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

[365] infused into their veins!)—swore that Oxford ‘ought to be strung up, without judge or jury, and cut in pieces,’ in true Lynch-law style—the whole ‘nigger race’ made to suffer for so foul an act, ay, and all those who are disposed to act as their advocates! I have seldom seen so horrid an exhibition of fiendish exultation and murderous malignity.

It was useless, of course, to attempt to argue the matter, especially as some of them were none the better for strong drink. Why it is any worse for a colored man or boy to perpetrate a crime than for a white one, I have never been able to understand. I ventured to remind one of the most violent, who was in favor of killing Oxford instanter, without any trial, that the law presumed every person to be innocent until he is proved to be guilty, and that it was possible, nay probable, that the lad was deranged;¹ but he scouted it all, and declared that it was not possible that he could be insane. O no! Because he had some colored blood in his veins! For a colored person, who does wrong, to be insane at the time, is an impossibility!

More was made of this affair because bros. Grosvenor, Rogers and myself were known to be abolitionists, on our way to attend the World's Convention. Poor creatures! they know not what they do. Their hearts are full of the spirit of murder, while they are professing to be horror-struck in view of an attempt to commit murder. . . . One of them said that he should not have cared if it had been an attempt to assassinate Daniel O'Connell! They all cordially detest O'Connell, because he is an ‘agitator’ and an ‘abolitionist.’ . . .

Tuesday morning, 11 o'clock.

² Safely arrived at Liverpool! Laus Deo! I feel very grateful for all the mercies that have been vouchsafed to us on our passage. We are all now grouped together in the Custom House, waiting to have our trunks examined. I have just heard that all our anti-slavery friends who preceded us, have arrived, and are now in London. We shall be there to-morrow afternoon, Deo volente! O for an opportunity to obtain rest—rest—rest!