The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-01 00:00:00

MR. JOHN LLOYD GARRISON.

A public breakfast was given at St. James's Hall,
on Saturday, to Mr. John Lloyd Garrison, the well
known American abolitionist. The body of the
hall was filled by 400 hundred ladies and gentle-
men who had taken tickets for the breakfast, and
the galleries by spectators. Among those present
were the following :—Mr. Jolla Bright, M.P., the
chairman ; Mr. W. L. Garrison, his daughter, Mrs.
Villard, and his son, Mr. F. Garrison ; the Duke
and Duchess of Argyll, Earl Russell, K.G., and the
Countess and Lady G. Russell, Lady M. Stanhope,
Mr. T. Hughes, M.P., Mr. V. Harcourt, Q.C., the
Right lion. W. Cowper, M.P., Mr. G. Thompson,
the lion. E. L. Stanley, Mr. J. Stausfelti, M.P.,
the Earl of Airlie, Lord A. S. Churchill, Bishop
Payne, Mr. J. S. Mill, M.P., &c.
Letters of apology were read from the Comte de
Paris and Mr. Adams, the American Minister, both
expressing sympathy with the purpose of the
meeting.
Mr. BRIGHT was greeted withloud and prolonged
cheers. He said his position was unusual and dif-
ficult ; but he esteemed it a signal distinction to be
permitted to take a prominent part in proceedings
intended to commemorate one of the greatest of the
great triumphs of freedom, and do honour to the
most eminent instrument in its achievement. It is a
triumph which has raised four millions of human
beings from the very lowest depths of social and
political degradation to the lofty height which men
attain when they possess equality of rights in the
freest country on the globe ; and more than this, it
is a triumph which has pronounced the irreversible
doom of slavery in all countries,, and for all
time. (Cheers.) How has this great matter been
accomplished? How is it that any great and
important matter is ever accomplished? By
a love of -justice, a constant devotion to a great
cause, and by an unfaltering faith that that which
is right will in the end succeed. (Cheers.) IVhen
he looked at that assembly, and partook of the sym-
pathy which prevails, as we welcome our guest of
to-day, he could not but contrast Mr. Garrison's
present position with that which he had, not so far
back but that many can rememberit, occupied in his
own country. In 1829 he was in prison in Balti-
more, but his ardour in the cause was not repressed;
for within two years of that timehe had the courage
to publish in Boston a paper devoted to the question
of abolition. Ile (Mr. Bright) had often read an
address in the first number with great interest, and
it is the key teethe future life of Mr: Garrison. It
had been complained that he used hard language—
which is a very common complaint indeed—(laugh-
ter, and loud cheers)—and he said in the address
" I am aware that many object to the severity of
my language, but is there no cause for severity ? I
will be as harsh, as true, and as uncompromising as
justice. lam in earnest. I will not equivocate, I
will not excuse, I will not retreat a single inch, and
I will be heard." (Great cheering.) What at that
time was the temper of the people who are now
glorying in the abolition of slavery in their country?
It was very little better in the North than in the
South. About the year 1835 riots of the most ter-
rific character took place in some of the Northern
States, and during that time in Boston Mr. Garri-
son's life was in the most imminent peril, and it has
never been quite ascertained how he was left alive
to carry out his great work. Turning to the South,
the State of Georgia in its legislature passed a bill
offering $5,000 for the capture of Mr. Garrison, or
adequate proof of his death. These were menaces
and perils such as we have not in our time been ac-
customed to in this country, in any of our political
movements ; and we shall take a very poor
measure indeed of the conduct of the leaders
of the emancipation party in the United States if
we measure them by any of those who have been
concerned in political movements amongst us.
