January 1, 1858
A letter, addressed to “The Christians of the U.S. of North America Who Labor for the Abolition of Slavery”, from the Synod of the Free Evangelical Church of the Canton of Vuad in Switzerland. It offers sympathy, and encouragement “for the cause you uphold, namely, the emancipation of the slaves throughout the length and breadth of your great republic”.
January 1, 1858
An article from the Worcester Spy calls attention to the composition of the Senate committees. “… the six great leading committees all have chairmen, and a majority of their members from the slaveholding States…. The remaining committees are constituted generally with the same strong Southern aspect, one of them having every member from the slaveholding States.” The article provides population statistics to indicate that the slave holding states profit from a large discrepancy in their favor.
January 1, 1858
Several articles tell of a continuing slave trade, focusing especially on Cuba, and also on the French trade.
January 8, 1858
A Boston correspondent of the New York Post, indicates that he has heard from Sumner’s own lips that he has no intention of resigning his seat in the Senate. This in spite of the fact that he has received “letters from South Carolina, warning him that the ‘honor’ of that chivalric State would require her sons to shed more of his blood, if he took his seat at this session’.”
January 29, 1858
There is a column about a Special Meeting of the School Committee, in Providence, in which there is debate about “colored schools”. In another column the editor comments on the weakness of arguments against abandoning those schools.
March 12, 1858
Report of the gathering at Faneuil Hallall, in commemoration of the 87th Anniversary of the Boston Massacre, and in memory Crispus Attucks. William C. Nell chairs the meeting, and speaks, along with speeches by Rock, Parker, Phillips, Remond, and Garrison.
Letters of regret from people who cannot be present include Higginson, and Whittier.
Garrison, in his speech, comments on peace and violence. “While I say that I believe God has called us all to peace – slaveholders as well as slaves, — while I believe in the peace principle, as divine and omnipotent, — nevertheless, I admit, that if any men have a right to fight for liberty with deadly weapons, they are to be found on the Southern plantations; for no wrongs are like theirs…. if Washington and his compatriots were justified in taking up arms,…by the same inexorable logic…those who are enslaved in our country today would also be justified in resorting to armed resistance, and in breaking their chains over the heads of their oppressors….”
March 19, 1858
Here is an account of the votes in both the House and the Senate, acting in support of the Joint Special Committee, asking for the removal of the Judge, for the “unwarrantable part he took in the rendition of Anthony Burns, and for his contumacious violation of the law of Massachusetts, by which he is forbidden to hold the office of Judge while acting as a Slave Commissioner”. The votes are strongly in support of removal. The editor comments: “It only remains for the Governor and the Council to respond affirmatively, (and they will, undoubtedly,) and the sovereignty of the people will be vindicated.”
March 26, 1858
Almost two full pages are given to an address in the Masssachusetts House of Representatives, by John A. Andrew, “remonstrating against” the Dred Scott decision.
March 26, 1858
This issue includes the text of Governor’s order removing Loring, and an article celebrating that “the deed is done”.
March 26, 1858
With Judge Loring removed, this article now calls for a decree” that no human being shall be put on trial in the State, before any tribunal, to determine whether he is the property of another; that it shall be a criminal act to institute any such act; and that every fugitive slave shall be instantly transformed into a freeman as soon as he touches the soil of Massachusetts…..”