January 18, 1850
An announcement that the editor has received a copy of Whittier’s Poems, published by Mussey & Co., 1850. The editor comments on his first acquaintance with Whittier’s “poetic genius”, while he was in Newburyport. “Whittier needs no man’s commendation; his reputation is established; his genius stands confessed on both sides of the Atlantic. He is not only a distinguished American poet, but there have been few poets in any age to compare with him.”
May 17, 1850
In reference to an up-coming Anti-Slavery meeting scheduled for New York, here is an extract from the Herald, taken here from the N.Y. Globe, May 7, “…we join most heartily in the denunciation of the TREASON and the TRAITORS. ….we hold every man who aids and abets the avowed object of ‘immediate and unconditional emancipation’ of the slaves of the Union, to be a traitor at heart, unworthy to enjoy the liberty achieved by our fathers …the meeting must not be held…one of the heralded orators for this Anniversary is the black Douglass ….the newspaper organ of the abolitionists – the Liberator, of Boston, —- is out in favor or the immediate dissolution of the Union, and the abolition of slavery….the following persons are announced to be speakers in the Tabernacle: Wm. Lloyd Garrison, of Boston, mulatto man-mixed race….”
Reports of the Meeting (excerpts)
From the N.Y. Globe, May 8th —- “This body of agitators had a glorious meeting at the Broadway Tabernacle yesterday. It was a sort of serio-comic performance. ..The platform was occupied by the leading lights in the disunion flame. Among these we may notice Fred Douglass, the master genius of the crowd. His black hide shone like a decapitated sign-board; his mouth, a perfect mastodon of a receiver or coffee cooler, was kept in continual motion from the sundry grins of recognition…..Wm. Lloyd Garrison, the nigger in everything but color of skin, was the leading man or disher-up of the colored entertainment.
From the Globe, May 9th —-”to the honor of New York be it said, that the Abolitionists were compelled to abandon their treasonable meeting yesterday…..The people – the honest, true-hearted , patriotic, working-men of the city — came forth in their strength, and rebuked the conspirators, and dispersed peaceably, and without violence, the advocates of sedition, treason, insurrection and revolution….. The agitators were told that they would not be permitted to proceed, and they consulted the dictates of prudence, and desisted from their nefarious purposes….”
The Editor’s comment: “Complimentary —- The New York rioters, among other significant acts, gave ‘three groans for Boston’ — and they were hideously given, undeniably! This is nearly as flattering as would be three cheers for Boston by the angels. May she continue to deserve so marked a compliment.”
Letter from Whittier —- Written from Amesbury, to Friend Garrison’
“I have just laid down a New York paper, giving the disgraceful details of the outrage upon free speech at your late meeting in New York; and I cannot resist the inclination to drop a line to thee, expressive of my hearty sympathy with thee in this matter. We have not always thought alike in respect to the best means of promoting the anti-slavery cause; and perhaps we differ quite as widely now as ever. But when the right to advocate emancipation in any shape is called in question, it is no time to split hairs, or to be fastidious in our exclusiveness….The great battle for free speech and free assembling is to be fought over. …Let us be prepared for the worst, and may God give us strength, wisdom and ability to withstand it. With esteem and sympathy.”
June 9, 1854
“Enclosed are $2 for The Liberator. At a time like this, I cannot lose sight of the pioneer paper….. We must do what has never yet been done, convert the North. .. … We must forget all past differences, and unite all our strength…..Our work now is not in Virginia or Carolina, nor even at Washington; it is here — in Massachusetts . Get the people of the State right, and there will be no more of these hateful Commissioner trials; but around every inhabitant will be thrown the protection of just laws….If I had any love for the Union remaining, the events of the last few weeks have ‘crushed it out’. But I do not forget that the same power which is needed to break from the Union may make the Union the means of abolishing slavery. At any rate, what we want now, is an abolitionized North… At least let us have union among ourselves.
January 13, 1860
Here there is comment on two poems by Whittier, both on the final page of this edition. “… we think there is not the same magnanimous recognition of the liberty-loving heroism of John Brown, which is found in many of the poet’s effusions relating to the war-like struggle of 1776, and ‘our revolutionary fathers’…….There is an apparent vidiousness or severity of imputation… which does not seem to be called for, though softened by some approving allusions in close juxtaposition….” The comment wonders why Brown is the subject of “special moral criticism and rebuke by the poet?”
January 27, 1860
Whittier fells that in Garrison’s recent comments regarding his poems about Brown, has implied that he, Whittier, has relinquished previous strong pledges in abhorrence of war and violence. Here Whittier asserts his continuing belief that “we were under high moral obligations to use, for the promotion of our cause, moral and political action as prescribed in the Constitution of the United States…..I have seen no reason to doubt the wisdom of that pledge. Slavery was just what it is now, neither better nor worse, when we made it. If it is right and proper now to use forcible means in behalf of the slave, it was right and proper then…. I can only say that I dare not encourage who have not any scruple, to do what I regard as morally wrong.”