Francis Jackson Garrison, William Lloyd Garrison, 1805-1879; the story of his life told by his children: volume 2

The Lynn resolutions against a Third Party found a special motive in the call for another convention to¹ nominate Presidential candidates (again at Albany) on April 1, which had emanated from an anti-slavery convention held at Arcade, N. Y., a week after the Massachusetts annual meeting. The date was obviously fixed in anticipation of the annual meeting of the American Society in New York City. The following letter reveals the struggle going on for the possession of the State anti-slavery organization, in the region inhabited by the chief promoters of the political enterprise:

Henry C. Wright to George W. Benson.

Cato, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Feb. 20, 1840.

² I am in an anti-slavery convention. All is bustle and noise around. Discussion about Ministers, Church, and politicians. Many excited. To discuss the character of political candidates seems the great object of Myron Holley, Gerrit Smith, Wm. L. Chaplin³ and others, but the great body of the Abolitionists are sound. The State Society is defunct, because its President, Agent, and Committee are all turned politicians, and the people are determined not to be gulled into a political party. It is evident that the Committee, H. B. Stanton, Birney and others in New York are determined to organize a great political party, to regenerate the Government. They made the first onset upon Massachusetts. Defeated there, they formed a political party there—Abolition Society. Then they got up the Albany Convention. Defeated there, the meeting at Cleveland⁴ was called. Defeated there, they have made an onset on Western New York,⁵ and are determined to convert this State Society into a political party, or have a New Organization