Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Contents
- CHAPTER I The Father of the Man
- CHAPTER II The Man Hears a Voice: Samuel, Samuel!
- CHAPTER III The Man Begins his Ministry
- CHAPTER IV The Hour and the Man
- CHAPTER V The Day of Small Things
- CHAPTER VI The Heavy World is Moved
- CHAPTER VII Master Strokes
- CHAPTER VIII Colorphobia
- CHAPTER IX Agitation and Repression
- CHAPTER X Between the Acts
- CHAPTER XI Mischief Let Loose
- CHAPTER XII Flotsam and Jetsam
- CHAPTER XIII The Barometer Continues to Fall
- CHAPTER XIV Brotherly Love Fails, and Ideas Abound
- CHAPTER XV Random Shots
- CHAPTER XVI The Pioneer Makes a New and Startling Departure
- CHAPTER XVII As in a Looking Glass
- CHAPTER XVIII The Turning of a Long Lane
- CHAPTER XIX Face to Face
- CHAPTER XX The Death-Grapple
- CHAPTER XXI The Last
- Index
CHAPTER XIII - The Barometer Continues to Fall
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 February 2012
- Frontmatter
- Preface
- Contents
- CHAPTER I The Father of the Man
- CHAPTER II The Man Hears a Voice: Samuel, Samuel!
- CHAPTER III The Man Begins his Ministry
- CHAPTER IV The Hour and the Man
- CHAPTER V The Day of Small Things
- CHAPTER VI The Heavy World is Moved
- CHAPTER VII Master Strokes
- CHAPTER VIII Colorphobia
- CHAPTER IX Agitation and Repression
- CHAPTER X Between the Acts
- CHAPTER XI Mischief Let Loose
- CHAPTER XII Flotsam and Jetsam
- CHAPTER XIII The Barometer Continues to Fall
- CHAPTER XIV Brotherly Love Fails, and Ideas Abound
- CHAPTER XV Random Shots
- CHAPTER XVI The Pioneer Makes a New and Startling Departure
- CHAPTER XVII As in a Looking Glass
- CHAPTER XVIII The Turning of a Long Lane
- CHAPTER XIX Face to Face
- CHAPTER XX The Death-Grapple
- CHAPTER XXI The Last
- Index
Summary
Having made trial of the strong arm of the mob as an instrument for putting down the Abolitionists, and been quite confounded by its unexpected energy and unmanageableness, Boston was well disposed to lay the weapon aside as much too dangerous for use. For the wild-cat-like creature might take it into its head, when once it had got a taste of blood, to suppress some other isms in the community besides Abolitionism. No, no, the gentlemen of property and standing in the community had too much at stake to expose their property and their persons to the perils of any further experiments in that direction, even for the sake of expressing their sympathy for their dear brethren in the South, or of saving the dear Union into the bargain. Another method more in accord with the genius of their high state of civilization, they opined, might be invented to put the agitation and the agitators of the slavery question down. The politicians thereupon proceeded to make this perfectly wonderful invention. Not the strong arm of the mob, quoth these wiseacres, but the strong arm of the law it shall be. And the strong arm of the law they forthwith determined to make it.
Massachusetts was hearkening with a sort of fascination to the song of the slave syren. And no wonder. For the song of the slave syren was swelling and clashing the while with passionate and imperious energy. South Carolina had led off in this kind of music.
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- Chapter
- Information
- William Lloyd GarrisonThe Abolitionist, pp. 242 - 262Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010