Francis Jackson Garrison, William Lloyd Garrison, 1805-1879; the story of his life told by his children: volume 3

‘ [24] of individual to associated action’ almost fatuous;¹ and especially by the Transcendental wing, who pushed individualism to its furthest limits. Finally, some nonresistants were alarmed for their consistency when² submitting to presidents, vice-presidents, and committees. In these currents of opinion Mr. Garrison did not lose his head. At the Middlesex County Anti-Slavery Society's quarterly meeting at Holliston on April 27, 1841, he drew the resolution which declared ‘That if “new³ organization” be in diametrical opposition to the genius of the anti-slavery enterprise, no-organization (as now advocated in certain quarters) would, in our opinion, be still more unphilosophical and pernicious in its tendencies.’ Yet a like resolution from his hand was staved off at the closely⁴ following New England Convention, under the lead of⁵ William Chace, who had imbibed most deeply what Abby Kelley called the ‘transcendental spirit,’ and who at⁶ Nantucket flatly proclaimed the anti-slavery organization ‘the greatest hindrance to the anti-slavery enterprise, because of its sectarianism,’ and hence called on abolitionists to shake the dust from their feet against it “when they called upon others to leave church organizations.” Lib. 11.147.⁷

George Bradburn wrote to Francis Jackson on June 1,⁸ 1841: “William Chace has gone to tilling the soil, deeming it a crime against God to get a living in any other way! This seems not less strange than his condemnation of associations.” Plain Speaker, 1.23. Chace had, however, a partner in⁹ husbandry, Christopher A. Greene, with whom he lived in a sort of community; and notable in this very year were