William Lloyd Garrison, the AbolitionistGrimké, Archibald Henry
History
William Lloyd Garrison, the Abolitionist
Grimké, Archibald Henry
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
them, and that man can apply physical force to man rightfully under no
circumstances, and not even the parent can apply the rod to the child,
and not be, in the sight of God, a trespasser and a tyrant."
Garrison embraced besides Perfectionism, a sort of political, moral, and
religious Come-outerism, and faith in "universal emancipation from sin."
His description of himself about this time as "an Ishmaelitish editor"
is not bad, nor his quotation of "Woe is me my mother! for I was born a
man of strife" as applicable to the growing belligerency of his
relations with the anti-slavery brethren in consequence of the new ideas
and isms, which were taking possession of his mind and occupying the
columns of the _Liberator_.
Among the strife-producers during this period of the anti-slavery
agitation, the woman's question played a principal part. Upon this as
upon the Sabbath question, Garrison's early position was one of extreme
conservatism. As late as 1830, he shared the common opinions in regard
to woman's sphere, and was strongly opposed to her stepping outside of
it into that occupied by man. A petition of seven hundred women of
Pittsburgh, Pa., to Congress in behalf of the Indians gave his masculine
prejudices a great shock. "This is, in our opinion," he declared, "an
uncalled for interference, though made with holiest intentions. We
should be sorry to have this practice become general. There would then
be no question agitated in Congress without eliciting the informal and
contrariant opinions of the softer sex." This top-lofty sentiment
accorded well with the customary assumption and swagger of one of the
lords of creation. For the young reformer was evidently a firm believer
in the divine right of his sex to rule in the world of politics. But as
he grew taller and broader the horizon of woman widened, and her sphere
embraced every duty, responsibility, and right for which her gifts and
education fitted her. The hard and fast lines of sex disappeared from
his geography of the soul. He perceived for a truth that in humanity
there was neither male nor female, but that man and woman were one in
work and destiny--equals in bearing the world's burden, equals in
building the world's glory. He heard in his heart the injunction of the
eternal wisdom saying: "Whom God hath joined together let no man put
asunder;" and straightway disposed his opinions and prejudices, his
thoughts and purposes in cordial obedience therewith. He saw at once the
immense value of woman's influence in the temperance movement, he saw no
less quickly her importance in the anti-slavery reform, and he had
appealed to her for help in the work of both, and she had justified his
appeal and proven herself the most devoted of coadjutors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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