MS.

"We had an exceedingly interesting meeting yesterday afternoon and evening, at the house of Rev. Theodore Parker, in this city. He styled it, in his notes of invitation, a 'Council of Reformers,' and the object was to discuss the general principles of Reform, and the best means of promoting it. Let me give you the names of some of those present — Ralph Waldo Emerson, Amos B. Alcott, William Henry Channing, James F. Clarke, William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Edmund Quincy, Mrs. M. W. Chapman, Mrs. Follen, James and Lucretia Mott and daughter of Philadelphia, Caleb Stetson, John L. Russell, Francis Jackson, Charles Sumner, Samuel G. Howe, E. H. Chapin, Joshua P. Blanchard, Samuel E. Coues of Portsmouth, Elizur Wright, Jr., Walter Channing. I have not yet given all the names. It was a matter of deep interest even to see this collection of the men alive of our neighborhood and day. From 4 to 10 P. M., with a short interval for tea, a most spirited conversation was held on all the great Reform subjects of the day. I am more than ever convinced that the Anti-Slavery Reform carries all others with it, and that its triumph will be theirs."

Mr. Garrison set out from Boston on the 2d of August, Lib. 17:122. 1847. With the utmost disinterestedness, Edmund Quincy had again assumed the charge of conducting the Liberator in his absence, neither of them foreseeing how long a time would elapse before the editor could resume his chair. May, and worthy to be such; a graduate of Harvard College in the class of 1829 with Wm. Henry Channing, J. F. Clarke, and other men of national and world-wide reputation—had now become the General Agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society (Lib. 17: 94). This position he filled, with the greatest fidelity and self-abnegation, to the close of the anti-slavery struggle, to which no one brought richer gifts of integrity, humanity, culture - inherited and personal. "I was," he wrote to Miss Carpenter, July 15, 1851, "a 'birthright' Unitarian- grew up to think their ministers faultless men, almost-honest and fearless seekers for the truth and the right. I was for many years their fellow-laborer, admirer, and defender,and devoted to the Unitarian cause. My eyes opened very slowly to the defection and decline of the early Unitarian spirit. Many preceded me in their witness against the bigotry, narrowness, and worldliness which crept into and subjected the Unitarian body - till now, in its organized movement at least, it has become what I have already expressed ["a lifeless, soulless thing"]. It was with a great price - at a great sacrifice of feeling, ease, and social consideration (I may say this to you, which I would not wish to dwell upon at all) that I purchased my freedom from those chains of sectarianism; which I would not reassume this hour, if the whole world's wealth were the bribe to do so. I look now upon those chains with something like loathing” (MS.).

26, 1847, W. L. G. to G. W. Benson.

Nor, happily, could Mrs. Garrison realize that her husband, whose health latterly had been far from good, was taking MS. June leave of her at a risk surpassing that of the voyage to England the year before. The progress of his tour, in which he was to have the companionship of Frederick Douglass, can best be shown from his letters to her:

W. L. Garrison to his Wife.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 3, 1847.

MS.

A year ago, this day, I arrived in London, and was, there- Ante, p. 156. fore, at a distance of three thousand miles from you. Now I am in Philadelphia, some three hundred miles away. So far as separation is concerned, it is the same whether we are hundreds or thousands of miles apart; but then, as a matter of speedy return, it is a matter of very great consequence as to what the relative distance may be. I could be with you in less than twenty-four hours, if necessary- that is comforting.

Our trip from Norwich to New York was as serene and quiet as possible, where we arrived at 5 o'clock. At 9 o'clock, I crossed the ferry and took the cars for Philadelphia — arriving at 2 o'clock, J. M. McKim being at the wharf to escort me to the dear home of our beloved friends, James and Lucretia Mott, who gave me a warm reception, of course.

August 7.

Our three-days' meeting at Norristown closed last evening, and a famous time we have had of it. Every day, two or three hundred of our friends from Philadelphia came up in the cars, and the meetings were uniformly crowded by an array of men and women who, for thorough-going anti-slavery spirit and solidity of character, are not surpassed by any in the world. Douglass arrived on the second day, and was justly the "lion" of the occasion, though a considerable number participated in the discussions; our friend Lucretia Mott speaking with excellent propriety and effect. Thomas Earle was present to annoy us, as usual. Our meetings were not molested in any manner, excepting one evening when Douglass and I held a meeting after dark, when a few panes of glass were broken by some rowdy boys while D. was speaking. It was a grand meeting, nevertheless, and the house crowded with a noble auditory to the end. The meetings will have a powerful effect in the prose

Aug. 2-3.

Aug. 3.

MS., and Lib. 17: 135.

10th annual meeting E. Penn. A. S. S.

Aug. 5.

Lib. 17:137.

CHAP. VII. 1847.

cution of our cause for the coming year. It was worth a trip from Boston to Norristown merely to look at those who assembled on the occasion. I regret that I have as yet found no time to write a sketch of this anniversary for the Liberator. As Sydney Lib. 17:137, H. Gay was present, both the Standard and Pennsylvania Freeman must be referred to for an account of it, prior to any that I shall be able to make of it.

147.

MS., and Lib. 17:135 Aug. 7.

This morning, we leave in the cars for Harrisburg, which, though the capital of the State, is very much under the influence of Slavery. I do not anticipate a quiet meeting, but we shall bear our testimony boldly, nevertheless.

