Francis Jackson Garrison, William Lloyd Garrison, 1805-1879; the story of his life told by his children: volume 4

[118] was saved from final defeat by a motion to reconsider, which carried it over to the winter session. Thanks to the untiring exertions of Senator Sumner, the long spring session did not end until the Fugitive Slave Laws of 1793 and 1850 had both been swept from the statute-books.¹ One of the obstacles he encountered was reported in the following private note:

Charles Sumner to W. L. Garrison.

Senate chamber,² 23d April, 1864.

dear Mr. Garrison:

You will see what has occurred in the Senate. We were on the point of passing a little bill repealing ‘all acts or parts of acts’ for the surrender of fugitive slaves, when John Sherman of Ohio interfered to keep alive the old act of 1793; and Foster³ of Connecticut has followed with an elaborate speech vindicating the atrocity.

The vote in favor of slave-hunting stood 24 to 17, including ten Republicans in the majority.⁴ If the anti-slavery sentiment had not become so sluggish, this could not have taken place. Cannot you help to revive it? The practical measures are to clean the statute-book of all support of slavery.

Ever yours,

Charles Sumner.

Not only was the repeal of both laws secured by Mr. Sumner, but through his efforts the coastwise slave-trade, which Mr. Garrison had earned his prison-cell by denouncing in 1830, was abolished, and the exclusion of colored witnesses from United States Courts prohibited. No less cheering than these gains was the action of the newlyreconstructed States of Arkansas and Louisiana, in adopting free Constitutions, the former by popular vote, and the latter by a Constitutional Convention; but in both cases