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SEPTEMBER, 1860. DOUGLASS' MONTHLY. 333
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slavery, than all other efforts in that direction for twenty years.
  The sleeping dust, over which yourself and friends propose to meet on the 4th, cannot be revived; but the noble principles and disinterested devotion which led John Brown to step serenely to the gallows and lay down his life, will never die.  They are all the more potent for his death.
  Not unwisely are the eyes and hearts of the American slaves and their friends turned to the lofty peaks of the Alleghanies. The innumerable glens, caves, ravines and rocks of those mountains, will yet be the hiding-places of hunted liberty. The eight-and-forty hours of John Brown's school in the mountains of Virginia, taught the slaves more than they could have otherwise learned in a half century. Even the mistake of remaining in the arsenal after the first blow was struck, may prove the key to future success. The tender regard which the dear old man evinced for the lives of the tyrants—and which should have secured him his life—will not be imitated by future insurgents.—Slaveholders are as insensible to magnanimity as to justice, and the measure they mete must be meted to them again.  My heart is with you.
   Very truly,   FRED'K DOUGLASS.
  [The Secretary then read an interesting paper from Henry D. Thoreau, which had been handed to Mr. Hinton at Concord while on his way to North Elba. We should have been pleased to [[p]]ublish it, but its length forbids.]
  At those of the reading, the President introduced W. F. M. Arny, Esq., of Kansas, to the meeting.
  Mr. Arny spoke at length in favor of the resolutions, taking up each separately, and eloquently defending them. As he spoke of John Brown his voice was broken and tender, and his eyes were moist. He knew him seventeen years ago, while he (Mr. Arny) resided in Virginia.  Capt. Brown came to that State from Ohio, to see if he could render aid to a friend in prison for assisting a fugitive slave. The record of that friendship, thus begun, was luminous with such deeds of self-sacrifice.  I, continued the speaker, have known John Brown to give the last dollar from his scanty purse in Kansas, to Free State men whom he met in a worse condition. The life of him whose remains rest before us is full and brimming with such deeds.  The record of that life he has left us, a solitary mark of grandeur in an otherwise degenerate age.  He, the speaker, was a Southerner, born in Virginia; the curse which rested there was a dishonor to the land of his birth. But a few days since, he had stood by the grave of Washington, the Father of this country; yet standing here on this rock, and looking upon the lowly, grass grown grave before him, he was prouder of his manhood, surer of the progress of the race, and possessed far more faith in the love of the Good Father, than when standing on the banks of the Potomac.
  Mr. Arny proceeded to allude to the companions of John Brown.  He spoke of the histories of those who fell at Harper's Ferry, most of whom he had known in Kansas, and extended a cordial welcome to those of the survivors of that fight who were in the gathering. In closing, he entered into a vindication of the position assumed by his friend, Thaddeus Hyatt, at Washington. He spoke of the positions assumed by himself and the other witnesses, who, under protest, testified before the Harper's Ferry Committee, showing how by it one portion of the designs of the Slave Propaganda was foiled, as was another defeated by John Brown, Jr., who with Ashtabula County at his back, refused to obey and was not troubled; by Mr. Sanborn, on whom the process of kidnapping was attempted, but forcibly resisted, first by personal means, then by legal; and lastly, by James Redpath, of whom it was known that not only were his [[italics]] words [[/italics]] bullets, but that he keeps the veritable powder dry, and that his faith was not placed on much else but his own [[italics]] skill [[/italics]] in defending himself.  Mr. Redpath was let, as was John Brown, Jr., severely alone.  Mr. Hyatt's position of endurance was equally as essential as these to the complete discomfiture of the foe. Never again would such an attempt upon the liberty of the citizen be made. The aristocrats of the Senate were routed. 
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  After the close of Mr. Arny's able speech, of which the above gives but a very imperfect idea, the question upon the adoption of the resolutions was put. On motion, the acquiescence of the people in the first resolution was signified by rising and standing silent and uncovered around the grave. The others of the series and the preamble, were adopted with three cheers.
  Thaddeus Hyatt, Esq., then came forward in response to the call of the meeting. Mr. Hyatt is an invalid, and was quite feeble.—He, however, kept the audience earnestly listening to a speech of some twenty minutes' duration.  We cannot give a report. His description of the transactions carried on in the jail showed those transactions to be horrible indeed. He also showed that, contrary to the compromise of 1850, of the violation of which, on the part of the North, the South was constantly complaining, the slave trade was carried on in the national capital, the jail being turned into a slave pen, the victims of which were generally men and women, seized by the police-kidnappers of the federal city, under the pretence of being fugitives from slavery, kept in prison until the jail fees run up largely, then carried to Alexandria, and placed in the traders' shambles. It was doubtless because of the knowledge he had gained that Mr. H. was discharged. He alluded to the investigations he was making into the legal [[italics]] status [[/italics]] of slavery in Maryland, and predicted that the result would be the removal from under the accursed system of even the lower law props upon which it had so long stood.
  John Brown, Jr., was loudly called for at the close of Mr. Hyatt's remarks. He came forward and was greeted with loud applause. Mr. Brown is a very fine-looking, impressive man, dignified and intellectual in appearance. He spoke for about ten minutes, returning his thanks and that of the family for the presence of so many friends, on this occasion.  He then alluded to the action consequent upon the Harper's Ferry Senate Committee, fully endorsing the course pursued by Mr. Hyatt, and administering a severe rebuke to the New York [[italics]] Tribune [[/italics]] for its unjust and cowardly sneers at that gentleman's course.