But the cause. gathered strength, and by-and-bye
Mr. Garrison found himself surrounded by a small
but increasing band of men and women as devoted
as he was to the cause. We have in this country a
very noble woman who taught the English people
much on this subject about thirty years ago—Har-
riet 'Martineau. (Loud cheers.) lie recollected
reading an eloquent and touching paper by her,
published in the December number, 1838, of the
Westminster Reek";', entitled " The Martyr Age of
the United States." That paper introduced to the
English public the great names appearing on the
scene of action in this cause in America. There
was, of course, a distinguished character, our
eminent guest of to-day ; there were Arthur and
Lewis Cappon; and Barney of Alabama, the
planter and slave-owner who liberated his slaves ;
Dr. Charming, and John Quincy Adams, states-
man and President of the United States, and father
of the eminent Minister from that country now in
England; and Wendell Phillips, who is admitted
by all who know him to be the most powerful and
distinguished orator who speaks the English tongue.
Ile might refer to others—Charles Sumner, Horace
Greeley, the first of journalists in the 'United States,
if not in the world. But besides these there were
of noble women not a few. There were Mrs. Child,
the two sisters Angelina and Sarah Blinkie, of
South Carolina, who liberated their slaves and de-
voted all they had to the cause; and there was Mrs.
Chapman, whom Miss Martineau described as noble
and beautiful and good. But there is a man whose
name must live for ever, Mr. Lovejoy, who in Illi-
nois laid down his life for this cause. (Cheers.)
'When he read that article of Harriet Martineau's,
he was reminded of that striking passage in the
Epistle to the Hebrews, where the writer, after de-
scribing the great men and fathers of the nation,
said, "Tine would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of
Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephtha, of David,
also of Samuel and the prophete, who through faith
subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched
the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant
in fight, turning to flight the armies of the aliens."
May not that passage now be applied to the heroic
band who have made America the perpetual home
of right ? (Great cheering.) Ie spite of all that
persecution could do, in the North opinion pro-
gressed in favour of freedom, and in the South,
alas, in favour of the most devilish delusion that
slavery was a Divine institution. The moment
that idea took possession of the South war was
inevitable ; nor fact, nor argument, nor counsel, nor
philosophy, nor religion could affect the discussion
of the question, when once the church teachers of
the South had fallen into the snares and had taught
their people that slavery was a Divine insti:ution.
Because then they began to cling to it on other and
different grounds, and they said, " Evil be thou our
good." And thus they had light and darkness,
freedom and bondage, good and evil, and, if you
like, heaven and bell, in one great confusion. (Loud
cheers.) And unless there could have been some
miracle performed greater than any recorded in
the inspired writings, it was impossible that war
should not spring out of it. Then the slaveholders,
that circa lful brotherhood in whom turbulent pas-
sions were let loose the moment they found the
Presidential election in 1860 going adversely to the
slave power—took up arms and sustained their
bated system. Then came the earthquake so often
foretold, so often menaced, and so often postponed,
and the ground reeled under the whole nation
during four years of agony ; and at last, when the
smoke of the battle-field had passed away,the horrid
state of things which had cast its shadow over the
whole continent was banished and had gone for ever.
(Loud cheers.) An ancient and renowned poet
says, "Unholy is the voice of loud thanksgiving
over slaughtered men." It becomes us not to rejoice
but- to be humble that a chastisement so terrible
should be needful for any of our race, but we
may be thankful that the- c!ta3tisernent at least
was not spent in vain. But this greater triumph
in the field was not all. There came after that
another greater triumph, a triumph over passion,
and there came to the front not armies and military
commanders, but the magnanimity and mercy of a
great triumphant nation. (Cheers.) The vanquished
were treated
as the vanquished in the history of the
world have never before been treated. (Cheers.)
