870 THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON. 



he preached himself out of the pulpit. His sermons doubtless had to 

 do with his separation from this congregation, but his political speeches 

 must also be reckoned in the general accounting. For two years and 

 a half he retained connection with this parish, and during all that time 

 he had the cordial support of the younger members of his congrega- 

 tion. Then, for two years after the severance of this connection, he 

 continued to live in Newburyport, teaching private classes, serving on 

 the school committee, organizing public evening schools, and enlisting 

 the young ladies of the town in the instruction of factory girls, thus 

 making himself a living force in local affairs. As if all this were not 

 enough for one man, he was at the same time busily engaged in 

 writing editorials and communications for three or four newspapers. 



In February, 1851, a fugitive slave, known as Shadrach, was rescued 

 by Boston negroes from the hands of the officers having him in custody, 

 while actually within the precincts of the Suffolk Court House. This 

 evasion of the enforcement of the fugitive-slave law caused a commotion 

 even in Washington, and it was not long before a second test was made 

 of the power of the federal government to enforce in Massachusetts an 

 obnoxious law in a community thoroughly loyal and obedient to law, 

 but hostile to the principles on wbich this particular law was based. 



Following the rescue of the negro Shadrach in February, 1851, Hig- 

 ginson joined the Vigilance Committee in Boston, an organization the 

 purpose of which was apparently to be on the alert and ready to aid in 

 such cases, but without definite plans as to how assistance might be given. 

 The committee was divided in opinion on the question of forcible resist- 

 ance to the authorities. His official connection with this organization 

 soon caused him to be summoned to Boston, where in April of the same 

 year the arrest of Thomas Simms, another fugitive, brought the Vigilants 

 face to face with the question of what they should do. At the meeting 

 of the committee Higginson urged action in opposition to the enforce- 

 ment of the law, and at a crowded public meeting held subsequently in 

 Tremont Temple he spoke vehemently, his counsels on this occasion being 

 characterized as of a nature to bring the community to the verge of a 

 revolution. More moderate speeches at the same meeting had the effect 

 of counteracting the influence of his speech, and Higginson was left to 

 organize secretly, as best he could, a plan for the rescue of Simms. Pre- 

 cautions taken by the officers having the fugitive in charge prevented 

 the success of the plan for the rescue. 



It happened that the United States Marshal having charge of the 

 fugitive was Charles Devens, a schoolmate and a friend of Higginson. 

 The relations of these two men to each other and to the subject under 

 discussion thoroughly illustrate the complexity of the political situa- 



