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

[125] did not think that objection could be [made] to our attending the meeting, as all abolitionists are always considered as members of every A. S. Society whose meetings they will take the trouble to attend, and especially in New Hampshire, as Rogers had always disclaimed any territorial divisions of Abolition, and, no longer ago than when French stopped the paper last June, had declared that Anti-Slavery knows no State lines, ‘Anti-Slavery knows no New Hampshire!’ So to the meeting we went, and the result you will find in the Standard ¹ Liberator. . . .

We went home in hopes that Rogers would advise French to agree to the fair offers of the Board, which were, to place the paper on the footing on which it was always understood by everybody to stand, until he removed the Society's name from the imprint—i. e., Rogers to be editor, he to be printer, the Society to be owner; the object of maintaining the ownership by the Board being to retain in the hands of the abolitionists of the State the appointment of editor, in case of Rogers's death or resignation—this being a responsibility not to be left in the hands of an irresponsible young man, even if they had better reason to think well of his judgment than they had. There was no disposition to control R. while he remained² editor. These hopes have been disappointed, but we are satisfied that we have done all that could be done for the amicable adjustment of affairs ...

All our sympathies and affections were with Rogers. The N. H. Board we did not personally know. Foster, though we thought well of him as a faithful abolitionist, was no pet and darling as Rogers had ever been. All our prejudices and feelings were in Rogers's favor; and yet, in looking into the matter, we could come to but one conclusion, that he and French were entirely wrong in this matter, and Foster and³ the Board entirely right. If the statement of this opinion has alienated Rogers from us personally, and made, him abandon the cause, sorry as we are for it we cannot help it, and could not have done otherwise, could we have foreseen the end from the beginning. It was truly the cutting off the right hand and plucking out the right eye.

Garrison has behaved nobly in this whole transaction. Though Rogers was dearer to him than a brother, still he has⁴ not flinched from doing what duty seemed to require of him, and he has certainly done it in the tenderest and most forbearing manner. He has felt deeply Rogers's taunts of his (G.'s)⁵