Garrison, William Lloyd

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Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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"People of New-England, and of the free States! Is it true that slavery is no concern of yours? Have you no right even to protest against it, or to seek its removal? Are you not the main pillars of its support? How long do you mean to be answerable to God and the world, for spilling the blood of the poor innocents? Be not afraid to look the monster Slavery boldly in the face. He is your implacable foe--the vampyre who is sucking your life-blood--the ravager of a large portion of your country, and the enemy of God and man. Never hope to be a united, or happy, or prosperous people while he exists. He has an appetite like the grave--a spirit as malignant as that of the bottomless pit--and an influence as dreadful as the corruption of death. Awake to your danger!"

--William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator, December 29, 1832
 
Garrison definitely had his own unique way with words. Contrast Garrison's words above, with those of Reverend John Rankin, a native Tennessean who first published his Letters on American Slavery almost a decade before Garrison wrote the above passage:

"That involuntary slavery is a very dangerous evil, and that our nation is involved in it, none can, with truth, deny. And that the safety of our government, and the happiness of its subjects, depend upon the extermination of this evil, must be obvious to every enlightened mind. Nor is it less evident, that it is the duty of every citizen, according to his station, talents and opportunity, to use suitable exertions for the abolition of an evil which is pregnant with the growing principles of ruin. Surely, no station should be unimproved, no talent, however small, should be buried, nor should any opportunity of doing good be lost, when the safety of a vast nation, and the happiness of millions of the human family, demand prompt and powerful exertions. Everything that can be done, either by fair discussion, or by any other lawful means, ought to be done, and done speedily, in order to avert the hastening ruin that must otherwise soon overtake us!

Let all the friends of justice and suffering humanity, do what little they can, in their several circles, and according to their various stations, capacities and opportunities; and all their little streams of exertion will, in process of time, flow together, and constitute a mighty river that shall sweep away the yoke of oppression, and purge our nation from the abominations of slavery."


- Reverend John Rankin

Source: http://books.google.com/books?id=FDg9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4
Virtually identical sentiment, but a very different way of expressing it. Garrison published Rankin's letters in the second volume of The Liberator, and acknowledged himself as Rankin's "anti-slavery disciple".
 
Quoting from the above "Reverend John Rankin, a native Tennessean who first published his Letters on American Slavery almost a decade before Garrison..."

Rankin was driven from his native Tenn because of his anti-slavery views. Didn't last long in Kentucky either. Finally found a home in Ohio. So much for tolerance of opposing views in the Sunny South.
 
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