There was a universal feeling in the North that every
care should be taken of those who had been so
recently enfranchised. Immediately after that event
inelteetry became independent, and was paid for ;

schools were established where they had not heretc-
fore been known; and, finally, full political rights
were conferred upon the people who only twelve
months or two or three years before had been de-
scribed as chattels, and things to be bought and
sold in any market. (Loud cheers.) We may,
therefore, feel that those persons in the Northern
States who befriended the slave in his bondage will
not now forsake him in his freedom. May we not
say, on a review of what has taken place, that his-
tory has no sadder fame; and may we not, if we
take a little different view, say that history has no
brighter fame? (Cheers.) To Mr. Garrison, in
the first instance, this is due. The creation of that
opinion that has made slavery hateful and freedom
possible in America is due in great part to him.
His name is venerated in his own country, where
not long ago it was a name of obloquy and re-
proach ; and it is venerated in this country and in
Europe, and wheresoever Christianity softens the
heart and lessens the sorrows of mankind. (Cheers.)
And in time to come his name will become the herald
and synonyme of good to millions of men who will
dwell on the now almost unknown continent of
Africa. But we must not allow our own character to
be forgotten or depreciated, even whilst we are
saying favourable things of our friend here and
our friends across the water. We can share in
this triumph. (Cheers.) We have liberated
slaves. Our position was different ; our negroes
were not so numerous, and were 4,000 miles
away ; we had to prejudices of colour ; we
had a Parliament omnipotent over those colonies,
and public opinion, acting here upon Parliament,
was far too powerful for the resistance of those who
were interested in the continuance of slavery. Still
we liberated slaves, and English soil did not reject
a bondman ; at the moment he touched it it made
him free. We had our Clarkson, our Wilberforce,
our Buxton, and our Sturge ; and we have in this
hall the most eloquent champion for the freedom of
the slave that England has ever possessed in our
friend George Thompson. (Great cheering.) We
may share in some degree in the renown of our
guest, and may divide with the country from which
he comes these honours. Our country once was
his, and is still; for did not his fathers bear allegi-
ance to our ancient monarchy, and were they not
at one time citizens of this English commonwealth ;
and may we not boast that the freedom which now
overspreads his noble nation has sprung into life
amongst our common ancestors. (Cheers.) But
to Mr. Garrison it has been given, in a manner not
often afforded to those who do great things of this
kind, to see the great fruit of his great labour over
a territory large enough to make many realms. He
has seen hopeless toil supplanted by a compensated
industry, and where a bondman dragged his chains
there freedom is enthroned for ever. (Great cheer-
ing.) We welcome him among us as a friend whom
some of us have long known. IVe welcome him
with cordiality which knows no stint or limit.
(Cheers.) And we venture to pass a verdict which
will be sanctioned by all mankind—not only by
those now living, but by those who will come after
us, and to whom his struggles, and those of his
noble associates and their great success, shall be a
help iu those struggles which remain for men and
nations. (Cheers.) One of our oldest and greatest
poets has furnished a line which shall declare that
verdict. He would not ask—Are those persons
renowned now for their great work ? Bat of Wil-
liam Lloyd Garrison, and the noble men and women
who were associated with him, he would say—Are
they not
"On Fame's eternal bead-roll worthy to be filed 2"
(Loud and prolonged cheering.)
The Duke of ARGYLL said it was bard to follow
an address of such extraordinary beauty, simplicity,
and power ; but it became his duty to move an ad-
dress of hearty congratulation to their distinguished
guest, Mr. William Garrison. (Cheers.) After a
few remarks from his grace, the following address

was read :
To Wm. Lloyd Garrison, Esq.—Sir, We heart
welcome you to England in the name of thousands
of Englishmen who have watched with admiring
sympathy your labours for the redemption of the
r.egro race from slivery, and for that which is a
higher object than the redemption of any s'ngle
race, the vindication of the universal principles of
humanity and justic.?; and who, having sympathised
with you iu the struggle, now rejoice with you in
the victory. Foriy years ago, when you commenced
your efforts, slavery appeared to be rapidly advanc-
ing to complete ascendancy in America. Not only
was it dominant in the Southern States, but even
in t'ie free States it had bowed the constituencies,
society, and, in too 'luny instances, even the churches
to its will. Commerce, linked to it by interest, lent
it her support. A great party, compactly organised
and vigorously wielded, placed in its hands the power
of the State. It bestowed political offices and hon-
ours, and was thereby enabled to command the
apostate homage of political ambition. Other na-
tions felt the prevalence in your national councils
of its insolent and domineering spirit. There was
a moment, most critical in the history of America
and of the world, when it seemed as though that
continent, with all its resources and all its hopes,
was about to become the heritage of the slave power.
