|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Liberator: "To the
Public"
From The Liberator
January 1, 1831
To the Public
In the month of August, I issued proposals for publishing "THE
LIBERATOR" in Washington city; but
the enterprise, though hailed in different sections of the country, was
palsied by public indifference. Since that time, the removal of the
Genius of Universal Emancipation [Benjamin Lundy's anti-slavery
newspaper] to the Seat of Government has rendered less imperious the
establishment of a similar periodical in that quarter.
During my recent tour for the purpose of exciting the minds of the
people by a series of discourses on the subject of slavery, every place
that I visited gave fresh evidence of the fact, that a greater
revolution in public sentiment was to be effected in the free states -- and
particularly in New-England -- than at the south. I found contempt
more bitter, opposition more active, detraction more relentless,
prejudice more stubborn, and apathy more frozen, than among slave owners
themselves. Of course, there were individual exceptions to the contrary.
This state of things afflicted, but did not dishearten me. I determined,
at every hazard, to lift up the standard of emancipation in the eyes of
the nation, within sight of Bunker Hill and in the birth place of
liberty. That standard is now unfurled; and long may it float,
unhurt by the spoliations of time or the missiles of a desperate foe --
yea, till every chain be broken, and every bondman set free! Let
southern oppressors tremble -- let their secret abettors tremble -- let
their northern apologists tremble -- let all the enemies of the
persecuted blacks tremble.
I deem the publication of my original Prospectus unnecessary, as it has
obtained a wide circulation. The principles therein inculcated will be
steadily pursued in this paper, excepting that I shall not array myself
as the political partisan of any man. In defending the great cause of
human rights, I wish to derive the assistance of all religions and of
all parties.
Assenting to the "self-evident truth" maintained in the
American Declaration of Independence, "that all men are created
equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights --
among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," I
shall strenuously contend for the immediate enfranchisement of our slave
population. In Park-street Church, on the Fourth of July, 1829, in an
address on slavery, I unreflectingly assented to the popluar but
pernicious doctrine of gradual abolition. I seize this opportunity to
make a full and unequivocal recantation, and thus publicly to ask pardon
of my God, of my country, and of my brethren the poor slaves, for having
uttered a sentiment so full of timidity, injustice and absurdity. A
similar recantation, from my pen, was published in the Genius of
Universal Emancipation at Baltimore, in September, 1829. My consicence
in now satisfied.
I am aware, that many object to the severity of my language; but is
there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as
uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or
speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on
fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife
from the hand of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate
her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; -- but urge me not to
use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest -- I will
not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch
-- AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people
is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the
resurrection of the dead.
It is pretended, that I am retarding the cause of emancipation by the
coarseness of my invective, and the precipitancy of my measures. The
charge is not true. On this question my influence, -- humble as it
is, -- is felt at this moment to a considerable extent, and shall be
felt in coming years -- not perniciously, but beneficially -- not as a
curse, but as a blessing; and posterity will bear testimony that I was
right. I desire to thank God, that he enables me to disregard "the
fear of man which bringeth a snare," and to speak his truth in its
simplicity and power. And here I close with this fresh dedication:
Oppression! I have seen thee, face to face,
And met thy cruel eye and cloudy brow;
But thy soul-withering glance I fear not now --
For dread to prouder feelings doth give place
Of deep abhorrence! Scorning the disgrace
Of slavish knees that at thy footstool bow,
I also kneel -- but with far other vow
Do hail thee and thy hord of hirelings base: --
I swear, while life-blood warms my throbbing veins,
Still to oppose and thwart, with heart and hand,
Thy brutalising sway -- till Afric's chains
Are burst, and Freedom rules the rescued land, --
Trampling Oppression and his iron rod:
Such is the vow I take -- SO HELP ME GOD!
William Lloyd Garrison
Copyright ?11/94 by Bedford Books/St. Martin's Press.
Inc.
From: William Lloyd Garrison and the Fight Against...
By: Cain
Reproduced by permission of St. Martin's Press, Inc. |
|
|
Through his newspaper, The Liberator, William Lloyd Garrison
spoke out against slavery and for the rights of black Americans for 35
years. The tone of the paper was established in the first issue of the
paper with Garrison's editorial entitled, "To the Public," in which he
made the bold statement that he would "strenuously contend for the
immediate enfranchisement of our slave population." In other words,
not only would he crusade for the emancipation of slaves, he would
also work to give freed slaves citizenship with the right to vote. And
he would do so with determination. . .
On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak,
or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on
fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his
wife from the hand of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually
extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; -- but
urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in
earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not
retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE
HEARD.
Garrison, a leader among
American abolitionists, delivered his views with great conviction, as
well as great foresight. "Posterity," he concluded in the editorial,
"will bear testimony that I was right." |
[ 홈 ] [ Biography of Garrison ] [ Non-Resistant ] [ Garrison the Non-Resistant ] [ Life of Frederick Douglass Prefaced by Garrison ] [ Letter to Garrison from Harriet Beecher Stowe ] [ To The Public ] [ Walker's Appeal ] [ Frederick Douglass ] [ About Garrison ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
