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Personal Sketches and tributes
The funeral of Torrey.
Charles T. Torrey, an able young Congregational clergyman, died May 9, 1846, in the state's prison of Maryland, for the offence of aiding slaves to escape from bondage.
His funeral in Boston, attended by thousands, was a most impressive occasion.
The following is an extract from an article written for the Essex Transcript:—
some seven years ago, we saw
Charles T. Torrey for the first time.
His wife was leaning on his arm, —young, loving, and beautiful; the heart that saw them blessed them.
Since that time, we have known him as a most energetic and zealous advocate of the anti-slavery cause.
He had fine talents, improved by learning and observation, a clear, intensely active intellect, and a heart full of sympathy and genial humanity.
It was with strange and bitter feelings that we bent over his coffin and looked upon his still face.
The pity which we had felt for him in his long sufferings gave place to indignation against his murderers.
Hateful beyond the power of expression seemed the tyranny which had murdered him with the slow torture of the dungeon.
May God forgive us, if for the moment we felt like grasping His dread prerogative of vengeance.
As
