The Portland daily press., 1864-08-08
Monday Morning, August 8, 1864.
Radical Testimony.

Radical Testimony.
William Lloyd Garrison, in late number
of The Libsrator gives an interesting articl,
upon recent "Visit 10 Baltimore and M
Capital" He had never seen Washington be
fore, and "thirty-four years had elapsed sine,
he left his prison cell in Baltimore, and com
menced the work of agitation of the slavery
question at the North" As Mr.. Garrison
forcibly remarks
Until within two years, could not have
visited either the monumental city or the
National Capital, except on peril Of abduc.
tion, Imprisonment or assassination. True
my CONSTITUTIONAL right TO travel in any
slave State or District, and TO enjoy untram-
melled liberty OF speech, was as unquestiona-
BILE as that OF JEFF Davis TO make a tour of
the free States dd hbit,ina, and give free utter
ance TO his opinions on any subject he might
choose to discuss; but 1t was a right popular
ly recognized, in my case, as null and void
and a crime OF the deepest dye If attempted
TO be exercised in opposition TO that execrabe
system of bondage which is now filling the
land with the horrors of civil war. For one
third OF century, /, an American citizen,
guiltless OF crime. had been outlawed in all
the South, and. consequently, unable safely
TO visit any portion of that extended section
of my native land. Throughout that long pe-
riod, had again and again been tauntingly
asked why don't you go to the South p
when my sneering questioners well knew that
l could do so only on the certainty of being
put TO torture and barbarous death as soon
as apprehended. What sympathy or support
had then, as the friend and advocate Of the
oppressed, even at the North? A price was
upon my head, temptingly offered by the traf-
hckers In human flesh; aud there was no
power 10 save me from a felon's doom, il
caught anywhere in the slave regions. was
an honest believer in the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, and therefore rejected with horror
the wild and guilty fantasy that can hold
property in man. l recognized the binding
obligation Of the Golden Rule. "Whatsover
ye would that men should do TO you, do ye
even so to them,' and therefore made the case
OF the slave my own. l felt TO respond to the
apostolic injunction, 'Rememper them that
are in bonds as bound with them,' and there
fore demanded immediate aud uncondit ional
emancipation. And for this / had nothing
but universal condemnation at the North, and
horrible doom threatening me at the South p'
Mr.. Garrison was in Baltimore when the
Republican Union National Convention was
held. Writing of this, he says
'Daring my brief sojourn in Baltimore, the
Loyal National Convention was held in the
Front Street Theatre, to nominate candidates
for President and Viee-President of the Unit
ea States at the ensuing election. II was well
worth going from one end of the country to the
other TO witness the proceedings yet it came
In my way accidently, and was glad to have
an opportunity to be "a locker on In Venice
As delegated body representing all the loyal
States and Territorities In the Union, it pre-.
sented an imposing appearance, and indicated,
both in the choice Of its candidates and the
platform ii adopted, the overwhelming senti.
ment OF THE PEOPLE. Prior to its coming
together, all the loyal States had, with unan !.
unity unexampled since the days of George
Washington, officially declared in favor of the
reelection OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN; SO thpt
Its duty was simply to record its votes for
the man thus unmistakably designated
From Maine TO Oregon, the response was the
same, with the single exception OF the Rad
icai delegates from Missouri, who, on the first
ballot, voted for Gen. Grant, In accordance
with their instructions; and then transferred
their votes to Abraham Lincoln, making the
grand total OF 5l9 for his reelection. Though
this unanmity was strongly to be desired for
the weightest considerations, it was hardly
TO be expected; for what had the enemies of
the Administration left undone to create div
ision in the ranks? When the result was an
nounced, the enthusiasm was indescribable /:
and yet 1t was not comparable to the electric
outbreak which followed the adoption of the
following resolution -
3. Resotred, That as Slavery was the cause
and now constitutes the strength of this Re-
belion, and as 1t must be always and every
where hostile 10 the principles of Republican
Government, justice and the national safety
demand its utter and complete extirpation
from the soil OF the Republic IApplausel and
that we uphold and maintain the acts and pro-
CARNATIONS by which the Government, in It's
own defense, has aimed death blow at this
gigantic evil. We are In favor, furthermore
of such an amendment TO the Constitution,
TO be made by the people In conformity with
Its provisions, as shall terminate and forever
prohibit the existence OF Slavery within the
limits or the Jurisdiction OF the United States
The whole body of delegates sprang to their
feet as by one impulse, giving vent to their
feelings in prolonged cheering and warm con-
gratulations again and again renewing their
joyful demonstrations in the most enthusiastic
manner. Was not spectacle like that, rich
compensation for more than thirty years OF
universal personal opprobrium, bitter persecu-
ton, and mnrderous oulawry? II is impossi-
Bile for me to describe my emotions on that
occasion-for what had God wrought! twas
the first NATIONAL VERDICT ever recorded. in
form and fact in letter and spirit. against slav-
cry as a system Incompatible with the princi-
pies ofrepublican Government and therefore
no longer TO be tolerated in the land 1t was
the sublime decree-'Let the covenant with
death be annulled, and the agreement with
hell no longer stand 1t was a full endorse
ment of all the abolition fanaticism' and in.
cendiarism' with which had stood branded
for SO many years.
The time for my complete vindication had
come, from the Atlantic tothe PaciGc-the
vind!cation OF all who had labored Tor the ex-
unction of'the sum of all villainies,' whether
through evil report or good report-yea, the
vindicaton of Eternal Truth and Justice .'
or his visit to Washington, Mr.. Garrison
says
MY visit to Washington was in all respects
agreeable and satisfactory especially so were
my interviews with President Lincoln Secre-
tary Stanton and Solicitor Whiting. NV snec-
ial acknowledgements are due To Senators
Sumner and Wilson for their kind attentions
both in and out OF the Senate Chamber anl
also the House of Representatives (ineluding
Speaker Colfax, lfor'courtesies extended 10 m,
during my visit TO the CAPITOL"
VINO ARE THE HAPPY.-Lord Byron said