(27)

MR. THOMPSON AT PAWTUCKET, R. I.

PAWTUCKET, Nov. 28, 1834.

MR. GARRISON :-Mr. Thompson has made a powerful, happy, and, I trust, lasting impression in favor of the cause of emancipation in the city of. Providence. In the providence of God, I was prevented. hearing him; but the tree is known by the fruit, and of that I can say it is good and abundant.

Whatever of prejudice might have been entertained by any of his audience against him personally, was vanquished forthwith, and lost in a conviction of his disinterested love to God and man, and his honesty of purpose; and that in his mission and labors, he is moved by the invincible agency of Christian philanthropy. He said that he was accused of being a foreigner, but that could not be his fault, for he was not consulted respecting the place of his birth; had he been, he might have chosen to have been born in the good city of Providence.'

Of his eloquence, I have heard but one sentiment expressed, viz. that it is of the very first order. An acquaintance of mine, a political editor, said, that he did not hesitate to pronounce him the most eloquent speaker he had ever heard. Nor were his hearers merely delighted and entertained with his fascinating powers of oratory: his arguments seemed to carry all by the board, and I have reason to believe made a multitude of converts.

Yesterday we had the unspeakable satisfaction of welcoming Mr. Thompson to our village, and of hearing him address a large and attentive audience in the first Baptist meeting-house. He was extremely interesting, although

I

it was said, by those who had previously heard him, that it was far from being one of his most happy efforts. He said that he did not speak easy at all. This difficulty, think, may partly be attributed to the house not being the most happily constructed for easy speaking, especially for a stranger, and partly to the unhappy time of the day which we fixed upon for the commencement, which circumscribed him in respect to time, and must have been peculiarly embarrassing. The audience, however, so far as I am informed, were highly gratified, and the unanimous desire expressed is to hear him again.

Mr. Thompson was literally thronged with company at his lodgings, at the house of our friend, Mr. WILLIAM ADAMS, who were no less instructed than delighted with his most agreeable demeanor, and appropriate and pertinent conversation.

I thank God for such a laborer in the cause. My dear Brother, what hath God wrought! Some four years ago, you were almost alone in your labors in this cause in NewEngland now a host have been raised up in the length and breadth of the whole land, who have joined the holy standard; and, in additon to this, brethren from beyond the seas fly to our aid, helping onward the invincible cause with their prayers, untiring toil, and eloquence almost commensurate with the merits of the cause they so dearly love. Generations yet unborn shall rise up to call STUART and THOMPSON, with the American Philanthropists who have jeopardised their earthly all in the cause of abolition ; I say, they shall rise up, and call them blessed.

One circumstance transpired yesterday, which was, to me, as I trust it was to all who witnessed it, most solemnly affecting and impressive, which I must not omit mentioning. After we had been a few moments seated in the pulpit, I perceived that some one was endeavoring to gain, although with extreme difficulty, the ascendancy of the pulpit stairs; and on opening the door, who do you think it was found to be ? A mobocrat, ready to seize on Mr. Thompson, tear him from the house, and tar and feather him? Nay; it was the venerable MOSES BROWN, at the advanced age of ninetyseven, pressing forward, as if sent by God to place himself on the platform by the side of his trans-atlantic

brother, not only to hear from his lips the doctrines which he himself has so long advocated, and reduced to practice in his life, but also to sanction, by his patriarchal and venerable presence, the cause of philanthropy in which he was engaged!

We hope soon to be blessed with another visit from Mr. Thompson.

Yours sincerely,

RAY POTTER.

3*

MR. THOMPSON AT LOWELL.

WEDNESDAY Dec. 3, 1834.

MR. GARRISON-A brief and hasty sketch is all 1 can now send you of occurrences in our good little town of Lowell, during the visit of our invaluable friend Thompson, He came among us on invitation, to give lectures on Sabbath, Monday and Tuesday evenings of the present week. We had obtained permission of the Selectmen to occupy for the purpose the Town Hall, a room in which town meetings are held, and the use of which is usually granted, on any respectful application, for any object which is not unlawful or manifestly immoral.

On Sabbath evening, Mr. Thompson gave a splendid lecture, in which he entirely swept away the pretended support of slavery from the bible. The audience was large, and listened with delight till a late hour. They suffered no interruption, except the throwing of a large stone at a window, which was arrested by the sash and fell harmless on the outside.

Notice was given on Sabbath evening, that the lecture on Monday evening would commence at 8 o'clock; and that we would meet for discussion at half past six; Mr. Thompson extending a most respectful and friendly invitation to all who had objections to our principles or measures, to be present and state them, and to all who had inquiries, to propound them.

On Monday, the Board of Managers sent special messages, of the same purport, to gentlemen who had taken an active part in public against the formation of our Society last winter. They declined the invitation unanimously, and we had not a single objector or inquirer at the meet

ing, except abolitionists. This was much regretted; for an~ ti-slavery men are anxious to have the whole subject thoroughly sifted, and every argument brought against them fairly examined, in the hearing of the people. However, we managed to have some of the most formidable objections stated, and our friend entertained the assembly by refuting them, one after another, in the most lively and entertaining manner.

Then followed a lecture of nearly two hours' length, on. the history of St. Domingo-that history which on so many minds is a spectre to warn them against the liberation of slaves; but which, when truly narrated, is so triumphant an example of the perfect safety of immediate emancipation even in circumstances as unpromising as can possibly be conceived. Very few left the hall till the lecture was ended, notwithstanding its length and some untoward events` now to be mentioned.

In the early part of the lecture, a small company of low fellows disturbed the assembly just without the door, in the entry at the head of the stairs, by loud stamping, vociferation and hisses. This was continued at intervals for near half an hour, when peace-officers, who had been sent for, arrived, and immediately the disturbers were quiet as lambs, and continued so till the close. Some time after, three missiles were thrown at the building behind the speaker. The third or last, a large brickbat, came through the window, passed near the speaker's head and fell harmless before the audience in front of the rostrum. This missile must have been thrown with great force, to pass into the second story of a high-posted building, and fly so far from the wall. A slight change of its direction would have silenced the eloquence of our friend forever, except that the barbarity of the deed would have given, what he had already said in behalf of the oppressed, a more glorious immortality. Praised be the Arbiter of life, that he yet survives to plead for the outcasts. Nothing daunted, he spoke some time after this, and the meeting closed n peace.

But the elements of turbulence and confusion had but begun to move. Yesterday, we heard of little but ' wars and rumors of wars;' much that was rumor only; but too much that was real, for the honor of Lowell or of New