W. L. Garrison to Oliver Johnson.Boston, Jan. 19, 1861.1 It will be a fortnight, to-morrow, since I have been out-ofdoors. I have had a very severe cold, or succession of colds (for I am growing more and more susceptible to such attacks), and a slow fever hanging about me; and, though the latter seems to be broken up, I am still weak, so as to make any effort burdensome. It is on this account I have not replied to your letter, giving me an extract from Mary Ann's,2 relative to her vision of a plot in embryo for a murderous assault upon our dear and noble friend, Wendell Phillips. I thought it best, on the whole, to say nothing to him about it; but that his precious life is in very great danger, in consequence of the malignity felt and expressed against him in this city since the John Brown meeting, there is no doubt among us. Hence, we are quite sure of a mobocratic outbreak at our annual meeting on Thursday and Friday3 next; and, though some of us may be exposed to personal violence, Phillips will doubtless be the object of special vengeance. The new mayor, Wightman, is bitterly opposed to us, refuses to4 give us any protection, and says if there is any disturbance, he will arrest our speakers, together with the Trustees of Tremont Temple! What a villain! I should not wonder if blood should be shed on the occasion, for there will be a resolute body of men present, determined to maintain liberty of speech. Whether an attempt will be made to break up the A. S. Festival at Music Hall, on Wednesday evening, remains to be seen. But all will5 work well in the end. Phillips is to speak at the Music Hall to-morrow forenoon,6 before Mr. Parker's congregation, and another violent demonstration is anticipated. Mayor Wightman refuses to order the police to be present to preserve order. This makes the personal peril of Phillips greater than it was before. . . . Dark as the times are, beyond them all is light. I would have nothing changed; for this is God's judgment-day with our guilty nation, which really deserves to be visited with civil and
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the Hour,’ on January 20; and for weeks it was deemed necessary to guard his home with volunteer defenders from among the young men of the congregation.
W. L. Garrison to Oliver Johnson.
The Century Company. , 1885-1889.
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