49
La Roy Sunderland, New- York. of
a clergyman of the Methodist Church at
These manifestations are not without prototype in the history of the Anti-Slavery cause in other countries. From the beginning, Slave-masters
and
If
have encountered argument by brutality
we go back
to the earliest of Abolitionists, the wonderful Portuguese preacher, Vieyra, we shall find that his matchless eloquence and unquestioned piety did not save him from indignity. After a sermon exposing Slavery in Brazil, he was seized and imprisoned, while one of the principal Slave-
violence.
masters asked him, in mockery, where were all his
ity ? is
all his
learning and
they could not deliver him in this extremlie was of the Catholic Church. But the spirit of Slavery genius now,
the same in
all
if
churches.
A renowned
Quaker minister of
Thomas Chalkley, while on a visit at Barbadoes, having simply recommended charity to the slaves, without presuming to breathe a word against Slavery itself, was first met by disturbance in the meeting, and afterward, on the highway, and in open day, was fired at by one of the exasperated planters, with " a fowling-piece loaded with small shot, ten of which made marks, and several drew blood." Even in England, while the the last century,
slave-trade
was under
"Wilberforce,
who
discussion,
the same
spirit
appeared.
represented the cause of Abolition in Parlia-
ment, was threatened with personal violence Clarkson, who represented the same cause before the people, was assaulted by
the infuriate Slave-traders, and narrowly escaped being hustled dock and Eoscoe, the accomplished historian, on his
into the
return to Liverpool from his seat in Parliament, where he had signalized himself as an opponent of the Slave-trade, was met at
town by a savage mob, composed of persons armed with knives and bludgeons, the arguments and companions of Pro-Slavery partisans.
the entrance of the interested in this distinctive
traffic,
And even in the Free States the partisans of Slavery have, from the beginning, acted under the inspiration of violence. The demon of Slavery has entered into them, and under its influence they have behaved like Slave-masters.
Public meet-
ings for the discussion of Slavery have been interrupted
public
have been destroyed or burned In all our populous cities the great rights of to the ground. speech, and of the press have been assailed precisely as in the halls,
dedicated to
its
4
discussion,
