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

[171] hear or forbear. As Wendell Phillips once finely remarked— ‘God has not sent me into the world to abolish slavery, but to do my duty.’ It seems to me that our intercourse with our fellow-men will be to little benefit if we confine ourselves to the consideration of topics about which we are already agreed, or which are of a trivial character. Phrenologically speaking, my caution is large, and my combativeness not very active; and as I pay no regard whatever to the question of numbers, but everything to the question of right, I am not very forward in the work of proselytism.

I have received a very kind note from Francis Bishop, of¹ Exeter, in which he says, in relation to the coming of Douglass and myself to that place—I have spoken to several friends on the subject, and they all agree that a public meeting is most desirable. We have accordingly decided on having such a meeting on Friday evening, in the largest and best public room in Exeter. The people only want to know the facts of American slavery, to be heart and soul with you. I trust we shall form an auxiliary to the League in Exeter. Aug. 28, 1846. We are to meet with a select number of friends at Bishop's residence, tomorrow (Thursday) evening. Thus, you see, our way is fully² prepared before us.

Mr. Estlin thinks there ought to be an auxiliary to the League in Bristol. This will probably be agreed upon at the close of our meeting this evening. Thus far, everything here looks auspiciously.

Among other friendships cemented in Bristol on this³ visit was that with Mary Carpenter, the philanthropic daughter of the Rev. Lant Carpenter, famous in English Unitarian annals. To mingle much with this denomination abroad was a novel experience for Mr. Garrison. On September 10, 1846, he wrote to his wife: “Unitarianism is as odious in this country as ‘infidelity’ is in ours; but, thus far, those who have most zealously espoused my mission have been the Unitarians.” Ms.⁴