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

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W. L. Garrison to his Wife.

New Lyme [Ohio], Aug. 20, 1847.

¹ On our way to this place, we stopped on Monday night at² a tavern in Hartford, a place settled originally by emigrants from Hartford, Ct.³ In the evening, a lecture was advertised to be given on Phonography by a Mr. Alexander (an abolitionist), in the meeting-house. Before the meeting, the lecturer and a deputation of persons waited upon me, and urged me to go over and address the assembly at least for a few minutes, as there was a great curiosity to see me. I complied with their request, and spoke about fifteen minutes in favor of Phonography, and thus enabled the good folks to take a peep at the ‘elephant,’ but without his ‘trunk.’

On Tuesday afternoon, we arrived at this little village, the⁴ place selected for holding our grand convocation in this State⁵ —the anniversary of the Western Anti-Slavery Society. Just after our arrival, a very severe rain-storm ensued, accompanied with heavy thunder and vivid lightning. It was well for our clothes, if not for our skins, that we escaped it. A great change in the weather at once took place, and the next day it was so⁶ cold that I wanted to be sitting by a rousing fire to feel comfortable. The clouds were dark and lowering, and it rained more or less frequently during the day. Our great tent, capable of holding four thousand persons, which was put up the day before, was blown down by the wind during the night, and, as it was thoroughly saturated with the rain, it required considerable effort to erect it again.

Notwithstanding the unpropitious state of the weather, at an early hour vehicles of various descriptions began to pour into the place in great numbers. A small meeting-house or academy, close to the tent, was occupied by the Ladies' Fair, which I have, as yet, not found time to visit; but, for want of good management, I am told it is not likely to realize any considerable amount of funds for the cause, though I believe they have a good variety of articles. We held two meetings in the tent on the first day, which were attended by a large concourse, among⁷ them some of the choicest friends of our cause in the land— ay, and choicest women, too. Messrs. Giddings and Tilden,⁸ members of Congress, who have nobly battled for freedom in that body, were also present. After the organization of the