Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-06-05
VIM. Lloyd Garrison.

who died In New York on Saturday
nignt, were taken to Roxbury, Mass,
on Tuesday, and to-day were consign-
ed to their last resting place, amid
solemn ceremonies in which prominent
citizens of Boston and vicinity partici-
pated. Euiogies were pronounced by
Wendell Phillips, Rev. Samuel MAY, |
and others Whe had been Fir. Garri-
sons friends aud fellow 4abovers in
the anti-slavery struggle.
Mr.. Garrison was one of these men
of strong convictions and great tenaci-
ty of purpose that always come to the !
front in times of agitation, and when
great questions are to be determined,
and make themselves felt in the dis
cussion and settlement of the question
at issue. His early life was one of
poverty and suffering, and this had
much to do, no doubt, with shaping
his character. He was born in New
buryport, Mass. on the 18th of De-
cember, 1904. His mother is said to
have been beautiful and highly IN
telligent and spirited woman, who
drew down upon herself the anger and
persecution of her family and some Of
her relatives by joining the Baptist
Church. For this she was driven
from home, but was subsequently re-
conciled with her family. The mar
rage proved unfortunate; her husband
brilliant man. became dissipated, and
subsequently abandoned her and her
children, to follow reckless course.
1t is not surprising that Garrison, born
to such a heritage, should have grown
up to hate iRtemperance and every
thing like wrong. At the age of thir-
teen years he was aprenticed to the
printers trade in the office Of the New
buryport Herald, and so thoroughly
acquired the art that when he became
an editor he could go to the case and
put his editorials in type without hav-
ing written them out.
At the age Of twenty-five, he start
ed the Newsburyport Free Press, but
this failed within a year. He went to
Boston, and became editor of the Ma
tionol PhilantkropiSt, a paper devoted
to the advocacy of total abstinence.
This also was an improbable under
taking, and he gave 1t up, and, going
to Bennington, VT, edited for a time
the Journal of TIE Times. About this
date he became interested in the cause
of gradual emancipation of the slaves,
as represented by the colonization So
ciety, and he soon left Bennington for
Baltimore, to edit an anti-slavery pa
per, his idea then being gradual eman-
cipation, aided by the general govern
ment. This he soon came to think was
too tame way to deal with a giant
evil, and one day, seeing a New Eng
land vessel loaded with cargo of slaves
for New Orleans, he denounced the
act as one of domestic piracy" and
for this onslaught upon the ''peculiar
Institution" he was arrested, tried and
convicted, under the laws of Maryland,
for libel, and sentenced to pay fine
of $1,000 and be imprisoned until the
fine was paid Ae had no such sum
of money, and little inclination to pay
the fine if he had had the means. The
affair attracted very general attention
and Whittier wrote to Henry Clay,
asking him to pay the fine, which he
was about to do, when Arthur Tappan,
Of New York, stepped forward and
paid it. While in prison, Garrison
wrote to the judge who sentenced him,
saying that while Providence should
give him strength and insellect, he
would not cease to "declare the exis-
tence of slavery in this country foul
reproach to the American name," and
he kept his word.
From Baltimore the young apostle
Of liberty went to Boston, and began,
in connection with Isaac Knapp. a.
printer, the publication eff the Liberia
tor, devoted to the anti-slavery cause.
These young men had no means except
their hands and brains, but they were
moved by love of liberty, and after do
ing a days work in the Christian EU-
anainer, Office, they worked upon their
OVID paper, using the type of the En-
an,iner, fer which they paid in work.
Such was the beginning Of the anti
slavery cause. This beginning of a great
work James Russell Lowell has elo-
quently set forth in verse:
In small chamber, friendless and unseen,
Toiled Ger MS types one poor, Unlearned
The place was dark. unfurnitured and mean:
Yet there the freedom OF a race began.
Help came but slowly: sure no man yet
Put lever to the heavy world with less
What need of hello He knew how types to set;
He had a dauntIess spirit and q press.
1t is not surprising that paper, is
sued under such privations and hard
ships, should have made such a noise
in the country as had never before
been known It was denounced every
where, and in some southern states it
was made crime to circulate it. It's
publisher was several times mobbed in
said New England, andacame near los
ing his life, but he faltered not; the
fire which he had kindled spread over
the country be began to be respected
for his courage and the purity of his
purpose; his influence grew; bis name
was waited across the seas, and he re-
ceived encouraging words from such
men as Wilberforce and George Thomp- |
son. The great cause which he began
amid SO much obloquy he lived to see
led by the greatest men Of the nation,
and ultimately triumphant throughout
the entire land. There is no question