Our Correspondents.

For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

FROM OUR BOSTON CORRESPONDENT

The Massachusetts "Know Nothings"—Gov. H. J. Gardner—The election of Hon. Henry Wilson to the United States Senate—Frederick Douglass in Boston—The Personal Liberty Bill—Hayden vs. the Slaveholder—The rights of Jurors to judge of the laws and the facts—The rejection of Commissioner Loring as Law lecturer in Harvard College—The purchase of Anthony Burns, etc.

BOSTON, Feb. 20th, 1855.

MY DEAR SIR:—After reading the various communications of your numerous correspondents, respecting the "Know Nothings," one is naturally tempted to believe that this new organization, is composed of the vilest and most conservative pro-slavery men, whose main aim and tendency is to form a national party to protect slavery, and suppress its agitation. This, to a certain extent, may be true with many individuals, and perhaps to the organization in other States; but to charge the American party in this State with being pro-slavery, would be libellous. Never before in this

Commonwealth has the cause worked so well as under this new administration. Never before have we had so many faithful anti-slavery men in our Senate and House; and never before has our Legislature committed itself so strongly on the side of Freedom.

Our Governor, Henry J. Gardner, who has been elected by the new party, and who has been charged with being an old pro-slavery Hunker Whig, not only committed himself before the election as an anti-slavery and temperance man, and thereby secured the Free Soil and Temperance vote; but he has nobly shown us that our faith in him has been well founded; we believe he will do as he promised. He is a capable and honorable man.

One bright feature and glorious triumph secured by this new party the present session, has been the election of Hon. HENRY WILSON to the Senate of the United States to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Hon. Edward Everett. Here we have a triumph too glorious—a victory too complete—and an action too great to be passed over silently. Every effort was made to defeat him. The South telegraphed and corresponded—the permanency of the organization was threatened—and the—Union endangered. Caucuses, secret conclaves, plots and conspiracies to defeat him, were as numerous as the frogs of Egypt. But, in spite of all, the deluded mortals were foiled, and he was triumphantly elected. General Wilson is charged with being an aspirant for office.

Now, if Gen. Wilson was a strong pro-slavery Whig or Democrat, no one would charge him being an ambitious aspirant; but the moment the man takes a strong, uncompromising and independent ground against slavery, his motives are suspected, and he is charged with being actuated by impure motives of some kind. It is to be regretted that we have not a few more "ambitious aspirants" after General Wilson's own heart; it is just what we need. If he is ambitious to excel in such a great and good cause, it is a pity that he has not more followers and friends. He is an able man, and will do honor to Massachusetts.

We have been honored by a visit from Mr. Frederick Douglass. He delivered four lectures in this city; the first was at the Music Hall before a large and highly respectable audience. It is said that his lecture was a masterly production. We did not have the pleasure of hearing it; but "what everybody says must be so." His second speech was at the Tremont Temple, in the regular course, in the place of Hon. N. P. Banks. He had a large and fashionable audience of about three thousand persons. It was an able production, and well worthy of the speaker; any extract, short of the whole speech, would fail to do him justice. His third lecture was in Russell Street. We heard only a part of it, and that was very fine. His fourth and last lecture was in the Twelfth Baptist Church. Subject—"Education." It was well delivered and well received.

There is now a petition before our Legislature for a Personal Liberty bill. Its object is to protect the rights of the citizens of Massachusetts, and to modify the law respecting the rendition of fugitive slaves, securing the right of trial by jury, and the enforcement of the habeas corpus, and the right of appeal, and of being admitted to bail, to forbid the judge and other magistrates, and the military of the State, taking part in the return of a fugitive—forbidding the use of any public building, or that of any incorporated company or railway depots and cars from receiving any person claimed as a fugitive, and punishing the attempt to kidnap with a fine of $5,000, and five years in the State prison. Last Tuesday the Legislature Committee on Federal Relations had a public hearing at the State House. There was a large audience, and the Committee was addressed, in behalf of the petitioners by Wendell Phillips, John A. Andrews and Seth Webb, Esqs. After which, a Southern slaveholder, who boasted of owning fifty negroes, came forward and undertook to justify the "peculiar institution." After he had finished, Lewis Hayden (formerly a slave) was loudly called for. He came forward and modestly made a few remarks, which so completely demolished the slaveholder and his assertions, that it left him, as Shakespeare has it,

"Like the baseless fabric of a vision."The Tempest

We suppose there has not been even "a

wreck" of him "left behind." It is expected that the Committee will report a bill at an early day; and it is confidently believed that it will pass.

We have also another important bill before our Legislature, which places it in the power of our juries to judge of the law as well as of the facts. It is considered an improvement, and much anxiety is felt for its passage.

Edward G. Loring, the slaveholding Commissioner who was so anxious to keep [illegible] compromise, and who so willingly consigned Anthony Burns into slavery on the evidence of a Virginia slave-hunter, was rejected as a law professor in the Harvard College on last Thursday; and petitions are now flocking in the Legislature from his removal from his office as Judge of Probate.—This afternoon, at 3½ o'clock, is appointed for a hearing before the Committee on Federal Relations on the petitions for his removal. He has got very uneasy lately—has sent in a remonstrance—and has retained for his counsel George T. Curtis, Sidney Bartlett, and R. H. Dana, Jr. We shall apprise you if anything important turns up.

It is now faintly rumored and confidently understood in private circles, that the money has been raised for the purchase of ANTHONY

BURNS, and that Rev. L. A. Grimes will proceed at an early day to Baltimore to receive him. It will be an agreeable meeting to Anthony, notwithstanding so many swore that he was anxious to go back. We do not know how much is to be paid for him; but we hear twelve or thirteen hundred dollars spoken of. After deducting Col. Sutile's expences, we would like to know the balance in favor of the slave-catching trade in Boston. We are inclined to think that he has "paid dear for his whistle."

J. S. R.