THE AMERICAN ABOLITIONISTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 290, 17 October 1864, Page 6

THE AMERICAN ABOLITIONISTS.

AhOvt tho year 183G or 1837 there appeared a remarkable article in the irestmhisfcr Jtrvino, from the pen of Miss Martinenu, entitled, " Tho Martyr Age of tho United States." It ga.ve a glowing and picturesque account of tlio leading abolitionists of both sexes, and the trials and persecutions they hud undergone, and were still undergoing, at the hands of the highly enlightened people of Boston —tho Athens of the States. Tho article made lniown for the first time to the British public tho hero and founder of the abolition movement, William Lloyd Garrison, the editor, printer, and publisher of tho now wellknown JJt/enitor. Tho whole history read like a romance. Subsequent information led to tho correction of some of Miss Martineau's details; lint substantially her portraiture was found to bo collect. If now it bo borne in mind what bitter hostility the baro mention of abolition excited oven amongst tho gentlemen in broad cloth in tho city of Boston; that Garrison Was dragged through the streets and threatened with tho ignominious penalty of tho tar kettle; that the respectable mob which assailed him and endangered his lii'o proved almost too powerful for tho Mayor and tho civic force of Boston to quell them; that subsequently tho city of Philadelphia witnessed tho sack of tho houses of tlio abolitionists on occasion of their holding a convention; and.that George Thompson hud to make his escape as best lie could back to Kngland to avoid being tarred and leathered, —if all this bo kept in" view, tho exultation of the abolitionists at tho recent meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society, in tho last-named city, to celebrate its third decade, inay well be admitted as iully justified by tho change wrought in public opinion on the subject of abolition since first the society .started into existence. Its founder, the chaiiman on tho occasion, spoko with confidence that tho end of all the society's labours was nigh at hand ; that that meeting would probably be the last that would be held; that what was sown in weakness was raised in power; what was sown in dishonour was raised in glory ; that it was no longer a question coniined to a few individuals, as against a mighty nation ; but- a nation rocking us by an earthquake in travail with tlio tremendous issue. The question wus being debated on the battle-field at the cannon's mouth, an d undoubtedly, through this war of judgment, Gou meant to vouchsafe deliverance to all in bondage. In similar strains of jubilant expectation spoke several members of the society, male and female; amongst others the venerable Lucretia Mott, a member of the Ilicksite section of the Society of l'ricnds, whose prophetic tones and aspect forcibly struck us many years ago, when she visited this country and addressed manypubliemeetiugs. Themeeting was not, however, perfectly unanimous. Stephens Foster pointed to the significant fact that the war wus not really 011 c ol abolition ; the president had set l'ree a portion ot the slaves, but he had abolished slavery nowhere. AN here he had not power to give liberty to the slaves in fact, he gave them liberty by law. "\\heie he had power to give them liberty in fact he did not give them liberty bv law. llehadfhus shamefully mnrrcd that act, which, if properly done, and placed upon moral grounds, would have sent his name down to posterity beside the name of Y\'illiam Lloyd Gairison. He would not trust his own, lie would not trust anybody's liberty in the hands of such a Government. Mr. I'oster added these significant words : "'I here is a double guilt resting upon this administration ; first, for holding the slave in his chains, and secondly for taking your sons and mine, tearing them away from the peaceful pl:r>uiis of home life to go down to the South and meet the bristling bayonets of Southern rebels. The war might be ended at oneb by an act of justice. 'J he nation refuses to perforin that duty, but choose rather to muider 3 our tons and mine, and to prolong the bloody strife." Our limits prevent us doing more than barely indicating the tone of this remarkable meeting ; but the whole report is one of absorbing interest at the present tremendous crisis, to all those whtse spirit of abolitionism has not declined through their opposition to the Kortli, and tlio manner in which the war has been and is still carried on.

