Record Data
Source citation
William Lloyd Garrison, “To the Public,” Boston (MA) Liberator, January 1, 1831, p. 1.
Newspaper: Publication
Boston Liberator
Newspaper: Headline
To the Public
Newspaper: Page(s)
1
Type
Newspaper
Date Certainty
Exact
Transcriber
Joanne Williams, Dickinson College
Transcription date
Transcription
The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original.
In the month of August, I issued proposals for publishing ‘THE LIBERATOR’ in Washington city; but the enterprise, though hailed in different sections of the country, was palsied by public indifference. Since that time, the removal of the Genius of Universal Emancipation to the Seat of Government has rendered less imperious the establishment of similar periodical in that quarter.
During my recent tour for the purpose of exciting the minds of the people by a series of discourses on the subject of slavery, every place that I visited gave fresh evidence of the fact, that a great revolution in public sentiment was to be effected in the free states- and particularly in New England- than at the south. I found contempt more bitter, opposition more active, detraction more relentless, prejudice more stubborn, and apathy more frozen, than among slave owners themselves. Of course, there were individual exceptions to the contrary. This state of things afflicted, but did not dishearten me. I determined, at every hazard, to lift up the standard of emancipation in the eyes of the nation, within sight of Bunker Hill and in the birth place of liberty. That standard is now unfurled; and long may it float, unhurt by the spoliations of time or the missiles of a desperate foe- yea, till every chain be broken, and every bondman set free! Let southern oppressors tremble- let their secret abettors tremble- let their northern apologists tremble- let all the enemies of the persecuted blacks tremble.
I deem the publication of my original Prospectus* unnecessary, as it has obtained a wide circulation. The principles therein inculcated will be steadily pursued in this paper, excepting that I shall not array myself as the political partisan of any man. In defending the great cause of human rights, I wish to derive the assistance of all religions and of all parties.
Assenting to the ‘self-evident truth’ maintained in the American Declaration of Independence, ‘that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights—among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,’ I shall strenuously contend for the immediate enfranchisement of our slave population. In Park-street Church, on the Fourth of July, 1829, in an address on slavery, I unreflectingly assented to the popular but pernicious doctrine of gradual abolition. I seized this opportunity to make a full and unequivocal recantation, and thus publicly to ask pardon of my God, of my country, and of my brethren the poor slaves, for having shared a sentiment so full of timidity, injustice and absurdity. A similar recantation, from my pen, was published in the Genius of Universal Emancipation at Baltimore, in September, 1829. My conscience is now satisfied.
I am aware, that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house in on fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen;--but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest—I will not equivocate—I will not excuse—I will not retreat a single inch—AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.
It is pretended, that I am retarding the cause of emancipation be the coarseness of my invective, and the precipitancy of my measures. The charge is not true. On this question my influence, --humble as it is,--is felt at this moment to a considerable extent, and shall be felt in the coming years---not perniciously, but beneficially—not as a curse, but as a blessing; and posterity will bear testimony that I was right. I desire to thank God, that he enables me to disregard ‘the fear of man which bringeth a snare,’ and to speak his truth in its simplicity and power. And here I close with this fresh dedication:
‘Oppression! I have seen thee, face to face,
And met thy cruel eye and cloudy brow;
But they soul-withering glance I fear not now-
For dread to prouder feelings doth give place
Of deep abhorrence! Scorning the disgrace
Of slavish knees that at they footstool bow,
I also kneel-but with far other vow
Do hail thee and they herd of hirelings base:-
I sear, while life-blood warms my throbbing veins,
Still to oppose and thwart, with heart and hand,
They brutalizing sway-till Africa’s chains
Are burst, and Freedom rules the rescued land,-
Trampling Opression and his iron rod:
Such is the vow I take- SO HELP ME GOD!’
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON.
Boston, January 1, 1831.
________
* I would here offer my grateful acknowledgements to those editors who so promptly and generously inserted my Proposals. They must give me an available opportunity to repay their liberality.
During my recent tour for the purpose of exciting the minds of the people by a series of discourses on the subject of slavery, every place that I visited gave fresh evidence of the fact, that a great revolution in public sentiment was to be effected in the free states- and particularly in New England- than at the south. I found contempt more bitter, opposition more active, detraction more relentless, prejudice more stubborn, and apathy more frozen, than among slave owners themselves. Of course, there were individual exceptions to the contrary. This state of things afflicted, but did not dishearten me. I determined, at every hazard, to lift up the standard of emancipation in the eyes of the nation, within sight of Bunker Hill and in the birth place of liberty. That standard is now unfurled; and long may it float, unhurt by the spoliations of time or the missiles of a desperate foe- yea, till every chain be broken, and every bondman set free! Let southern oppressors tremble- let their secret abettors tremble- let their northern apologists tremble- let all the enemies of the persecuted blacks tremble.
I deem the publication of my original Prospectus* unnecessary, as it has obtained a wide circulation. The principles therein inculcated will be steadily pursued in this paper, excepting that I shall not array myself as the political partisan of any man. In defending the great cause of human rights, I wish to derive the assistance of all religions and of all parties.
Assenting to the ‘self-evident truth’ maintained in the American Declaration of Independence, ‘that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights—among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,’ I shall strenuously contend for the immediate enfranchisement of our slave population. In Park-street Church, on the Fourth of July, 1829, in an address on slavery, I unreflectingly assented to the popular but pernicious doctrine of gradual abolition. I seized this opportunity to make a full and unequivocal recantation, and thus publicly to ask pardon of my God, of my country, and of my brethren the poor slaves, for having shared a sentiment so full of timidity, injustice and absurdity. A similar recantation, from my pen, was published in the Genius of Universal Emancipation at Baltimore, in September, 1829. My conscience is now satisfied.
I am aware, that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house in on fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen;--but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest—I will not equivocate—I will not excuse—I will not retreat a single inch—AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.
It is pretended, that I am retarding the cause of emancipation be the coarseness of my invective, and the precipitancy of my measures. The charge is not true. On this question my influence, --humble as it is,--is felt at this moment to a considerable extent, and shall be felt in the coming years---not perniciously, but beneficially—not as a curse, but as a blessing; and posterity will bear testimony that I was right. I desire to thank God, that he enables me to disregard ‘the fear of man which bringeth a snare,’ and to speak his truth in its simplicity and power. And here I close with this fresh dedication:
‘Oppression! I have seen thee, face to face,
And met thy cruel eye and cloudy brow;
But they soul-withering glance I fear not now-
For dread to prouder feelings doth give place
Of deep abhorrence! Scorning the disgrace
Of slavish knees that at they footstool bow,
I also kneel-but with far other vow
Do hail thee and they herd of hirelings base:-
I sear, while life-blood warms my throbbing veins,
Still to oppose and thwart, with heart and hand,
They brutalizing sway-till Africa’s chains
Are burst, and Freedom rules the rescued land,-
Trampling Opression and his iron rod:
Such is the vow I take- SO HELP ME GOD!’
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON.
Boston, January 1, 1831.
________
* I would here offer my grateful acknowledgements to those editors who so promptly and generously inserted my Proposals. They must give me an available opportunity to repay their liberality.
