View Document Frames
"Abolitionists Meeting," New York Morning Herald, Oct. 29, 1839.
The Great Politics--Abolition Meeting--Another burst up--Last efforts of the Black
Agitators.
Pursuant to announcement, last week the abolitionists held a sort of half hole and
corner, half public meeting, to take such measures preparatory to the coming election
as would enable them to make an impression upon the candidates for Assembly. The
number who attended being very small indeed and those being present mostly from curiosity,
the meeting was held, in a small dirty room at the end of the platform, which formerly
was used by the play actors for a dressing room.
There was on this occasion a tolerable sprinkling of black fellows; and they as usual,
contrived to thrust themselves forward to the front benches, where they gave an interesting
chequer board kind of appearance to the whole affair--there being a black head here,
and a white head there, a streak of black and a streak of white, all through the
front part of the assembly--Lewis Tappan being comfortably wedged in between two
good sized black rascals, recently imported from Congo to give a tone and color to
the proceedings of the abolitionists at the present election.
There was a good deal of confusion occasioned by a few “whorrah boys” at the lower
end of the hall, who seemed determined to have some fun. It was also evident from
the small number in attendance, and the coldness, and inanimation of the leaders,
Leavitt, Tappan, & Co., that they looked upon the proceeding as pretty much of
a a burst up. However, their spirits seemed revived by a "black brudder"
getting up and calling out “massa in de chair; look here, I moobe dat we open dis
here meetun by a sort o’prayer. I make dat for a motion.”
TAPPAN.--We haven’t appointed a chairman yet.
NEGRO.--We’ll pint him den, and den go to prayer, solemn prayer
was offered up by the Reverend Geo. Storrs, before the close of which Lewis
Tappan had dropped his head upon a fat black girl’s shoulder and begun to snore.
His brother negro shook him and he woke up. The report of some previously appointed
committee was then read, in which they glorified themselves immensely; and said the
day was not far distant when their black brethren would be placed upon an equal footing
with the whites; the committee considered the cause of abolition prospering, because
many of the Wall street papers were silent on the subject, and those that abused
the abolitionists, did so in very moderate language. The committee concluded by recommending
political action at the polls in order to advance the cause of abolition in this
country.
A NEGRO ROSE--I move dat report be accepted.
A VOICE--Run that nigger for register.
CHAIR--Silence.
LEWIS TAPPAN--I second my black brother’s
motion.
A VOICE--What kind o’ motion ?
The report was accepted amidst tremendous clamor and noise; and then Joshua Leavitt
moved the following resolutions:
"Resolved, That we will not support any political candidate who does not adopt
our principles."
A VOICE.--You’re destitute of principle.
"Resolved, That if we cannot find abolitionists to vote for on the tickets of
the respective political parties to which we belong; we will have a ticket of our
own."
LEWIS TAPPAN rose.--I am astonished,
Sir, shocked, absolutely shocked, to hear my brethren talk about a separate ticket;
we tried it last year and failed; if we try it again we shall fail. It will never
do, Sir. What shall we get by it?
PETTIS.--As much as you deserve, and a d--d sight more.
NEGRO.--”Turn him out.” Great excitement and noise, and cries
of ”turn out the black rascal.”
TAPPAN.--Sir, I think we shall gain something by voting for
somebody on the other tickets. That’s the idea I have of it.
PETTIS, and two or three others.--God d--n you, it’s
about the only idea you ever did have in your black skull.
LEAVITT.--I am astonished to find Mr. Tappan object.
A VOICE.--He always kicks up a row.
NEGRO.--Massa Chairman, I move dat we go on and not pick a
quarrel or a fight; let’s set example to our white brudders.
Cries of “whoo! oh! hush! look here! go it darkey!”
CHAIR.--I hope we shall not break up in a row.
TAPPAN.--I see the slave holders trying-
A VOICE.--You lie!
TAPPAN.--The cruelty to slaves--
PETTIS.--We love our slaves, sir.
TAPPAN.--You may love the women.
VOICE.--Mr. Tappan, you’d better sit down; you’ll only make
matters worse.
Here the negroes rose, and wanted to turn out some white men; the latter prepared
for a fight; and Tappan and his negroes sat down.
LEAVITT.--Sir, if we go the right way to work, we can poll--we
can poll--we can poll--
PETTIS--Well, now, what can you poll?
Here there was immense laughter, noise and confusion.
TAPPAN--We can never do any thing at this rate. In England
the voters question the candidates on the hustings and make them swallow their anti-abolition
assertions and notions.
A REPORTER.--What Mr. Tappan says is totally and unqualifiedly
false.
Here there was a strong outcry for the reporter, who went up to the chair and sat
down; a number insisted on his making a speech and he went on:--
THE REPORTER.--There have been two precious
hours of time consumed in a ridiculous manner, and two or three speeches made about
nothing; the wisest course to be pursued now is to pass all the resolutions in a
lump, and then go home.
Great laughter ad uproar followed this pithy speech, in the midst of which the resolutions
were passed without being heard, the balance of the business was huddled over, and
the meeting broke up in an uproar; Lewis Tappan crying out to the reporter, “You’re
the most decent of the lot, but you’re the cause of all this uproar.”
