Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

442 SrUINGFIELD, 1G36-18SG.
was toasted iu driiikiug-booths ou the edges of the grove. It was a
great day, and there were many great days before that canvass was
over. Harrison won, and the whigs had their short day and deep
mourning for the death of their standard-bearer.
Back of all this political commotion loomed the grim question of
slavery, and the fine art of public life of that day lay in retiring the
spectre of human bondage to the background. William B. Calhoun
had been charged with forcing the issue by charging radical abolition
upon Harrison. This was done to alienate the Southei-n whigs ; but
Calhoun denounced the attempt in phrases very spirited for him.
Early in 1836 some Hampshire men, in session at Amherst, had pro-
posed an anti-slavery convention, to be held at Northampton, — a move
that created much uneasiness. There was an anti-slavery prayer-
meeting in Springfield on the evening of the Fourth, 1837, when the
air was dismal with fire-crackers, and the first annual meeting of the
Hampden County Anti-Slavery Society was held in January, 1838, at
Dr. Osgood's church. The officers elected Avere : President, Abel
Bliss ; vice-presidents, Kev. S. Osgood, Rev. J. A. Morrill, and Rev.
H. Smith; secretary, Chauncey Chapin ; treasurer, Edwin Booth;
directors, E. Chapin, Luther Bliss, Dr. Jefferson Church, Dr. J.
Bassett, and Noah Merrick. Slavery was denounced as a national
sin. Judge Morris made a memorable speech, the house being
packed. Morris was not identified Avith any abolition society, which
fact heightened the effect of his eloquence. Dr. Osgood and Dr.
Ralph P^merson, of Andover Theological Seminary, were drawn into
a fierce discussion over slaveiy. In one letter Dr. Osgood said
" But I ask, in what liglit ought Clmstians to regard that universal
system of concubinage which is practised l)y the blacks themselves in
all the slave States ? The slave laws do not recognize the marriage
institution. The master has the 2:)ower to dissolve it at pleasure, and
either of the parties cohabiting together may break off their connec-
tion at will, and do so iii multitudes of cases."
Chauncey Chapin at tliis time took occasion to draw out ]Mr, Cal-
: