American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-07-24
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON.


No recent event is more striking to
those who are familiar with the history
of the last thirty.fve years than the ban
quet to Mr.. Garrison in London. 1t is
net often that we see the general verdict
upon man SO wholly reversed in his
lifetime as in this instancel Within less
than ten years MIR. Garrison was generals
ly regarded as a fanatic and incendiary,
who was seeking hopeless result by
methods sure to ruin his country. 1t is
now perfectly plain that his view of the
situation was in the main entirely cor
rect that slavery was in its nature ag :
gressive, and would destroy liberty upon
This continent if it were not itself over
thrown. His method was determined by
his faith and character. A man of peace,
he sought results by reason, and aimed
to divide the Union in order to save it.
Believing the Constitution constrained
the whole country, by returning fugitive
slaves. to conniVe at the perpetuity of
-the most monstrous crime against human
nature, he denounced it as a Covenant
with Death, and declared that it must
be changed or repudiated. The nation
has found that the Constitution was
pleaded as the great authority of slavery
and rebellion, and has cleansed it as Mr..
Garrison desired.
The long aud incessant contest which
he waged is the really vital chapter of
our later war. His agency in the great
revolution, is often, indeed, Indignantly
questioned No one man, we are told, is
to be credited with the glorious work of
national emancipation from the horrible
despotism Of the slave power. In GER
tain sense that is plainly true. So Luther
alone did not establish Professionalism.
James Otis, Patrick Henry, and Sem
Adams alone did not make the Revolu>
tion. But the relation of Luther to
Professionalism, and of Otis and Adams to
the Revolution, is not more conspicuous
than that of Mr.. Garrison to Emancipa>
ton in the United States. Tho moral
force which inspires great reform, the
unquailing tenacity which drives it for
ward, reside in smaller or larger masses
of men but among them are the few
who are the historical types of that moral
inspiration and that heroic persistence.
Mr. Garrison relied for Tie al ii slavery
reform upon the moral element. But
how many OF the party leaders, when
slavery had become distinct political
issue, perpetually strove to eliminate that
consideration, and to regard it as wholly
political or economical question The
logic Of Mr.. Garrison's position was very
troublesome. " IT," it said, " slavery is
so hideous wrong, is it not as bad in
South Carolina as it would be in Kan,
sas 2"
Yes" was the answer; but we have
no authority over it in South Carolina
the Constitution protects it there"
Very. well" replied the Garsisonian
logic. If the Constitution protects a
moral cancer which is sapping the char,
acter of the country, Strengthening itself
and reducing our power of resistance
what must be the inevitable result 7"
Oh, we'll him it in by free territory
But it will not yield without blow,
and every day we are morally weaker.
1t will choose its own time to strike"
Oh guess not"
| The guessing not did not prevent the
shot at the Star Of the West and the
natural fruit of guessing not was the stu
pefaction of incredulity that followed
Thank Heaven that vanished, like Q
thick, smouldering smoke suddenly fash
ing into flame but the long and tre-
mendous struggle that followed only show.
ed how deep and radical the power oi
slavery had become.
The war ended, aud at the age of sixty
Mr.. Garrifon saw the great work of hi:
life accomplished. Quietly withdrawing
from the society over which he had Sc
long presided, he knew that the work
which remained was the work of one o
the great political parties in the country
and not of a special association. Yet ht
emerged from the contest as poor as hi
went into it, aud in retirement and il
health cheerfully devoted himself to work
But certain gentlemen who appreciated
the devotion of his life to an object vhicf
must be an endless benefit to the country
resolved to save bis later years from care
and subscription has been begun, in
tended only to reach the modest sum o
fifth thousand dollars. Thirty thousah(
of it were presented to Mr. Garrison upor
/ the steamer when he lately sailed from
Boston, and we sincerely hope the res
will await him upon his return. Mean
| while in England John Bright preside'
at the banquet in hs honor, aud the Duk'
of Argyle and Earl Russell lend theil
honoring voices. We are sorry that Mr.
Adams, in the reserved and cautious let
ter which he is reported to have sent, die
not represent his country. He has beer
so long away, however, that he may b
pardoned for not fully comprehendint
the marvellous changes of the time. Sla
very is abolished the Constitution for
bids it the slaves are citizens, and viii
soon be voters. They will honor man,
names among their white fellows. Bu
the two which will pass into the fond anC
| pious tradition of their race viii be tn,
names of Abraham Lincoln and William
i Lloyd Garrison. .-Hdrper's Weekly.
APrLIc ALTON FOR PROCESS. i'm the Su.
preme Court at Harrisburg. Penna, Attor
ney eneral Brewster has applied for pro
cess against the Gettysburg Asy lum for in