The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-05-19

rors of the slave power.
AS the conflict between liberty and slavery
continued, it became fercer. Garrison car
ried the fight into the north. He attacked
his fellowmen for casting votes, that would
permit the existence of such crime. He
believed that, if ever slavery was crushed,
the north must do it. He employed such
close reasoning, such eloquence, such wither
ing satire, that his statements could not be
refuted. The citizens of Boston felt the per-
sonal stroke. They staggered under his
singing blows. They said, 1--WE must silence
him."
Shortly afterwards as he was attending an
anti-slavery society meeting the doors we're
broken open by a mob. Garrison was seized
and dragged into the street, that bowling
mass of humanity crying, down with the
aboltionistsi Down with the traitors" To
save his life the mayor was summoned and
Garrison was thrust into jail An innocent
man imprisoned, and for what? Living in
free country, he had dared to speak his con-
victions; he had declared freedom before
slavery. O Garrison Standing there sur
rounded by the cold, dingy walls of prison
cell, dids't thou behold visions of better
and brighter day? Dids't thou perceive,
shining through the dark mists of the future
visions of a mighty nation struggling in the
iron letters of civil war; determined South
contesting with powerful North, to test
whether that nation should permit the slave
trade to exist within it's boundaries? Or
coulds't thou behold for myself, the dawn
ing of day, when thy name should no long
er be spoken of with hatred, but should be
revered not only by four million liberated
slaves but by countless hosts on both an East
ern and a Western continent? Hopes like
these must have thrilled his loyal breast and
nerved him for future struggles. At least,
he never ceased his noble work until the war
was over and slavery crushed.
The old Romans used to recount the deeds
of valor and daring of their illustrious de-
parted to inspire the living with new i'm
pulse to virtue. So we bring the memory
of Garrison. His pure life will be an inspir-
alton to men, while time shall last. His de-
votion, his sacrifice to the cause of liberty
will ever teach US to forget self and remem-
Der fellow-man. We trust him for his hon
esty; VIC honor him as scholar; we admire
him as reformer, but we love him for his
sympathy to the oppressed, for self-denial to
his duty, and his rare courage to face oppo-
sltlOn at the North and murderous threats at
the South.
Garrison, like every great soul that res
ponds to to the call of duty in this life, found
rest only in the grave. He had won much
success IN lie, but at death he gained his
greatest victory. Living a noble Christian,
his died trusting in the wisdom of the ON
nlpotent God The last moments of his earth
~ pilgrimage were spent at the home of his
daughter For weeks a powerful disease
has been struggling with his wasted body.
lie felt those slender cords, which bound him
to this earth-life, rapidly weakening But
he was prepared to go, his life-work was
finished That noble soul was weary, and it
longed for eternal rest. AS the end APP
preached his family gathered about the bed
side. What pathetic scene. That form.
once so powerful and energetic. now lies
weak and emaciated That voice, at one
time so eloquent is almost silenced On the
verge OF Eternity, he calls those loved ones
to his side. To each is given feeble grasp Of
the hand, loving kiss. and Garrison is no
more While his friends were weeping at his
bedside; While thousands bowed their heads
IN reverence, his spirit left that mortal she'll.
and winged it's flight across the Jordan, o its
own eternal, great reward Oh, troubled
patriot! When the clouds grow dense and
the way looks dark and dreary; when thy
soul is faint and thy courage nearly gone, go
thou to thy lonely domain and there in the
quiet of the hour, mediate on the life of this
man, and see through what struggles, what
opposition, and what trials he passed and yet
came out unscathed and victorious.
You may think me partial to my hero, but
in the future, when truth gets hearing,
when sectional hate has been laid aside,
when the South vies with the North oh
questions OF liberty and equality, all will be
changed. The historian may choose Wash