hen any
object whatever has caused anger between political parties, a political
animosity arises against that object, no matter how innocent in itself;
no matter what were the original influences which excited the quarrel.
Thus the colored man has been the football between the two parties in
the North, and has suffered accordingly. I confess it to my shame. But
I am speaking now on my own ground, for I began twenty-five years ago,
with a small party, to combat the unjust dislike of the colored man.
[Loud applause, dissension, and uproar. The interruption at this point
became so violent that the friends of Mr. Beecher throughout the hall
rose to their feet, waving hats and handkerchiefs, and renewing their
shouts of applause. The interruption lasted some minutes.] Well, I have
lived to see a total revolution in the Northern feeling--I stand here to
bear solemn witness of that. It is not my opinion; it is my knowledge.
[Great uproar.] Those men who undertook to stand up for the rights of
all men--black as well as white--have increased in number; and now what
party in the North represents those men that resist the evil prejudices
of past years? The Republicans are that party. [Loud applause.] And who
are those men in the North that have oppressed the negro? They are
the Peace Democrats; and the prejudice for which in England you are
attempting to punish me, is a prejudice raised by the men who have
opposed me all my life. These pro-slavery Democrats abuse the negro.
I defended him, and they mobbed me for doing it. Oh, justice! [Loud
laughter, applause, and hisses.] This is as if a man should commit an
assault, maim and wound a neighbor, and a surgeon being called in should
begin to dress his wounds, and by and by a policeman should come and
collar the surgeon and haul him off to prison on account of the wounds
which he was healing.

Now, I told you I would not flinch from any thing. I am going to read
you some questions that were sent after me from Glasgow, purporting
to be from a workingman. [Great interruption.] If those pro-slavery
interrupters think they will tire me out, they will do more than eight
millions in America could. [Applause and renewed interruption.] I was
reading a question on your side too. "Is it not a fact that in most of
the Northern States laws exist precluding negroes from equal civil and
political rights with the whites? That in the State of New York the
negro has to be the possessor of at least tw