  Owen Brown was loudly called for, at the close of his brother's remarks, and made his appearance. Owen is a singularly eccentric appearing man; very florid complexion, auburn hair and beard, small oval face, nervous features, and keen eyes, wherein you see reflected a humorous but earnest, enthusiastic mind. He kept the assembly in a roar of laughter by his quaint speech and illustrations, which, however, had all the force of proverbs. His description of a modern politician was almost terrific in the force of its sarcastic humor and fiery disgust.  One of his illustrations will serve to show his style:—'A politician in Congress always had a double twist in the belly of his speeches; he squinted both North and South, yet always kept looking a-head for a tall perch on the tree of office, just like a cat running a-top of a crooked fence, with a bull-dog on each side, and a tree in the far distance.'  It is impossible to give any adequate idea of the speaker's style.—Philosophy, humor, fancy and bitter invective were all mingled, with gestures and contortions singularly appropriate to the matter.
   A motion was made to adjourn.
   Mr. Hinton came forward and said:—
   MR. PRESIDENT—Standing in the presence, on this anniversary, and looking on the grave of our beloved chieftain, I hold it not fitting that this gathering should pass away without our looking upon the face, and hearing the voice, of a representative of the race for whom this earth was rounded and this stone erected. The first blood shed for the American Idea was that of Crispus Attucks, a black man. John Brown died for that man's descendants, as he died for our parents.  That the black man can fight for freedom we have ample evidence, both in the blood of Attucks, and that of Leary, Newby, Copeland and Green at Harper's Ferry and Charlestown.  We have with us to-day one who
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bravely acted his part on that memorable occasion, and who, wearing that history as the proud mark of manhood, is worthy to stand on this rock and speak for his race.  I allude to Osborne P. Anderson, of Chatham, C. W., but late of Harper's Ferry, and I trust that before we separate we may look upon him, as well as the faces of others of those men for whose persons the pirate-State of Virginia offers a reward of $1,500.
  A Voice—'There are no Democrats here.'
  Mr. Hinton—'And if there were, we have good revolvers and strong arms, wherewith to defend our friends.'
  Mr. Anderson then came forward upon the stand. He is a tall, handsome mulatto, with thoughtful face, sadly earnest eyes, and an expression of intellectual power that impresses the observer strongly. He said, that this was the first occasion in his life when he felt that [[italics]] he [[/italics]] could stand on a Fourth-of-July platform. That day to him had hitherto been a lie and a juggle. Thank God, it was no longer so! By the light of that grave's sacrifice, he knew the Declaration of Independence held more than 'glittering generalities.'  He had gone to Virginia not as a mulatto, but as a [[italics]] man.[[/italics]]  Thank God for the struggle!  Costly as had been the sacrifice, it would yet amply be repaid. The 17th of October, the 2d and 16th of December, 1859, the 8th of March, 1860, and this summer day, would be forever blessed in the memories of men; their golden threads would be woven into the web of the future, irradiating its march, and lighting up the path of Liberty and Justice.
  Barclay Coppoc, of Iowa, was then introduced. Mr. Coppoc has a very youthful but earnest face; and the sight of his sad eyes, in the shadows of which forever seems to repose the wild vigilance of that mountain retreat, and the glooms of the prison and scaffold at Charlestown, whence his brother's soul went to its Maker, impressed all with tenderness and pity. Yet the expression was resolute, like a man who had counted the cost, and was willing to take the results. Mr. C. spoke briefly, thanking the friends for the reception, excusing himself from speaking on account of fatigue and ill-health, and closed by re-affirming his devotion to the principles they had assembled to honor.
  Francis J. Meriam was then introduced to the meeting. He said he was not there to speak, but only to say how glad he was to stand there a free man, and look into the friendly faces before him. After some other remarks, he closed by asking 'How many of those present would protect him and his comrades from the bloodhounds of Virginia?'
  'All of us!' was the hearty response.
  'How many of you,' continued the speaker, 'if we should determine to stay here among these mountains, and the Governor of New York issued warrants for our arrest upon a requisition of the Governor of Virginia, would aid in defending us against such process?'
  'I would,' and 'I,' 'I,' came from a large number of persons.
  Mr. M. made a few closing remarks, and retired.
  On motion, the meeting then adjourned to the grove, about half a mile distant, where the table was laid.
   The meeting was very earnest and enthusiastic, and, altogether, the demonstration a successful one. Good results for the slave will emanate therefrom.
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  —A very touching incident occurred at the funeral of Wm. B. Clifton, who died in Louisville, Aug. 4. Prior to his decease, he manumitted his slaves numbering some forty, a large number of whom attended his funeral. During the march, an old slave, who had been greatly attached to his master, came up quietly to the hearse, the fringe of which he respectfully kissed, and behind which he walked the whole distance to the cemetery.  After prayers at the grave , and all had gone save the blacks, the old man signed them to kneel, and throwing himself upon the ground prayed most vehemently and tearfully for his master and those he left behind, which so affected the listening mourners, that the place was filled with cries and groans.   
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