Alumni Reminiscences 1878 of Anti-Slavery Rebellion

Anti-Slavery Rebellion Isaac P. Langworthy

Boston May 24 1878

Mr. Park

My Dear Sir,

Yours of the 21 was duly recd. I deeply regret you ask such a favor of me, when there are so many others, so much more competent to give you the facts you desire, than 'tis possible for me to do. I send you the following hasty sketch, sincerely hoping you will obtain from others what will more fittingly meet the case.

Mr. Johnson became principal of the Academy just before I entered, in the spring of 1833. He was universally esteemed by the students, very highly as a man & a christian. His bearing & manners were easy, natural, dignified, socal, pleasant, gentlemanly. As a Teacher, I never knew one more thorough, lucid, patient or inspiring. As a disciplinarian & presiding officer he was faultless. I never saw him disconcerted. He was always selfpoised, awake to every emergency; & having

full command of his varied & broad resources, he would meet every exigency, incident to his responsible position with most admirable tact & skill. He had been assistant for some years, having the senior class under his instruction. But when he became principal he at once began the gradual elevation of the standard scholarship, keeping it abreast, if not in advance, of the best Academies of the country.

In the winter of 1833 Mr George Thompson [crossed out] of England visited Andover & delivered a course of lectures on slavery in the Methodist church. He was the guest of the Rev. Dr. Skinner, & was very much esteemed by the Professors, teachers & students of Andover Hill. In the spring of 1835 leading abolitionists made arrangements for a protracted anti-slavery meeting in the same church to be conducted by Mr. Thompson, Rev. A. S. Phelps, Wm. Loyd Garrison & others. A few weeks before its opening an interesting revival of religions had commenced in the Academies under the preaching & direction of Prof. Stuart. The movers in the ^proposed^protracted meeting wrote to the parties who were to conduct it

urging them to defer it for a few weeks, at least, on account of the peculiar religious work there in progress. The reply was to the effect that the deeper the religious ^interest^ the more favorable for the proposed series of meetings. They commenced [crossed out] at the appointed time. At the first a few of the best workers in the revival, who were ardent abolitionists staid away from the meetings, but were soon drawn in, & a complete extinguisher was put upon the revival. It is not known that there was a single conversion after the first days of these sad, but exciting meetings. At their close the academical students, in sympathy with them, held especial meetings in their own rooms, & wished to form an anti-slavery society & hold meetings in the Academy. This could not be done without permission of the Faculty which was not granted. In the then state of the public mind on this subject, it was deeply felt that any such organization would be highly prejudicial to the lead -ing objects for which the young men & lads were sent there; & in this decision of the Faculty much the larger part of the students heartily acquiesced.

But it was received as persecution for conscience sake by the petitioners, & they went to the adjacent grove to hold their meetings; feeling that they were martyrs to a great moral principle. Under the leadership of two or three bold learned young men some thirty five bound themselves together, by a solemn pledge, to induce the faculty to grant their request or they would leave the Academy. As helpful to this alternative, the exhibition was at hand, & among their number was the valedictorian & other appointees; & to them it was very plain that without their co-operation, the exhibition would have to be given up, greatly to the damage of the institute and chagrine of the Faculty. But Mr. John -son & his co-laborers believed themselves as conscentious as these "young martyrs" & so adhered to their decision. The young men were allowed to depart. New appointees were selected & the exhibition went off very creditably, & the Academy survived the depletion without serious loss.

1

DAVID THAYER, M. D., 94 Boylston Street,

Boston, May 24 1878

Wm. E. Park Esq

Dear Sir:

Yours of the 22^d^ inst. was received yesterday & I hasten to reply. I was a member of the Latin Department of Phil. Acdm. in 1833--34 & 35. The forty years that have intervened between that time & this have doubtless erased from my memory many facts which might be interesting to you.

But the rough outline of the Abolition movement is still clear to me. In the beginning allow me to say that Sir Robert Peel declared that "George Thompson is the most eloquent man in or out of Parliament." Geo Thompson came to Andover & preached the Gospel of