CHAPTER XXVI
First Visit to Boston—1863
THE main consequence of the Charleston affair to me
personally remains to be told. My vacation
accidentally led to an episode destined to direct the course of
my whole life. When Sydney Howard Gay, the managing
editor of the Tribune, announced to me that I could have
two weeks leave of absence, I remarked, “I am much
obliged, but where shall I spend it?” “Have you ever
been to Boston?” he asked; and when I answered, “No,”
he said, “Go to the Hub by all means.” Accordingly,
after having “taken it easy” for a few days in New York,
I followed his advice. I reached Boston on Thursday,
April 21st, and spent the next day in walking about the
city. On the 23d I called on Mrs. Severance, presenting
a letter of introduction to her from her husband, the
Collector at Port Royal. As she was not at home, her daughter
Julia received me, and invited me to accompany her to the
gymnasium of Dr. Diocletian Lewis, to witness the
exercises of a class of young men and women. I accepted, went
with her, and stayed through the performance. I was
introduced to Dr. Lewis and others, among them the son of
William Lloyd Garrison, the famous abolitionist. From
the latter I received an invitation to go with him to hear
the Rev. Samuel Johnson of Salem, a well-known liberal-minded,
free-religious preacher, speak the next (Sunday)
morning, and afterwards to dine with his family, in order
to make their acquaintance. I gladly accepted.
I mentioned, in speaking of my deep interest in the Frémont campaign of 1856, that, like most Europeans, I looked upon the existence of slavery as an outrageous
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