Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-05-28
WEDNESDAY. MAY IS, 1879.
WORTHY OF EMULATION.

q
Whatever men may think of
William Lloyd Garrison, whose
death occurred a few days ago, all
thinking men will admit that there
was much in his life and character
worthy of emulation. Early in life
he was profoundly impressed with
the idea that slavery was a great
crime. Acting upon such eonYlc-
ton, he became an active abolition
ist. When he first announced him.
self in favor of abolishing slavery,
and denounced the institution OF
African slavery with all the power
of his vigorous intellect, it was ex-
ceedingly unpopular everywhere
North as well as South. As we
mentioned in q note in our last
issue, he was on one occasion at
tackled by a mob in the city of
Boston, and cast into
prison. But his ardor was not
abated in the least. Before that
while connected with an abolition
publication in Baltimore he heard
of a vessel owned by men in his
native town, NewburypOrt, Mass,
with a cargo of slaves for New
Orleans. He denounced the act as
one of domestic conspiracy" and
threatened "to cover thick with
infamy all who were engaged IN
the transaction. He was indicted
for libel, sentenced to a fine of one
thousand dollars and cast into
prison until paid, A friend paid
his fine, and after seven weeks i'm
prisonment he was released. When
too poor to purchase type or hire
an Office, he commenced the publ
cation of the Li6erat0r. But pow
erty and tribulation had no terrors
for him. and with cour
age that never finches under
disappointment, he faced diff
fculties which would have crush
ed an ordinary man. His reasons
for publishing his paper in the
North will be found interesting. He
said:
"a greater revolution was to be eff
fected in the free Statea-and particu
IsrIy in New England-than at the
South. I found contempt more bitter
opposition more active, detTactioI
more relentless, prejudice more stub
born, and apathy more frozen thai
among shareholders themselves"
State Legislatures, municipal
governments, vigilance committee
an9 individuals by the thousands
brought their power to bear to pre-
vent the circulation of his paper
Heavy penalties were prescribed 70
circulating it in some of the States
But penalties, mobs and Persecutio
never shook his faith in the caus
be had espoused, and he pursued tn
even tenor of his way without turn
ing to the right or the left, dea
alike to threats and fattery.
The lesson Of his life is on
worthy of the consideration of a
young men. He was in hi
youthful days in an apparent,
hopeless minority. His future, t
the ordinary mind, was full Of dark
ness, without ray of hope to re
lieve It's gloom. But he lived t
witness the complete triumph of til
principles he advocated, and at tn
time of his death there are com
paratively few persons in the Unite
States who DO not admit the cor
rectness of his views in the mail
1t shows how little there is in whi
is sometimes called public sent
ment. The popular mind is a fckl
thing and undergoes frequent an
sudden changes, but principle
fixed and firm as a rock. Thel
was a great deal in what Dav
Crockett said: "Be sure you a.
right and then go ahead
Not be sure you are wi
the majority; not be su
you are on the popular side; nc
be sure that the people are WI
you, but be sure you are right