Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-05-28
William LLOYD Garrison.

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receive relief from disease OF the kidneys I
that had troubled him, but he grew stead /
lily worse, and the physicians informed his
friends that nothing further could be done
for him. His mind remained clear until
Friday night, when after a short struggle |
produced by difficulty of breathing, he
became unconscious.
Mr.. Garrison's name is so prominently /
and inseparably connected with the great
movement, that the record of
his life is of the highest interest. He was
born in Newburyport, Mass, December
IL, 1901. His parents were natives of the
province of New Brunswick. Ills father,
Abijah Garrison. was master OF vessel
engaged in the West India trade, and n
man of some literary ability and taste;
but he became Incorporate and abandoned
his family while his children were young.
His mother, left in utter poverty, became
u professional nurse, and in 1914 went to
Lynn. William was ut first apprenticed
to shoemaker, but afterward sent TO
school at Newburyport, partly supporting
himself by aiding Il wood sawyer. In
1915 he went with his mother TO Balti-
more, where he remained n year in the
vi an anu IVY .ehA AhSh ~
turned to Newburyport. In 1878 he was
indentured to the Newburyport Herald to
learn the art of printing, and when only
sixteen or seventeen years OF age began to
write upon political and other topics for
the Herald.
Mr.. Garrison fingered in Essex county
for few years, writing for several papers,
and series of articles which he wrote for
the Salem Gazette. under the signature of
"Aristides," attracted much attention in
political circles. IL 1926 he became the
proprietor and editor of II journal in his
native town, called the Free Press, which
proved unsuccessful. He then worked for
Il time as Il journeyman in Boston. In
1927, he became the editor of the National
RiianthropiSt in Boston, the first journal
ever published to advocate the cause of
total abstincnce;" and in 1928 he joined
Il friend in the publication OF the Journal
of The Times at Bennington, Vt. This
Journal supported John Quincy Adams for
the presidency, and was in part devoted
to peace, temperance, anti-slavery and
other reforms; but it failed to receive an
adequate support. During his residence
in Bennington he produced considerable
excitement upon the subject of slavery,
not only in that place but throughout the
state, in consequence Of which there was
transmitted to congress an anti-slavery
memorial more numerously signed than
any similar paper previously submitted to
that body.
Soon after, he attracted the attention of
Benjamin Lundy of Baltimore, who was
looking for an anti-slavery editor. He
joined Lundy, Il Quaker much older than
himself, and began to attack slavery,
through journalism on its own soil. Their
newspaper was n small sheet called The
Genius of UnirersaI Emancipation. Its
editors differed on the subject of colonial
ton, and Garrison was tried and convicted
of libel because he spoke of II coasting
shippers slave trade from Baltimore to
New Orleans as domestic piracy" Being
unable to discharge the Judgment, he was
committed to Jail. His friend Lundy and
few other Quakers were the only persons
who visited him in Jail TO express their
sympathy. The press at the north gener-
ally condemned his Imprisonment rs I'm,
iust,a his letters to different newspapers
excited deep interest. The manumiSsion
society of North Carolina protested
against his Imprisonment rs an infracton
of the liberty of the press. He remained in
Jail forty-nine days, when Arthur Tappan,
merchant of New York, paid fine and
costs and he was set 1T liberty. 1t subse-
quently appeared that Mr.. Tappan had in
this act anticipated by u few days the gen
erous purpose of Henry Clay, Whose nterpo-
slion had been invoked by IL mutual friend.
On July A, 1929, Mr.. Garrison delivered
in Park street church, Boston, an address
which excited general attention by the
holiness and vigor of his assault upon
slavery.
After some time spent in lecturing, and
in u vain endeavor to start Journal in
Washington, Mr. Garrison began in 1881
in Boston, the publication of his Liberdtor,
which he kept up until slavery was eXtcr-
minated from the land. Mr.. Isaac Knapp
was his partner in the printing and pub
fishing department. AS they were without
capital or promise of support from any
quarter, they were unable to open an
Office on their own account. The foreman
in the office of the Christian Examiner,
being a warm personal friend of Mr..
Garrison, generously employed him and
his partner as journeymcn, taking their
labor rs compensation in part for the
use of his types. Mr.. Garrison, after
working mechanically in the day time,
spent II large portion Of the night i'll edito-
rial labor. The Li6erdt0r soon began to
attract general attention, both in the north
and south. Almost every mail, at this
period. brought letters threatening Mr..
Garrison with assassination if he did not
discontinue his journal; and in December
1881, the legislature of Georgia passed an
act, Offering reward Of $4,000 to any
person who should arrest, bring to trial,
ard prosecute to conviction, under the
laws of that state, the editor or the pub
Usher. On january /, 1882, he secured
the cooperation of eleven other persons
in organizing the New England CATER
ward Massachusetts, antisaveIy society
upon the principle of immediate emanci-
patton.
In the spring of 1882, Mr.. Garrison
published work entitled Thoughts on
African Colonization" in which he oppos-
ed the scheme. He soon went to England
to advance his anti slavery views, and
succeeded in inducing George Thompson
II prominent champion of the cause, to
come 10 lnlS country us IN antl-SlaNery
lecturer. The public mind was, however,
inhamed to such degree by the aggres-
sive spirit of the abolitionists, that Mr..
Thompson was soon obliged to return to
England. In October, 1885, Garrison was
mobbed by Boston doughfaces while at
tempting to address Il meeting of the
female anti-slavery society. He was
dragged through the streets to the city
hall; whence, rs II means of saving his
life he was taken to Jail by order of Mayor
Lyman. He was released on the follow
ing day, and under protection Of the city
authorities, escorted to II place of safety
in the country. These scenes of violence
were followed by II discussion of the peace
question, in which he took an earnest part
as champion of non-resistance; and in
1888 he led the way in the organization
of the New England non-resistance socie.
ty.
About this time the question of the
rights Of women as members of the anti
slavery societies began to be mooted, Mr..
Garrison contending that so far as they
wished to do so they should be permitted to
vote, serve on committees, and take part
in discussion, or equal terms with men.