But Providence interposes to prevent the perma-
nent triumph of evil. It interposes, not visibly or
by the thunderbolt, but by inspiring and sustaining
high moral effort and heroic lives. You commenced
your crusade againstr slavery in isolation, in weak-
ness, and in obscurity. The emissaries of authority
with difficulty found the office of the Liberator in a
mean room, where ite editor was aided only by a
negro boy, and supported by a few insignificant
persons—so the officers termed them—of all colours.
You were denounced, persecuted, and hunted down
by mobs of wealthy men alarmed for the interests
of their class. You were led out by one cf these
mobs, and saved from their violence and the im-
minent peril of death almost by a miracle. You
were not turned from your path of devo-
tion to your cause, and to the highest
interests of your country, by denunciation,
persecution, or the fear of death. You have lived
to stand victorious and honoured in the very strong-
hold of slavery ; to see the flag of the Republic, now
truly free, replace the flag of slavery. on Fort
Sumter, and to proclaim the doctrines of the Libe-
rator in the city and beside the grave of Calhoun.
Enemies of war, we most heartily wish, and doubt
not that you wish as heartily as we do, that this
deliverance could have been wrought out by peace-
ful means. But the fierce passions engendered by
slavery in the slave-owner determined it otherwise ;
and we feel at liberty to rejoice, since the struggle
was inevitable, that its issue has been the preserva-
tion, not the extinction, of all that we hold most
dear. IVe are, however, not more thankful for the
victories of freedom in the field than for the mode-
ration and mercy shown by the victors, which have
exalted and hallowed their cause and ours in the
eyes of all nations. We shall now watch with
anxious hope the development, amidst the difficulties
which still beset the regeneration of the South, of a
happier order of things in the States rescued front
slavery, and the growth of free communities, in
which your name, with the names of your fellow-
workers in the same cause, will be held in grateful
and lasting remembrance. Once more we welcome
0
you to a country in which you will find many sin-
cere and warm friends.
Earl RUSSELL was received with long-continued
applause. He said, as one of many sincere admirers
of freedom, he joined in this welcome, and held it
to be a distinguished honour to take part in such a
tribute of admiration to Mr. Garrison. It is the
fortune of our race that if many evils beset man-
kind, and the " oppressor's wrong" is often deeply
felt, and institutions sometimes prevail to condemn
millions to hopeless servitude, the Almighty has
planted in some breasts a heart of. indignation
against wrong, and a readiness to encounter any
evil—even martyrdom-- in order to deliver man-
kind, so that these evils are done away, (Cheers.)
That spirit :is found in Mr. Garrison. The
noble earl joined in the hope that this occasion will
tend to draw closer the ties of friendship and
affection that ought to units us to America, and
make us perpetual friends—(cheer.;) ; and went on
'to say--I have my own fault to acknowledge in
this respect, • because I certainly thought that
when the slave States of America endeavoured
to establish their independence, and at same
time to perpetuate the institution of slavery, the
Northern States ought at once to have pro-
claimed not only their abhorrence, but the aboli-
tion and destruction, of slavery. Distance and want
of knowledge of the circumstances of America made
me fall into error in this respect. • (Cheers.) I was
afterwards convinced by the distinguished and
eminent man who represents the United States iu
this country—l mean Mr. Adams—(cheers)—l was
convinced by him, in frequent conversations on the
subject, that I had not rendered due justice to Mr.
Lincoln, who was the friend of freedom, and not