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

The solitary issue of this ‘paper’ being industriously¹ circulated in England by Capt. Charles Stuart, Mr. Garrison was induced to give a very minute account of his entire business relations with Knapp, in a long letter to² Elizabeth Pease, from which an extract has been already made. The decisive fact appears, that, in less than three months after the transfer had been made, ‘Mr. Knapp failed in business, and conveyed all the property in his hands to his creditors,’ including his half-interest in the subscription-list of the Liberator. In the fall of 1841, Mr. Ellis Gray Loring effected a purchase of this³ interest for the sum of $25, in order to rid the paper of all embarrassment from a divided ownership. The refusal of this offer would have led to the issue of a new paper, on January 1, 1842, with the title of Garrison's Liberator; and the creditors, being informed of this, gladly consented to make a legal transfer to Mr. Garrison. Knapp's overtures to buy back his interest were of course not entertained.

‘After we separated,’ continues Mr. Garrison, in reference⁴ to the arrangement of 1839-1840,

I endeavored to stimulate Mr. Knapp to active exertions to retrieve his character, and promised to exert all my influence to aid him, if he would lead a sober and industrious life. I pointed out to him a mode in which I felt certain that he could do well for himself; and I assured him that all my friends were his friends, who would cheerfully contribute to his relief, provided he would only respect himself, and evince a disposition to work for a livelihood. Instead of listening to this advice, or to the friendly suggestions of others, he gave himself up to idleness, the use of strong drink, and even to gambling—often wandering about, not knowing where to find a place of rest at night—leaving his poor wife a prey to grief and shame—and making a complete wreck of himself. For a number of weeks I sheltered him and his wife under my roof—assisted him in other respects—and collected for him between thirty and forty dollars, from a few friends in a distant place; for, kindly disposed as were the anti-slavery friends in this region toward him, it was in vain to solicit aid from them so long as he gave himself to the intoxicating bowl and the gambling table. You perceive what returns