nd barbaric gold,
No weapons wrested from the fields of blood,
Where dark and stern the unyielding Roman stood,
And the proud eagles of his cohorts saw
A world war-wasted, crouching to his law;
Nor blazoned car, nor banners floating gay,
Like those which swept along the Appian Way,
When, to the welcome of imperial Rome,
The victor warrior came in triumph home,
And trumpet peal, and shoutings wild and high,
Stirred the blue quiet of th' Italian sky,
But calm and grateful, prayerful, and sincere,
As Christian freemen only, gathering here,
We dedicate our fair and lofty hall,
Pillar and arch, entablature and wall,
As Virtue's shrine, as Liberty's abode,
Sacred to Freedom, and to Freedom's God."

The Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women was then holding a
session in the city, and among the members present were some of the
brightest and noblest women of the day, women with courage as calm and
high to dare, as with hearts tender to feel for human woe. The
Convention occupied the lecture-room of Pennsylvania Hall, under the
main saloon. A strong desire having been expressed by many citizens to
hear some of these able pleaders for the slave, notice was given that
there would be a meeting in the main saloon on the evening of the
16th, at which Angelina, E.G. Weld, Maria Chapman, and others would
speak.

Up to the time of this announcement, no apprehension of any
disturbance had been felt by the managers of the hall. So far all the
meetings had been conducted without interruption; nor could anyone
have supposed it possible that in a city renowned for its order and
law, and possessing a large and efficient police force, a public
outrage upon an assemblage of respectable citizens, many of them
women, could be perpetrated. But it was soon to be shown how deeply
the spirit of slavery had infused itself into the minds of the people
of the free States, leading them to disregard the rights of
individuals and to wantonly violate the sacred principles guaranteed
by the Constitution of the country.

During the day some threats of violence were thrown out, and _written_
placards were posted about the city inviting interference with the
proposed meeting, _forcibly if necessary_. But this was regarded only
as the expression of malice on the part of a few, or perhaps of an
individual, and occasioned no alarm. Still, the precaution was taken
to request the mayor to ho