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247]
Missing
Garrison, the anger of the chairman fell upon
Goodell and
Prof. Follen, like a tiger's whelp.
Follen was remarking upon the Faneuil Hall meeting, how it had rendered the Abolitionists odious in
Boston, and how, in consequence, the mob had followed the meeting.
“Now, gentlemen,” the great scholar continued, “may we most reasonably anticipate that similar consequences would follow the expression by the legislature of a similar condemnation?
Would not the mob again undertake to execute the informal sentence of the General Court?
Would it not let loose again its bloodhounds upon us?”
At this point
Mr. Lunt peremptorily stopped the speaker, exclaiming:
Stop, sir!
You may not pursue this course of remark.
It is insulting to this committee and the legislature which they represent.
The Abolitionists, after this insult, determined to withdraw from the hearing, and appeal to the legislature to be heard, not as a favor but of right.
A new hearing was, therefore, ordered, and the reformers appeared a second time before the committee.
But the scenes of the first were repeated at the second hearing.
The chairman was intolerably insolent to the speakers.
His violent behavior to
William Goodell, who was paying his respects to the
Southern documents lying on the table of the committee, terminated the second hearing.
These documents
Mr. Goodell described as fetters for Northern freemen, and boldly interrogated the chairman in respect of them thus:
Mr. Chairman, are you prepared to attempt putting