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in January, 1841, Abby Kelley moved that he again go1 forth and meet his detractors.
Accepting this commission impersonally, he labored for the cause in a great number of towns in eastern Massachusetts, in Connecticut, in New Hampshire, with the annual May visit to New York, and an excursion, with N. P. Rogers, to Philadelphia.
Edmund Quincy made good his editorial delinquencies, and, on the return of Collins, himself also2 turned lecturer.
Collins's absence was, to the friends at home, unaccountably prolonged, and the most urgent private and official3 appeals to him to come back to his post, which no one else could fill, were disappointed.
Month after month the date of his sailing was postponed; and, what with two visits to Ireland, the publication of a controversial pamphlet,4 and the confirmation of the Scotch alliance with the old organization, summer overtook him before he felt free to rejoin his associates in America.
He crossed in the same steamer with the Phillipses, arriving5 July 17, 1841, ten days after the Chapmans had returned67 from Hayti.8 Great was the rejoicing over this reunion, which was signalized by a formal reception.9 The family10
3 Ms. Apr. 1, 1841, W. L. G. and E. G. Loring to Collins.
4 “Right and Wrong among the Abolitionists of the United States: or, the Objects, Principles, and Measures of the Original American A. S. Society Unchanged. By John A. Collins, Representative of the A. A. S. S. Glasgow: Geo. Gallie, 1841” (Lib. 11: 77, 138). This was begun, with the aid of Elizabeth Pease, in the latter part of January, and was out by the third week in March (Mss. Feb. 2, 1841, E. Pease to W. L. G., and Mar. 24, to Collins).
5 July 4, 1841.
7 III.
8 They had embarked for the island on Dec. 28, 1840 (Lib. 11: 3), for the sake of Mr. Henry G. Chapman's health, which was only temporarily benefited.
9 In the evening there was a collation given by the colored people. ‘Garrison,’ wrote Wendell Phillips to Elizabeth Pease (Ms. Aug. 26, 1841), ‘was in fine vein-witty and fluent; his wife's eyes worth a queen's dowry. Miss Southwick and I were tied to a Haytian to speak bad French to him, as he could talk only [to] two beside ourselves. Bradburn and W. L. G. brightened each other by their retorts. Said Himes, alluding modestly to his wish to be always acting, though only effecting a little, “ I am but a cipher, but I keep always on the slate.” “ Yes,” said W. L. G., “ and always on the right side.” [S. J.] May, whose extra care to be candid led some new-organized ones to fancy he was going to join them, took occasion to explain his position. Said he: “One asked me the other day if I was going to Chardon-St. Chapel [i. e., to the reception to Phillips and Collins]. —Yes.—Why, Mr. May, I heard you were leaving the old party.—Who told you so?—Many people.—Well,” said Samuel, “ when I am going to be myself the first to tell it. When I leave W. L. G., I'll tell him so first.” Good, was it not? You'd say so if you had seen the noble, calm, wholesouled speaker.’
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