New-York tribune., 1889-10-20


TO the end by that accession OF queer ana III
balanced people who are invariably drawn py
every new movement and especially by such as
appeal to moral and religious emotion But oar'
rison, than whom a saner man never bved' never
for a moment altered his position on the s'e"O
issue. The country came 70 him lie olo ho' w
to the country The attitude he TOOK up III lo4o
was that which the whole North assumeu III
1863. and though the North did finally aoopo
that attitude unreservedly these volumes sho"
how laborous, painful and slow was the euuo'
tional process Had 1t not been reinforced ao
every turn by the South possibly Aoohuohlsm
would have failed to gain its end. Inc secesSi'n
Of South Carolina. and the rupture OF business
relations which followed that movement inilu-
enced the commercial mind at the Nortn power
FUZZY Shareholders who bought Northern goous
and paid their bills were not to be lightly Of
Tended Shareholders who not only repudiaoeu
the Union and trod the Flag under foot, but
refused to hquidate their Indebtedness 10 the
North, were quickly seen to be traitors ana
scoundrels and no measures were too drastic 10 oe
applied to them. All these influences, however.
worked together for good, and supplemented that
direct moral pressure which Garrison had been
applying so long, and which had, as now came to
be perceived done mighty work unseen.
In this long struggle Garrison stands out con-
stantly as the most prominent personality on the
antislavery side He impressed his character
upon all the discussions of the time. lie was
perpetual stimulus and invigorant to the conscience
of the Nation. The extent Of his influence IS
shown quite as much by the ferocity OF the at-
tacks upon him as by the solidity OF the NIUE
phalanx he led In these volumes, however,
lust proportion is observed. The authors have
made their narrative what it must have been 10
be a faithful picture, namely. as much
the history of the period as OF Oar-
rison They have drawn freely upon the
correspondence of the many distinguished men ana
women who were associated with their lllustrlous
father in the conduct of the great war against
slavery In so doing much has been added TO the
interest and attractiveness of the work The letters
of Edmund Quincy are delightful; those OF Oaf-
rison himself are full of character, direct, frank
1ucid and Informed by that benignity which was
so prominent and charming trait in him Wen
deIl Phillips is well represented, and the venerable
Elizabeth Pease, besides George Thompson, Charles
Sumner. Henry Wilson, Lewis Tappan, John G
Whittier James Russell Lowell Theodore Parker
Gerrit Smith and many famous Engllshmen ana
Englishwomen also There is an interesting cor
respondence between Garrison and Mrs Harriet
Beecher Stowe. Harriet Martineau, the Howltts'
the Duchess of Sutherland the Duke ana DuchesS
of Argyle appear among those who delighted 10 40
honor to the great Abolitionist Abundant eX-
tracts from his speeches are presented, ahordlng
material for as good judgment of his oratory as
can ever be gained from mere printed reports OF
that speech, more than half the effectiveness OF
which, as rule, depends upon the voice. manner
and magnetism of the speaker.
As much as is possible, the memoir has thus been
given the character of an autobiography, and that
Ill o,,I rnrfh
the reader is not confined to "reminiscences con- |
sciously recalled after the event. and so inevitably
tiuctured with new thought, but he finds his clews |
10 the nature of the events and the character and
meaning of the actors in cOntem porary documents,
bearing the impress of their time, rejecting ltS IN
nuenccs. passions desires, doubts and dllhcultes;
and these evidences are again reinforced and supple
mented by the criticisms and observations oil olhefs
who were either onlookers or parhclpators. 1he |
effect Of these methods is to give singular trust
worthiness and lifelkeness to the memoirs ana
TO EN- body in them at once fuller ana clearer
representation of both the inner and outer nIe Oh
those concerned than could have been attained IN
any other way. The examples OF Garrison Ht-
erary and oratorcal capacities here presented are
such as TO create very strong impression OF MS
ability in both modes of expression. Apart from
his personal influence, which all accounts
great. his speeches deserve to be
called weighty. and not seldom they rise to elo-
ouence The intense earnestness OF the man
breathes through every sentence OF them' as
through his every written article. Next 10 tlhS
his directness and downrightnesS must impress
the reader and then his ease ana 1ehcity Oh eA-
preston Again and again he reminds US OIL John
Bright with one of whose finest speeches. tne
reader nay here compare his addresses. "A sihple'
ror,ous En0isb a fondness for Biblical quota
tions and a delicate sense of rhythm characterlLe
both these speeches.
Garrison was, after all is said. slnguhry
fortunate man for he lived to see the desire OF
his heart and to him this consummation was
much more than full compensation for the long
and painful ordeal which had led up to the
glorious end lie was fortunate too, In the
possession of a temperament which shed trouble,
contumely. slauder calumny, with unfalllng
proIoptitude. 4 happier man it would have been
difficult TO find and even when he carried his lie
in his hand his spirits did not fail. This sunny
disposition was a priceless possession TO him. ana
il enveloped his whole life. HIS sons have written
q final chapter, entitled " Inner Traits which is
a most tender and touching testimonial to the
beauty of holiness which surrounded their fathers
homo relations lie carried his religion into
every circumstance and detail OF lie. and the
doctrines he proclaimed on the platform and IN
L" The Liberator" were those which he practsed
at his own iresde. 1t was noble and "a beautl-
full hfc aud it has been worthiy told by Wendell
Phillips and Francis jackson Garrison, who have
omitted nothing which could enhance its value
and its Importance as an authority and work of
reference and have enriched the work with a
remarkable series OF portraits, eAceienty wrought
and choseL with great Judgment. lnaily, 1t my
be said that this life OF William Lloyd Garrison
ought 10 he read by every American, not alone
nina thn mas hnf fCp
mo and guidance in the future. 1t is the record
Of a strong. pure and sweet soul, dey oted to the
highest cause humanity could undertake bearing
the cross of undeserved but Dltter persecution
from vonth 10 age and even at the last undcr-
valued and more or less disparagcd by the people
20 whose torpid conscience he had restored vitality
redemption from sin which was rotting the very
fonndationc Of the COMMONWEALTH.