Francis Jackson Garrison, William Lloyd Garrison, 1805-1879; the story of his life told by his children: volume 2

‘ [295] long article, blowing up the non-resistance abolitionists.¹ It is unfair, unmanly, and proscriptive, and shows that there is to be a desperate struggle this week at New York. I anticipate a breaking up of our whole organization. But my mind is calm and peaceful. The Lord of hosts is my rock and refuge.’

Birney's letter was nicely calculated for effect on the approaching meeting, leaving no opportunity for rejoinder, and was entitled, ‘View of the Constitution of the American A. S. Society as connected with the “No-Government” Question.’ It argued that political action through the ballot-box was involved in the avowed aim of the Society to determine Congressional legislation. Such action was inexpedient while membership was small, but now that it had become numerous, and the time had come to form an anti-slavery party, a new sect had arisen with a religious obligation not to vote. The exercise of force was denied alike to governments and parents—a doctrine which struck at the root of the social structure, and tended ‘to renew, under the sanction of religion, scenes of anarchy and license that have generally before been the offspring of the rankest infidelity and irreligion.’ The new sect held their views to be in harmony with the Constitution of the Society, and denounced ‘any interpretation of that instrument which would prove them unqualified for membership, and, therefore, throw on them the duty of retiring from the Society.’ The Society would, nevertheless, construe its Constitution for itself, and pay no heed to the mandate or the menace of any of its members. It had no power to inspect or expel them, but left it to their integrity and self-respect to retire or to move an alteration of the Constitution. There could be no harmony with them in the same organization. Birney showed the absurdity of non-voters petitioning Congress, or urging others to vote. He would not trample on conscientious scruples, but if the Constitution required members to vote, they were justly bound to do so, or the provision was nullified.