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Since I began this letter, I have been surrounded by a troop of anti-peace men, who have so hindered me by discussions
1 that my time allotted to fill this sheet has been consumed three or four times over—and it is now so dark that I must finish what I have got to say, in a very few words; for this letter must be dropped into the post-office without delay.
Mr. Quincy's adhesion to the new society was not long withheld.
2 In the meantime, as was inevitable, a larger and larger portion of the
Liberator was given up to the subject of peace, until at least half of the fourth page was regularly devoted to it. The editor had anticipated complaints by assuring the colored people that their
3 cause was not to be abandoned; but if not directly from them, from his white supporters and co-workers protests
4 began to be heard, in public and private, and subscribers to drop off. He made no secret of this, being ‘tenacious of principle, but reckless of patronage.’
Nor could he disguise from himself the larger bearing of his course upon those already estranged from him by the
Clerical Appeal.
From New York, for example, came this friendly admonition from
George Bourne, anxious to break a lance with him over the non-resistance doctrine, yet more anxious to have him see the impolicy of its advocacy:
I may as well mention, however, that I anticipate no peace5 from your Non-Resistance oppugnation!—and I hope I shall be deceived, but I foresee in it mischief to the anti-slavery cause.
I am aware that you judge differently, but I cannot evade the apprehension that another firebrand has been thrown into the
