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 hold his police force in readiness to protect the meeting in case of need.  The day passed quietly.  Long before the time announced for the meeting, the hall, capable of containing three thousand people, was thronged, and, by the time the speakers arrived, every seat was filled, every inch of standing room was occupied, and thousands went away from the doors unable to obtain admittance.  The audience was for the most part a highly respectable and intelligent one, and, notwithstanding the great crowd, was exceedingly quiet.  William Lloyd Garrison opened the meeting with a short but characteristic speech, during which he was frequently interrupted by hisses and groans; and when he ended, some efforts were made to break up the meeting.  In the midst of the confusion, Maria W. Chapman arose, calm, dignified, and, with a wave of her hand, as though to still the noise, began to speak, but, before she had gone far, yells from the outside proclaimed the arrival there of a disorderly rabble, and at once the confusion inside became so great, that, although the brave woman continued her speech, she was not heard except by those immediately around her.

Sarah Grimke thus wrote of Mrs. Chapman’s appearance on that occasion:  “She is the most beautiful woman I ever saw; the perfection of sweetness and intelligence being blended in her speaking countenance.  She arose amid the yells and shouts of the infuriated mob, the crash of windows and the hurling of stones.  She looked to me like an angelic being descended amid that tempest of passion in all the dignity of conscious superiority.”

Then Angelina Weld, the bride of three days, came forward, and so great was the effect of her pure, beautiful presence and quiet, graceful manner, that in a few moments the confusion within the hall had subsided.  With deep solemnity, and in words of burning eloquence, she gave her testimony against the awful wickedness of an institution which had no secrets from her.  She was frequently interrupted by the mob, but their yells and shouts only furnished her with metaphors which she used with unshrinking power.  More stones were thrown at the windows, more glass crashed, but she only paused to ask:—­