Alumni Reminiscences 1878 of Anti-Slavery Rebellion

In this remonstrance protest we endeavored to show that we were generally principles, generally recognized by our people, and enacted by the great fathers of the republic. (About two years ago, my venerable mother brought out a cpy of this bellicose document and asked me to read it to her, which I did. Your father Prof. Park knew my mother well. She died a year ago at the age of ninety two years. I shall go to Braintree on Monday next & if I can find the document I will send it to you). In this remonstrance we gave to our superiors our ultimatum that we would remain in the Academy if allowed to exercise our "inalienable right"; otherwise we asked our honorable discharge.

which we received & about forty of us "packed our kit."

I returned to Braintree to the surprise of every body. After my explanation, my parents approved my conduct & my grandfather who was with Washington at West Point was in extacy when I read to him the document setting forth the reasons why.

But the venerable pastor R.S. Storrs D.D. was in his "tantrums" & said "I ought to be made to go back & beg pardon on my knees."

He undertook to lecture me & predicted that I would live to be sorry for the step I had taken &c &c. He was proslavery & I was antislavery. That made all the difference. But I am getting off the subject.

The teachers at the time we left were Osgood Johnson, Dr. Taylor ("Uncle Sam" I hear him called) Prof. Sanborn now of Dartmouth College. One Mr. Lane, a South Carolinian by birth, & another. I think his name was Noyes. Am not sure of the name of this last. But I am happy to say that Dr. Taylor, Prof. Sanborn & Mr. Noyes did not sympathize with the proslavery policy of Mr. Johnson though I think Mr. Mr. Lane was in his glory.

One young man, an excellent Christian & good scholar Mr Sherlock Bristol, persisted in his adherence to the antislavery Society of the village & was publicly

expelled from the Academy & turned out of his boarding house. He then went to board in a house on a road as one goes to the Shawsheen Rivr, on the left near the foot of the hill. He was driven from that asylum & sent to Oberlin, Ohio where I met him five years later as I was traveling through Ohio. I found him a most excellent Christian. Bristol's expulsion failed of the effect intended. In stead of checking us it rather excited us the more.

The act of he expulsion of Bristol was, as some say now, rather rough. The room in the Academy was full. Mr. Johnson (all the teachers being present) rose & with all the pomp & circumstance inquisitorial that the little man could muster & master, went on to accuse his victim of

insubordination & as we all thought greatly exagerated his offence. Mr Bristol sat in a front seat & rose & with greate self control & in a most respectful manner asked to be permitted to speak in his own defence. Mr. Johnson lost his temper & with great passion-anger from so small a man, ordered him to sit down. The order was obeyed. This cowardly act of the Principal grieved many & exasperated the Abolitionists & made us more determined in the way we were going. You ask particularly about Mr Johnson & in reply I am happy to say he was a good man, a good scholar in Latin & Greek but a man so ignorant of human nature that this little difficulty quite unhorsed him so that he could not exercise authority without displaying the tyranny of a little & cowardly nature.