[126] follow1—which clearly demonstrated, not so much that any merit belongs to me, as that the meeting was deeply and thoroughly saturated with “Garrisonism.” Indeed, there was a great deal too much said in my praise. If I did not know that I have nailed my natural vanity and love of human praise to the cross of Christ, such things would be likely to puff me up. But, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Christ, by whom I am crucified unto the world, and the world unto me.” It cannot but cheer my heart to know that I have secured the approbation and love of the best people in the land, because it has naturally followed my advocacy of a righteous though unpopular cause;2 but mere human applause is in itself no evidence of personal worth. At the State House, our meeting was thronged to excess. One of our daily papers estimates that not less than five thousand persons went away, being unable to obtain admittance! It was expected that our enemies would rally strongly on that occasion; but, as a test of the character and feelings of the audience, I will merely state that when Ellis Gray Loring, in the course of his speech, bestowed a strong panegyric upon my name,3 a burst of applause followed from every part of the house. When
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1 ‘Tremendous applause’ was given when an ex-slave, a native of Africa, after reciting some horrible tales from his experience, turned suddenly to Mr. Garrison with—‘Dat man is de Moses raised up for our deliverance’ (Lib. 7.22).
2 ‘Par justice, il [M. le duc de la Valliere] m'a honore d'une estime que j'ai meritee; car si l'amitie s'accorde, l'estime s'exige, et si l'une est un don, l'autre est une dette’ (Beaumarchais, Memoirs).
3 Mr. Loring had summarized the anti-slavery career of Clarkson, and then proceeded: ‘Posterity looks upon such men and deeds in a vastly different light from contemporaries. Five or six years ago, a poor and solitary individual of the working class came among us, with nothing to depend upon but his God and the native powers which God gave him. He raised the thrilling cry of immediate emancipation. His encouragement was at first small indeed. But the grand, the true, the vital idea of immediate freedom to the slave burned bright within him and supported him. He, too, at length, had his twelve associates, and the first Anti-Slavery Society was formed. From this small beginning, and owing mainly, I believe, under God, to the clear vision, the purity of character, the energy, and the intrepidity of that individual, our cause has advanced till it numbers 800 societies. An anti-slavery society has been formed in the United States every day for the last two years. There are 300 societies in the single State of Ohio, one of which numbers 4,000 members. Yet the individual who started this mighty movement, is rejected and scorned by the great and little vulgar of our day. No matter. Posterity will do justice to the name of William Lloyd Garrison’ (Lib. 7: 23).
The Century Company. , 1885-1889.
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