New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-19
THE FALL OF SLAVERY.
RECOLLECTIONs OF AN ABOLITIONIsT.
by OLIVER JOHNSON.
IN "THE LIBERAToRn OFFICE.

the year 1881. 1t was small Tor that day, but now
much more diminutive it looks in comparison with
tine weekly journals Of the present timel 1t Is
folio of pages. The page is II inches in length by
$50 in width. The title at first was in bold-face
black letter. which gave place, at the end Of four
months, to an engraved head, with pictorial rep
resentation of an auction at which slaves horses
and other cattle are seen offered for SALE and of
whippmg-post, at which slave Is receiving
punishment. In the background is seen the Capt.
tol OF Virginia, with flag Inscribed with the
word Liberty" floating over the dome.
This picture Of scene familiar TO ev-
cry Southern eye was regarded az even
worse than Mr. Garrison's harsh language" At
the South It denounced as incendiaTy. while
influential Journals at the North declared that It
was abominable TINS TO outrage the feelings of
our Southern brethren " and incite the slaves to
insurrection Then, ms now, the champions of
Cancellation thought it unpatriotic to drag into
light the cruetias pr1ctised upon the negroes For
the sake of harmony, and TO avert q dissolution OF
the Union, the dsa greeable facts OF slavery ought
70 be concealed. The Abolitionists we're madmen
and fools, and utterly devoid Of " fraternal feel
ing" In making such fuss about the Southern
negroes, who were the most contentcd body Of a
borers in the world, and fogged only as they de-
served to be for their innate lazness and insoence,
TONS The spirit of his chosen motto, q" Our coun-
try il the world. our countTymen are all mankind"
pervaded and filed his heart. lifting him above the
blind and selfish .xpedency of the time
A. l turn over the pages Of this volume, what n
flood Of memories of that early day stir my heart!
Ii was indeed, as Lowell describes 1t. 1.-THE day Of
small things" when "ole straightforward con-
science was "put in pawn to win a world" How
wildly do remember " that small chamber. dark,
unfurritured and mean," which after the first three
weeks became the Office Of The LiJerator, and the
only d,mice Of its brave editor and his associate.
II was in the third story of the building then
known "a Merchants Hall. Everything about 1t
had an aspect Of slovenly decay, and Harrison Gray
Otis we'll characterized It as " an obsc re hole
"Yet there the freedom Of a race began"
The dingy walls the small windows, bespattered
with printers ink the press standingin one corner;
the composing stands opposite the long editorial
and mailing table. covered with newspapers; the
bed of the ed tor and publisher the Aoor all
these make picture never to be forgotten. was
frequent visitor from the first, but in the Autumn
removed the office of my own paper, The Chr3tiqn
Soldier into an adjoining room, and for year and
half thereafter printed It on The Liberdor press.
This brought me into still closer relations with Nr.
Garrison making me familiar with the daily cur
rent Of his life and fixing and deepening my inter
est in the anti-savery movement. HIS courage, en-
thusiasm and devotion, so unlike anything had
ever witnessed before, awakened my admiration
and gave me new conception Of the majesty and
power of suge human life / do not lightly
estimate the value Of what the world calls
an education; but | think Mr.. Garrison did
more and better fOr me than any college OF thco-
logical seminary could have done. The quickening,
inspiring power Of his conversation exceeded that
of any other man l have ever known. His heart
was all afame with enthusiasm for his cause, but
never for moment was his calm Judgment over
come by heat A faith absolute in the sacredness
and power Of moral principles, trust In God so
firm and immovalle as his, have never seen exhib-
tied by any other man. Never for an instant did he
doubt the success of the movement TO which, upon
his knees, with his Bible open before him, he had
oonsoorotod hio life Whoever else might Weld to
discourageBent, he never. Though the Southern
press denounced him as a murderer and cut-throat.
ana every mail from that quarter brought him
threats Of assassination # he did not desst from
his work. he never for one moment wavered
in his purpose OF indicated the slight
est personal fear. How often did l hear him
speak In tenderest pity Of the deluded men
who stood ready TO take his life at the first oppor
tunity. Not O word OF vindctveness or even or
bitterness ever escaped his lips, and he would far
sooner have laid down his own life than taken that
of an enemy.
That "obscure hole" was the scene Of many
memorable talk Among those who came 10 confer
with the editor [ remember Samuel J. May, who
combined the courage OF Paul with the lovingness
If john and who was ever afterward a conspicuous
figure IN the aDti-savery host; Ellis Gray Loving.
then rising young lawyer, with a clear head and
a sound conscience whose death in the prime of bis
powers left a vacancy that could not be filled
samuel f.. sewall, Of an hOnOred Massachu-
sets family, man fitted by his legal attain
ments and his judicial spirit for a high place the
bench, and who yet lives in green Old age to
mourn the loss Of the founder of The LiJcrGiOr
David Lee Child, the bold editor aud the faithful
champion Of the oppressed Of every nation and
cline; John G.. Whittier then almost unknown to
fpme. but whose flashing eye and Intrepid mien
foretold the songs OF freedom with which be after
ward thrilled and stirred the hearts Of his country
men Joshua Coffin, the antiquarian WhittleT's old
schooma4ter and the subject Of of his character
lstlc lays Arnold Buium, the Quaker halter,
freshly returned from England, where he had
CAUGHT the spirit of ClarksOn, WiiberfOrce, OCOn-
nell and Bux on, and therefore prepared to
greet the rising LiberatOr Of America; Moses
Thacher, an orthodox clergyman, one OF
the first of the profession TO welcome the
call for immediate emancipation; and Amos
A. Phelps, then pastor of the Congregational
church in Hopkinton, whose subsequent labofs In
the carse as speaker ana writer Invaluable
Mr. Garrison was never too busy with his pen or hls
composiug-stick to talk with those who cared
enough for the cause to seek his presence. tie was
ever ready 70 answer inquiries for information, or
TO explain his principles purposes and plans, and 1t
was seldom that any who conyersed with him
for ten minutes failed to be deeply and favorabiy
irnpres sed. At this time lie would have thought 1t
impossible 10 address an audience for the space
of one minute without first committing his remarks
ILyar ba aor,'Hl