section,
while Southern men and women fawn.
! ed upon and flattered Fillmore. Web