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FROM OUR BOSTON CORRESPONDENT.
BOSTON, Aug. 13th, 1855.
MR. EDITOR:—The weather here is "as cool as a cucumber," the mercury standing, or rather sitting, below 70°. We have had a cool summer here. Those whose business depends upon the fiery heat of Sol, Mars and Sirus, have not made immense fortunes with their summer stocks—for there has been but little call or need for them; and the few who have patronized the fashions have forced the season. Business of almost every kind has been better this year than last; the enormous rents, and the high price of provisions have made life among the poor almost a drug.
The carpet and dry good stores in this city are proverbial for "selling out;" some or them have bills up from one year's end to the other "selling out for thirty days." These bills are good advertisements to take in the stranger who seeks to buy low: being dazzled with the idea that he is buying from an establishment that must "close the concern," he takes it for granted he must have bought low, for he has bought of a man forced to reduce the price of his stock in order to sell out in a few days and in this way he is often forced to "pay too dear for his whistle." Some of our store-keepers here are guilty of another deception trick; they mark the price on samples of their goods, at less than cost, and put them in the windows. Persons seeing them very low, go in to purchase, and suppose that in the dark stores they buy at the same rate. There is an establishment here famous for taking in any one they can get a chance at. We remember not long since, an acquaintance, Mr. —, went into said store to buy a silk dress for his wife; he bought a cheap one at a cost of something like ten or twelve dollars; as he was going out he saw another that he liked better, and expressed a regret that he had not seen it at first, as he did not care about the difference in the cost— The store-keeper insisted on his taking the second, which our friend agreed to do, provided that the trader would take back the first; this he consented to, and the dress was cut off. Our friend handed him a fifty dollar "slug," and the trader took pay out for both dresses, and as he had the money, would not give it up. Mr. — had no witness to prove the transaction, while a half-dozen clerks in the store were no doubt ready to "swear like Turks," so that he had nothing to do but to make the best of a bad bargain, and to "look out for the sharks." We do not desire to make a sweeping denunciation of our retail dry goods and carpet stores, for we know many fair and honorable men who would scorn to take any advantage; we merely give the truth to let strangers et al know that there are "sharpers" in town. A word to the wise is sufficient.
Our fashionables are now mostly out of town, either at Nahant, the white Mountains, or some of the pleasant small towns in this State, bordering on the sea. A few still go to Newport, Cape May, Long Branch, and Saratoga.
The Maine Law has been pretty thoroughly executed throughout the State, except in this city, which is the stronghold of rum and hard cider. It is now pretty clearly settled, that the temperance law, in its present form, cannot be executed in Boston—the majority of our jurors being in favor of carrying on the temperance cause with ardent spirit. We have laws against drinking houses, houses of ill-fame, and smoking in the street, not one of which are executed. The officers of the law are often the best patrons to the sinks of iniquity. Boston has always been noted for its morality; but we believe in no city in the Union are houses of ill-fame conducted so publicly, and so shamelessly, as in this city.
Col. Wheeler's slave (Jane Williams) arrived in this city about a week ago, en route for—. We have been unable to elicit more than what has already appeared in the papers.
There is but little political excitement here in relation to the fall campaign. The political anti-slavery men are seeking for a fusion of all parties upon an Anti-Nebraska platform. The decision of Judge Cain in Philadelphia will assist it. The people are getting to see that we must present a clear and unbroken front against slavery, and the determination now appears to be to resist slavery to the teeth.
The largest mail ever received at the Boston Post Office was received on Friday night from New York, and the South, it weighted 14 tons, about 5 tons more of the same mail was left in New York from impossibility of furnishing means for its transportation in that train.
A company of some 60 colored men have organized a Military Company to be called the Massasoit Guards. They are picked men, active and intelligent, and in case of a war for liberty, I believe they would "fight like tigers." Mr. John Bailey is talked of for Captain. He is active and energetic, and is the well known proprietor of the Franklin St. Gymnasium, and Pistol Gallery. He has taught many of the "solid men of Boston" the use of short arms, and we believe his industry and ambition would make him a skilful commander.
On Sunday, July 28th, a beautiful grove on the premises of Rev. J. J. Locke, at Greenwood, was dedicated to "freedom, truth, and right." The day was damp, though the gathering was a good one, and embraced many of the old and tried friends in the cause of freedom.— Mr. R. H. Ober, of the firm of Morey, Ober, & Co., of this city, who lives in the mansion, is one of the old practical Anti-Slavery men, with a heart exuberant with goodness, did everything in his power to make his guests comfortable, and carefully administered to the wants of the body, so that they could enjoy the rich intellectual feast set before them; among the speakers we noticed Rev. J. M. Spear, Rev. J. J. Locke, Rev. Richard Thayer, Messrs. Wm. C. Nell, Robert Purvis, McEntrye, C. L. Remond, Mr. Hewett, and Dr. J. S. Rock. The meeting was held in the morning in the mansion, and in the afternoon and evening in the Grove, and was highly successful in every respect, and too much praise cannot be bestowed upon Mr. Ober and Mr. Locke, in their indefatigable exertions to aid suffering humanity, and to consecrate another temple and spot to the Goddess of universal liberty. Yesterday (Sunday) there was an elegant large new hall dedicated to the AntiSlavery Movement, at Reading. Messrs. Remond, Garrison and Phillips, were expected to speak.