W. L. Garrison to his Wife.

HARRISBURG, Aug. 9, 1847. On Saturday morning, Douglass and I bade farewell to our kind friends in Philadelphia, and took the cars for this place, a distance of 106 miles. Before we started, an incident occurred which evinced something of that venomous pro-slavery spirit which pervades the public sentiment in proportion as you approach the borders of the slave States. There is no distinction made at Philadelphia in the cars on account of complexion, though colored persons usually sit near the doors. Douglass took a seat in one of the back cars before I arrived; and, while quietly looking out at the window, was suddenly accosted in a slave-driving tone, and ordered to "get out of that seat," by a man who had a lady with him, and who might have claimed the right to eject any other passenger for his accommodation with as much propriety. Douglass quietly replied, that if he would make his demand in the form of a gentlemanly request, he would readily vacate his seat. His lordly commander at once laid violent hands upon him, and dragged him out. Douglass submitted to this outrage unresistingly, but told his assailant that he behaved like a bully, and therefore precluded him (D.) from meeting him with his own weapons. The only response of the other was, that he would knock D.'s teeth down his throat if he repeated the charge. The name of this man was soon ascertained to be John A. Fisher of Harrisburg, a lawyer; and the only palliation (if it be one) that I hear offered for his conduct is, that he was undoubtedly under the influence of intoxicating liquor. This was a foretaste of the violence to be experienced on our attempting to lecture here, and which I anticipated even before I left Boston.

1847.

Aug. 7.

Though the cars (compared with our Eastern ones) look as if CHAP. VII. they were made a century ago, and are quite uncomfortable, yet the ride was far from being irksome, on account of the allpervading beauty and opulence of the country through which we passed, so far as a fine soil and natural scenery are concerned. We passed through the counties of Philadelphia, Chester, Lancaster, and a portion of Dauphin, and, through the whole distance, saw but a single spot that reminded us of our rocky New England. Arriving at 3 o'clock, we found at the depot, awaiting our coming, Dr. Rutherford, an old subscriber to the Liberator, and his sister-in-law, Agnes Crane, both of them true and faithful to the anti-slavery cause in the midst of a perverse and prejudiced people; and also several of our colored friends, Lib. 17: 122. with one of whom (Mr. Wolf, an intelligent and worthy man) Douglass went home, having previously engaged to do so; while I went with Dr. Rutherford, and received a cordial welcome from his estimable lady.

W. W.

Rutherford.

The Court House had been obtained for us for Saturday and Aug. 7, 8. Sunday evenings. Hitherto, nearly all the anti-slavery lecturers have failed to gather any considerable number together; but, on this occasion, we had the room filled, some of the most respectable citizens being present. At an early period of the evening, before the services commenced, it was evident that mischief was brewing and an explosion would ultimately follow. I first addressed the meeting, and was listened to, not only without molestation, but with marked attention and respect, though my remarks were stringent, and my accusations severe. As soon, however, as Douglass rose to speak, the spirit of rowdyism began to show itself outside of the building, around the door and windows. It was the first time that a "nigger" had attempted to address the people of Harrisburg in public, and it was regarded by the mob as an act of unparalleled audacity. They knew nothing at all of Douglass, except that he was a "nigger." They came equipped with rotten eggs and brickbats, firecrackers, and other missiles, and made use of them somewhat freely-breaking panes of glass, and soiling the clothes of some who were struck by the eggs. One of these bespattered my head and back somewhat freely. Of course there was a great deal of yelling and shouting, and of violent exclamation— such as, "Out with the damned nigger," etc., etc. The audience at first manifested considerable alarm, but I was enabled to obtain a silent hearing for a few moments, when I told the meeting that if this was a specimen of Harrisburg decorum

CHAP. VII. and love of liberty, instead of wasting our breath upon the place, we should turn our backs upon it, shaking off the dust of our feet, etc., etc.

1847.

W. L. Garrison to his Wife.

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 12, 1847.

MS.

Thursday
A.M.

Aug. 9.

Aug. 8.

Aug. 9.

I endeavored to complete a letter for you at Harrisburg, before leaving for this place on Monday morning, but was able to write only a portion of one before it was time to be at the depot. In my perplexity, not knowing what else to do, I requested a colored friend to finish my letter, explaining to you the reason why he did so, and put it into the post-office. He promised to do so, and I hope was faithful to his promise. As I left off, just as I was giving you the particulars of the rowdyish outbreak at our meeting at H., I requested Mr. Brown to mention that no attempt was made to molest me, and that Douglass escaped without any serious injury, although he was struck in the back by a stone, and a brickbat just grazed his head. All the venom of the rowdies seemed to be directed against him, as they were profoundly ignorant of his character. .

On Sunday forenoon and afternoon, we addressed our colored friends in their meeting-house at H., at which a number of white ones were also present. The meetings were crowded, and a most happy time we had indeed. Not the slightest molestation was offered.

On Monday, we left Harrisburg in the cars for Chambersburg, a distance of fifty-four miles. On arriving, to our serious regret we found that the ticket which Douglass obtained at H. for Pittsburgh enabled him to go directly through in the 2 o'clock stage, while I should be compelled to wait until 8 o'clock (it proved to be 11 o'clock) in the evening. This was annoying and unpleasant in the extreme. Douglass had a hard time of it, after we parted. The route over the Allegheny mountains, although a very beautiful and sublime one, is a very slow and difficult one, and, with a crowded stage, in a melting hot day, is quite overpowering. It seemed to me almost interminable—almost equal to a trip across the Atlantic. Lib. 17:149. Douglass was not allowed to sit at the eating-table, on the way, and for two days and nights scarcely tasted a morsel of food. O, what brutality! Only think of it, and then of the splendid reception given to him in all parts of Great Britain! On his arriving at Pittsburgh, however, a different reception awaited