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power of love-and the abolition of slavery by the spirit of repentance.”
In the midst of the Boston mob he exhorted his friends not to resort to violence, and he expressed his regret that Lovejoy fell fighting.
The question of the moral character of war was much agitated about this time, and Garrison contended that if peace was invariably incumbent on nations, it must be no less so between individuals.
As was the custom of the day, a convention was called to consider non-resistance as the true basis of peace.
Some hundred and fifty delegates met in September, 1838, at Boston, and Garrison as usual dominated the deliberations, and drew up a declaration which was carried and afterwards signed by a large majority, and which he fondly hoped would “make a tremendous stir, not only in this country, but in time throughout the world.”
“Mankind shall hail the 20th of September with more exultation and gratitude than Americans now do the 4th of July.”
The document is a long one, but the salient paragraphs are as follows:
We cannot acknowledge allegiance to any human government; neither can we oppose any such government by a resort to physical force.
We recognize but one King and Lawgiver, one Judge and Ruler of mankind.
We are bound by the laws of a
Chicago: the Public Publishing Company, 1905.
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