A large and enthusiastic assemblage of the friends of Freedom gathered together at New Bedford on the 1st of August. Frederick Douglass, Esq., was the orator. I was not there; the Mercury said his fine face, as the procession passed, showed the rich oratorical treat which was to follow. Mr. Douglass spoke at the 12th Baptist Church in this city on Sunday evening, 5th inst. We were professionally engaged, and did not get an opportunity to hear him. His subject was "Slavery;" he is reported to have made an excellent speech.— The house and the avenues leading to it were filled.
The Abolitionists celebrated the Anniversary of West India Emancipation. Messrs. Garrison. Phillips, Remond, and others, were the speakers. They had a good time.
S.
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BOSTON, Aug. 20, 1855.
MR. EDITOR:—On Sunday, Aug. 12, the large and beautiful new hall, at Reading, (which I alluded to in my last,) was dedicated to the Anti-Slavery Movement. Messrs. W. L. Garrison, C. L. Remond, and W. Phillips, were the orators of the day. The meeting was large and of unusual interest, some coming ten or fifteeen miles from different sections of the State, to hear those old champion orators of freedom, and to add the weight of their presence and influence to the Anti-Slavery movement. The Hutchinsons were thee, and gave us some of their best vocal music. Geo. W. Putnma read an excellent ode, composed by him for the occasion. There were three meetings during the day, and all were well attended. The citizens did every thing they could to administer to the material wants of the body, and all seemed to regret that the happy Meetings had been brought to a close.
After reading your views and those of Mr. W. L. Garrison on Prof. Mahan's book; I have been surprised to find you both spiritualists. Perhaps I might go farther and say Mediums?
The Colored Military known as the "Massasoit Guards," is now organized and Mr. John P. Coburn has been chosen Captain. your correspondent not being a member, is not pos9 tive as to the number of members enrolled, but has been informed that they now muster nearly one hundred, and that it is their intention to petition to his excellency the Governor for a grant of Arms similar to that granted by the Executive of Rhode Island to a colored military company in Providence. The Boston Evening Telegraph, the only daily Anti-Slavery paper that we have with a back-bone, says, "We think it very doubtful whether the Governor will feed authorized to loan arms to a company not chartered under the laws. And we are somewhat at a loss to see why our colored friends who so reasonably objected to being set a part as a class in the school, should now voluntarily set themselves apart as a class in Military service." This appears to us "to strike the nail on the head," but we lay no claims to correct judgment in this matter; they may have one hundred reasons that I know not of why such a company should be formed.
Mr. John B. Gough the great temperance orator, arrived at this port on Friday morning in the America. He was waited upon by a committee in accordance with an announcement made in the daily papers, and cordially welcomed. He declines any public demonstration at this time. He left early in the same afternoon of his arrival for his home in Boylston.— He is expected to speak in this city in a month or two, and will probably return to England in July '56.
The Liquor dealers have held a meeting during the present week and appointed a committee to call a convention on the 30th inst. at Worcester, for the nomination of an entire State ticket to be supported at the November election. Rev. Mr. Lovejoy, who Madame Rumor says goes in for "Rum and hard cider," has been suggested as a proper candidate for the gubernational chair!
The Republic State Convention at Portland is one among the many cheering signs of the times and adds new life to the political antislavery union of all Northern freemen upon an anti-slavery platform. Some fifteen or twenty thousand men assembled at a State convention, all bent upon a union of Northern men for freedom, shows at least that the ball in motion is gathering something besides moss.
On Thursday we had a grand fusion meeting in this city at Chapman Hall. Whigs, Freesoilers, Know Nothings et al, assembled, laid aside petty party differences, and agreed to fight together for freedom. The meeting was large and enthusiastic. Among the speakers we noticed Hon. Samuel Hoar of Concord, Hon. John Z. Goodrich of Stockbridge, Hon. Moses Kimball of Boston, Hon. Ed. L. Keys of Dedham, Hon. Chas. Francis Adams of Quincy, Hon. John C. Park of Boston, Hon. Amasa Walker of New Brookfield, Hon. Geo. Bliss of Springfield, Hon. Stephen C. Phillips of Salem, Hon. J. W. Foster, of Brimsfield, Hon. Homer Bartlett of Lowell, Rich. H. Dana, Jr. of Cambridge, Hon. E. C. Baker of Medford, and Hon. Henry Wilson of Natick.
The best feeling prevailed throughout the meeting, and all appeared in earnest to form a platform plain and simple, upon which all Northern men without distinction of party would unite for freedom. The following resolutions was reported and unanimously accepted:
Resolved, The the time has fully come for a united and earnest effort of the people of Massachusetts, in concert with the friends of freedom throughout the Union, whose object shall be to restrain the alarming encroachments of slavery.
Resolved, That as a means to this end, there should be an early assemblage of the people of this Commonwealth in Mass Convention.
Resolved, That the following gentlemen constitute a Committee to issue a call and make arrangements for such an assemblage first having, if possible a consultation with any other committees of political organizations, a public meeting having the same purpose in view.
These resolutions were freely discussed, and the convention adjourned about 7 o'clock P.M. subject to the call of the committee.
What are our friends doing in relation to the National Convention to be held in Philadelphia? Let every city, town and hamlet, be fully represented. Preliminary meetings should now be held in every section distant from Philadelphia, and pecuniary arrangements made for the traveling and other expences of the Convention. Let every man who can carry one stone to the building be there, and let us have a movement set on foot at once practiced and useful and tending to elevate the condition of the colored man in America; for such a movement let usa all labor in earnest and give our [unites?]
S.