One special feature of the mooting lias forcibly sti nek us. ]Is distinguished President, Garrison, and most ol the leudmg speakers were, a few years ngo, not only frcecssioiiiMs, but Kon-l?esistan'ts of the puiest l,>uaker type. We urn recall the excitement lausedin the Congress when Qnincy Adams presented their first petition for tJie dissolution of tlie Union, 011 the ground tliut there should be "no union with slaveholders;" and how the eloquent old stalemian and ex-president, while utterly opposed to the prayer of the petition, contended for the right of petition amidst a stoim of disapprobation from the pro-slavery members. Only his age, we believe, saved him iroin the kind of personal violence subsequently indicted by Senator Picston Brooks in so cowardly a manner 011 Charles Suntner. 'Jlie Union was, and still is, we suppose with the abolitionists, pure and simple, only a secondary matter, to be discolved in the interests ol the cause they advocate with such ron.arkabie eloquence and power. Again, their null-resistance theory and pructico seem for the present, to be kept- wholly in abeyance. Neither man nor woman hud a void to say against the war, or ativ war in fact. Whether slavery were destroyed bv heavenly or diabolicid agents and influences did not appear to cross their minds, or trouble their consciences, or their complacency, or sense of consistency. We confuss, though not 11011-resistants, to have verv serious misgivings on this point. Wo cannot bring ourselves to believe that so dire an evil, and so deeply rooted as American slavery, is to be destroyed by raising tip another evil as gigantic ivliiJe it lasts, and which threatens to bo almost ns : mischievous in its consequences to the liberties of the w liito population. And we aro borne out in | this view by the apprehensions recently expressed by perhaps the greatest of the abolition orators—r. W ondell Phillips. lie was absent from the meeting held last Dee. ; but within the present month he has openly avowed his fears that the war will issue, even il suecesslul, iu very disastrous results to the liberties of the oSorth. Here are the words of this eminent advocate ol negro lreedom :—"The youngest Ameri- " can will not live to see a restoration of the republic "ot his ioreiathers." " lou 0111 never restore the " Union by force. . . . This war Ilrs built up a " unanimious Confederate sentiment. . . H the u rebellion reel in Virginia, it will by 110 means bo " broken if it quits the Old Dominion. . . . The '' sections have learnt to respect each other. YVo know tiie South now, its willingness to die for " its ideas, its readiness lor every sacriiice, and its in- " 'pride." These views are known to bo gaming- rapid ground in the jSorth ; and the bloody eonllicUs between the armies of Grant and Lee, so hoiribly destructive of human life, must spread the conviction more and more. isevertheless Mr. Wendell Phillips is .still for currying 011 the war, as hesays, "to the bitter end." \\ o confess we do not snaro the sanguine convictions of Garrison, much as wo revere the oxtrai rdinary character and moral courage of the man. Wo agree with Mr. W. Phillips, and with him think that the North will not be uccc-'sslul, unless by making the South a desolation. A'or do we think that the slaves liberated by a sanguinary wai aro likely to enjoy much freedom at the uands of the mercenaries, tlio Irish especially, who hire themselves to shed blood. The New Yorkriots indicate what the negro has to expect from the ruiii.ins, who regard them with :;s much hatred and eontoiiipt as they are held in by the South. We believe iirmly that, the course of the lJivine Government for the overthrow of the world's evils is not lacourab'o to the methods adopted bv human passion and impatience issuing in human violence and strife, in war and ail its horrors. That God favours and blesses tiie 11,010 excellent way indicated by the leaven hid in the three measures of meal, and the grain ol mustard seed. The grand moral attitude of the abolitionists before the war, their strong reliance 011 the force of persuasiun and the diffusion, oi' enlightened opinion, their pungent and eloquent appeals t> the public conscience, and the rapid progress ot tiie Erco States iu all that constitutes the very anlithe.sis of slavery, we doubt not would ill time have effected their sacred object; and with much less of that after growth of bitter passions which invariably jollowall changes, social and political, that issue from ovoi bearing violence.—JjciccstrTshire Mercury.