As after the speech on the Barbarism of Slavery, so now,
letters came with volunteer testimony. Beyond their interest as
tokens of strong and wide-spread sympathy with Mr. Sumner, they
have historic value as illustrations of the intense Antislavery
sentiment destined so soon to triumph. Sometimes they are
directly responsive to the press, especially in the severity
of its criticism on the speech. Here, as before, Abolitionists
took the lead.
Wendell Phillips thus earnestly placed himself by the side of
his friend:--
“I both thank and congratulate you most heartily on your
great speech, for some reasons the _boldest_ even you ever
made,--the first statesmanlike word worthy of the hour
from any one in a high civil position,--fit response from
Statesmanship to War,--showing the people the reasons and
purpose of Fremont’s proclamation, and giving it more
breadth and a nobler basis.
“All agree it was a most decided success,--taking the
Convention wholly off its feet with enthusiasm; and we
absent ones may measure the strength of the blow from the
rebound,--witness _Post_, _Courier_, _Journal_, and, basest
of all, _Advertiser_, of course.…
“Never fear but that the masses, the hearts, are all with
you,--and you’ll see your enemies at your footstool, as you
so often have already.”