To the Philadelphia Rescuers

To the Philadelphia Rescuers

March 29th, A.D. 1860, an attempt was made in Philadelphia to rescue Moses Horner, a man who had been kidnapped under the fugitive slave act, and was being dragged into slavery. For this attempt Alfred M. Green, Jeremiah Buck, Basil Hall, St. Clair Burley, and Richard Williams have been sented to thirty days imprisonment and a fine of twenty-five dollars each.

Ye men whose hearts, late tried, to man were true,
Whose arms, heart-moved, for freedom dared do—
Who nobly suffer pains—'tis not disgrace:
Our despots make the dungeon honor's place—
Like Brown and brother heroes, who so late
Fell neath the surgings of tyrannic hate;
Like all whose crime is of that high degree
Which plans to set the bleeding captive free;
In rank you stand the noblest of the age—
Your deed's a gild upon our history's page.
Rejoice! you're "guilty" of a deed that claims
The meed of heavenly blessings on your names!
Rejoice! you're added to the sacred tide
Which yet shall humble tyrants' power and pride!

Saddle River, N.J., June 27, 1860.

A.P. Smith

1:51, p. 1

7.7.1860