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Slaveholding Supervision

Slaveholding Supervision image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
October
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

It is astonishing to cousider what an influence the slaveholders have oblained over every public institution in the United Stafes. Factsperpetuaüy occurringshow that hefear of the slaveholders extends toall parts of the countryj and all classes of the community. For an example, we will meñtion a story 1old by the Charter Oak ahout Torrey and the recent Commencement of Yale College " lt is customaiy for the Alumni of the College to meet on the dny befo re Commencement, and exchange congratulations, both in conversation, and in brief public speeches. On these occasions, the Secretnry usual ly reads a list of those Graduates who have died vvithin the twelve preceding months, with very concise nolicesof their lives and characters. When this list was read at the lnst commencement, the name of Rev. C. T. Torrey, of the clnss of 1833, was mentioned, with the additional statement, that " He died in prison, a sacrifico to his principies." A friend of ours, present on the occasion, was dissatisfied with this meagre announcement. Although no expreás censuro was continued in the wonis of the obituary notice, vet as the fact was stated that he died in-prison, that circumsiance would certainly convey unfuvorable impressions of the man, to all who should hereafter read the notice, i f unacquainted with the history of his case. True, it wls stated that he died "c sacrifice to his principies." 13ut there are bad principies, as well as good ones ; and men have died for onc as well as for the other. This document, therefore, which was to remain on record as a permauent memento of the departed graduates, might leavo a slain on the character of the noble martyr, Charles T. Torrey. Our friend, Ihereforc, wished an amendment inserted ofter the word "prison," so that the obituary notice should read thus: - "He died in prison, to which he was consigned by the laws oí Maryland, for aiding slaves to gain ihoir Iiberty." This amendmeni, it yrvi be seco expressed no opinión on the_ propriety of Torrey's cotiiNe ; it merely stntesa facf, so that all persons could know why be was in prison, and svhat his principies were." This friendof Torrey, instead ofoflering bis amenlment liko a man, had cvidently thefeurofthe Slaveholders before liis eyes : for he went all around the assembly, trying to find somebody who would bnck him üp with a sppech. An anlislavM-y lawyer approved and would second the amendment, but would not make a speech on it, because there would bc '4a tremendous storm in the meeting, and many would apprehend greal injtiry to the College. " An antislavary minister declined, because he was a young man, and there would be " a great uproar " if the thing was proposed. He then went tothe Secrctary of the meeting, a classmale of Torrey, and asked hirn merely to read the amendment, and have it insertad if there was nu objectior. But the Secretury, aftcr going and asking jpermission of hisoversccrs, declined having any tning to do with it. He then to a leading man, a member of the Corporation, who declined thus : " No: I'll have nothingto do with it. Don't you see that you will throw a firebrand into the meeting? The room is half f uil of gentlemen j 'rom the South, and they wox't beau it - you'll just ruin the College at the south, and give it an ill name there" - and turned his back, Mr. Torrey's friend found another ontisl avery man, usually fearless, who declined becanse he was a young man. Next, he went to an antislavery vctcran, who declined becauso his business and livelihood in the city would be endangered, if not absolutely destroyed, if he should offer it, says he, " It will excite a prejudice against the College at the South, nnd the friends of the College will be bitter against me. " So he gave uo in despair ! It strikes us that if the friend of Mr. Torrey had the power of oflering his amendment, and did not, he showed himself the greatest coward of all. But is it not melancholy to see such a slavish and servile spirit in the highest classes ? Torrey has renson to spurn with contempt such a set of College dough faces.