S. to Frederick Douglass, March 19, 1855
The Death of Nicholas—The weather—Murder—The Mayor's Veto—The New Hampshire Election, etc.
BOSTON, March 19th, 1855.
MR. EDITOR:—The most important intelligence of the week has been the announcement of the death of "The Autocrat of all the Russias." This important event will, no doubt, produce important changes in the status of European affairs, and may be the means of concluding a peace. He was, certainly, a very great man, and liberal for one in his situation.
This week has been signalized by one of the severest storms on Cape Cod, and along the south shore, which we have experienced during the season.
Two indigent females, who lived by themselves, have been murdered in South Gardner Mass. They were sisters of the late Abner Kneeland. The younger was 75, and the elder 85 years. Plunder is supposed to have been the cause. A murder has also been committed during the week in a ship outward bound, in our harbor. The crew had just been taken on board in a beastly state of intoxication. A fight ensued, and a murder was the fatal result—adding one more victim to the list of rum murders—We have also to record the death of two of our well known citizens—Mr. James Brown, of the firm of Little & Brown, law-book sellers, and Rev. F. T. Gray, pastor of the [illegible] Street Unitarian Church.
The bill which passed both boards of our city government to add five members to the committee to superintend the erection of a public building for our city library, has been vetoed by our Mayor. This is the first time that power has been exercised under the amended charter. We have not investigated the merits of that attempted rebuke to the city government; but we have so little confidence in the man who gave it, and his judgment, that it is difficult for us to see how he could give an intelligent rebuke to to [sic] any body of men. We have no desire to speak disparagingly of our Mayor's education, for he is book learned, has been to Europe! and once gave the casting vote to use our Court House to carry on a mock trial to rob a man of his liberty!
We are no prophet, nor are we the son of a prophet, yet the prediction which we uttered in our last communication, in relation to the New Hampshire election, is now a matter of history. This is the natural result of the previous actions of our present National Administration. The people are both tired and disgusted with it. Our Executive has been completely in the hands of the slave power, disregarding the feelings, and trampling under foot the sacred rights of the people—favoring every measure that slavery has produced, and repudiating every effort against the aggressions of that power.
He has resorted to every mean artifice to control the election of the different States—no doubt keeping his eye steadfastly fixed on another term in the White House, with its one hundred thousand dollars, and [.] But, unfortunately for him, the premises are not to let to him any longer than his
present lease. The notice has been served upon him, and he must move. Every election echoes this sad news in his ear. He succeeded with his party in cursing Nebraska with slavery; and now, in turn, Nebraska and slavery are cursing him! He has acted foolishly and short sightedly, and with incalculable mischief to his falling cause. Every step this political vassal has taken to extricate himself from this slough of corruption, (in which he was a willing volunteer,) has plunged him deeper. There is no salvation for him now; he may as well console himself, and say, with Satan,
"Evil, be thou my good."
But let us return to the New Hampshire election. That is our President's native State, and gave him, in 1852, seven thousand majority! Now it rises up and goes against him, by a majority of ten thousand! This is a
wonderful change[.] Call it "Know Nothing," "Know Something," "Anti Nebraska," "Free Soil," or what you choose, these are the figures. We regard it as the natural results of the maladministration of our government, and the wants of the age. This is but one step on the road of progression and must soon give way to stronger, and stronger Republican principles, until slavery
is blotted from our soil, and the rights and liberties of every man, without distinction of climate or complexion, are obliterated in the expanse of reflection, that the world is our country, and man our brother.
S.