A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
History
A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
the office of the _Evening Post_, then edited and owned by William
Cullen Bryant, the poet. Mr. Bryant became much interested in young
Ross, and ever after remained his steadfast friend. It was during this
period that he became acquainted with General Garibaldi, who at that
time was a resident of New York, and employed in making candles. This
acquaintance soon ripened into a warm friendship, which continued
unbroken down to Garibaldi’s death in 1882. It was through Dr. Ross’s
efforts in 1874 that Garibaldi obtained his pension from the Italian
government. In 1851 Dr. Ross began the study of medicine, under the
direction of the eminent Dr. Valentine Mott, and subsequently under Dr.
Trall, the celebrated hygienic physician. After four years of
unremitting toil, working as compositor during the day and studying
medicine at night, he received his degree of M.D. in 1855, and shortly
after received the appointment of surgeon in the army of Nicaragua, then
commanded by General William Walker. He subsequently became actively and
earnestly engaged in the anti-slavery struggle in the United States,
which culminated in the liberation from bondage of four millions of
slaves. Dr. Ross was a personal friend and co-worker of Captain John
Brown, the martyr. Although Dr. Ross’s sphere of labour in that great
struggle for human freedom was less public than that of many other
workers in the cause, it was not less important, and required the
exercise of greater caution, courage and determination, and also
involved greater personal risks. Senator Wade, vice-president of the
United States, said, in speaking of the abolitionists:—“Never in the
history of the world did the same number of men perform so great an
amount of good for the human race and for their country as the once
despised abolitionists, and it is my duty to add that no one of their
number submitted to greater privations, perils or sacrifices, or did
more in the great and noble work than Alexander Ross.” He has received
the benediction of the philanthropist and poet, Whittier, in the
following noble words, which find their echo in the hearts of
thousands:—
DR. A. M. ROSS.
For his steadfast strength and courage
In a dark and evil time,
When the Golden Rule was treason,
And to feed the hungry, crime.
For the poor slave’s hope and refuge,
When the hound was on his track,
And saint and sinner, state and church,
Joined hands to send him back.
Blessings upon him!—What he did
For each sad, suffering one,
Chained, hunted, scourged and bleeding,
Unto our Lord was done.
JOHN G. WHITTIER,
_Secretary of the Convention in 1833,_
_which formed the American Anti-Slavery Society._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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