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

[210] and regard for our brethren in America, and make us perpetually friends? (Loud cheers.)

Well, I have my own faults to acknowledge in this respect, because I certainly thought, when the Slave States of America endeavored to establish their independence, and at the same time to continue and perpetuate the institution of slavery, that the Northern States ought at once to have proclaimed not only their own abhorrence, but the abolition and destruction, of slavery. Distance and want of knowledge of the circumstances of America made me fall into error in that respect. (Hear, hear.) I was afterwards convinced by the distinguished man who represents the United States in this country—I mean Mr. Adams—I was convinced by him in frequent conversations we had on the subject, that I had not rendered due justice to President Lincoln, who was the friend of freedom, and not only the friend, but ultimately the martyr of freedom. (Cheers.) I now, therefore, acknowledge that the task which the Government of the United States had to perform was a totally different task, and a much more difficult one, than we had ourselves to perform when, more than thirty years ago, we abolished slavery in our West India Islands; not having that slavery mixed with our domestic institutions; not having it involved and twined into all our relations, whether political or social; but merely looking upon it as a question for the mass of mankind, as an obligation imposed upon us by our adherence to Christianity, not as having what the United States had, the utmost difficulty in disentangling all the intricacies of the question, and prevailing upon men whose interests, and even their very existence, seemed bound up with it, to abandon their false gods. (Cheers.) Not having that difficulty before us, I did not do justice to the efforts made by the United States; but I am now persuaded that President Lincoln did all that it was possible to do, and that we are bound to give our tribute of admiration to the excellent policy which the President and his Government pursued, and which has resulted in the great consummation we see before us—the entire liberation of 4,000,000 of negro slaves from the bondage in which they were held. (Great cheering.)

I may well say, as my noble friend has just said, that all those animosities which prevailed some eighty years ago, between the people of this country and the people of the United States of America, have entirely disappeared from our breasts, and that on the 4th of July, which is approaching, we all of us