Year: 1871

under my training, while readers of the
Jacenile Instructor. And they were aboli-
tionists of the most radical type. Stories
and pictures about slavery were freely
interspersed with other matter suited to
the minds Of children in land which had
been consecrated to freedom, although peo-
pied with slaves. AS one of my first and
constant readers, his sympathies were spon-
taneous and enduring.


When war followed swiftly on the heels
of rebellion, no aboltionist doubted where
unto it would culminate. The freedom of
the slave was foregone conclusion. And
whatever others did, and for what others
may say-but this we say for each other, as
survivors who stand beside the graves of
those who have gone before-the battle
hymn of the Republic was our favorite
song. Whether on the field after day of
victory, or in Libby Prison with Chaplain
| McCabe, we sang in full chorous-


"1have read fiery gospel writ in FURNISHED
rows of steel,


As ye deal with my contemners so with you
my grace shall deal;


Let the hero born of woman crush the SER
pent with his heel.


Since God is marching on''
For


90 In the beauty of the lilies Christ was


born across the sea,


With glory in his bosom that transfigures


you and me,


AS he died to make men holy, let us die to


make men free


While God is marching on.''


When Selby Fish fixed his domicile in
New Orleans, he did not bate his breath,
nor conceal his sympathies, as crowds of
Northern men do here. These are self
seekers wholly. "The fact isl say they
unblushingly, GIVE come here to make
money" And any word, or act of indie
pendence, benevolence, or religious duty,
that can be traded away for a dollar they
give or withhold, with degrading servility,
at the bidding of the Southern masters of
trade and commerce. Poor mean slaves
are they who wear chains of their own
forging when they might be free! Not so
did Stephen Selby Fish. Baptist though
he was, and, therefore, within the reach of
strong hackers and patrons, if he would be
prudent, in the perverted sense of popular
usage, he was yet guilty of the very marked
imprudence of being worshiper here, and
a supporter of Ames' Methodist Episcopal
Church. Scores of Northern Methodists,
who are clamorous friends of the African,
where there are few or none, are as silent
and cautious as mice in New Orleans. The
spies who look in at these doors, to report
who are to be put on the black list of
Southern tradespeople, will never find them
here. They are too prudent for that.


Every time that calm face and tottering
step was seen coming up these aisles, it
was an utterance of eloquent and scathing
rebuke to time-serving Northern Metho-
dists in New Orleans, who, for the sake of
gain, forgot the mother who gave them
birth, and disowned their brethren of the
same homestead born. But that coming
to this house of prayer was more than
rebuke. 1t was noble self assertion; it
proclaimed a will; it declared changeless
purpose. Behind that physical frailty was
tho mental and moral strength of matured
manhood.


Stop thatman! Try to bind him Turn
him back from his chosen path Ahah he
is more than a match for any arm of flesh
or the hosts of hell .! Truth and right
crown a single man with Gods omnipo-
tence.


Follow him to his office; note the bust
ness documents filed by the poor people,
whose ignorance of law was offset by the
services he cheerfully and gratutously rem
dered. See how naturally they turn their
steps to his desk These are to-day the
living witnesses of his unselfish and con-
as a Senator for four years from last
November, shows that they knew who their
friend was. Sorry are they, and we share
that sorrow, that he has not lived to serve
them during that full term of office.


He was victim finally of that malice,
cowardice and treachery which constitute
tiendish trio only born of the demon sla.
very. The written and unwritten history
of July 30, 1885, in this city, we will not
now unfold. But this must be said cold
blooded massacre of free, unoffending citi-
zens was perpetrated by the neglect of the
military and by the connivance, if not COM
mand Of the civil powers. And men known,
whose hands are red as Gains with the
blood of their brothers, walk our streets
unchallenged and without fear of punish
ment.


Among the victims not instantly killed,
but wounded severely, was Stephen Selby
Fish. He was not member of the doomed
convention, but being known, was none the
less target for the assassn's fire. On the
banquet, outside of the Mechanics Insti-
tute, he received three successive balls
His head, his arm and chest were wounded
Each shot was from behind. Even an
unarmed man could not be faced by an
armed coward.


The last bullet entered the flesh below
the shoulder blade, and buried itself near
the vital organs. Every step of his path
way since has been accompanied with the
conscious presence of a hidden foe to life,
that bit him as with the poison of asps and
plagued him as with the sting of viper.
And that deadly bullet, which eluded the
surgeons scalpel and could not be found,
will only be discovered by the unerring fin