th hell"; that
as a Christian it was his duty to obey God rather than man; that his
conscience was paramount to the Constitution, and, therefore, his duty
was to work outside of the Constitution for the destruction of
slavery. Thus did Garrison establish the first Anti-slavery Society in
this country to adopt aggressive measures and demand immediate and
unconditional emancipation. It is not claimed that his methods were
original. Daniel O'Connell was perhaps the greatest _agitator_ of the
present century. In a speech delivered at Cork, he said:--

"I speak of liberty in commendation. Patriotism is a virtue, but
it can be selfish. Give me the great and immortal Bolivar, the
savior and regenerator of his country. He found her a province,
and he has made her a nation. His first act was to give freedom
to the slaves upon his own estate. (Hear, hear.) In Colombia, all
castes and all colors are free and unshackled. But how I like to
contrast him with the far-famed Northern heroes! George
Washington! That great and enlightened character--the soldier and
the statesman--had but one blot upon his character. He had
slaves, and he gave them liberty when he wanted them no longer.
(Loud cheers.) Let America, in the fulness of her pride wave on
high her banner of freedom and its blazing stars. I point to her,
and say: There is one foul blot upon it: you have negro slavery.
They may compare their struggles for freedom to Marathon and
Leuctra, and point to the rifleman with his gun, amidst her woods
and forests, shouting for liberty and America. In the midst of
their laughter and their pride, I point them to the negro
children screaming for the mother from whose bosom they have been
torn. America, it is a foul stain upon your character! (Cheers.)
This conduct kept up by men who had themselves to struggle for
freedom, is doubly unjust. Let them hoist the flag of liberty,
with the whip and rack on one side, and the star of freedom upon
the other. The Americans are a sensitive people; in fifty-four
years they have increased their population from three millions to
twenty millions; they have many glories that surround them, but
their beams are partly shorn, for they have slaves. (Cheers.)
Their hearts do not beat so strong for liberty as mine.... I will
call for justice, in the name of the living God, an