ass--excited their unbounded indignation against the
reformer.

Besides this class there was another, composed of friends, whom
Garrison's denunciatory style offended. To Charles Pollen and Charles
Stuart, and Lewis Tappan, this characteristic of the writings of the
great agitator was a sore trial. To them and to others, too, his
language seemed grossly intemperate and vituperative, and was deemed
productive of harm to the movement. But Garrison defended his harsh
language by pointing to the state of the country on the subject of
slavery before he began to use it, and to the state of the country
afterward. How utterly and morally dead the nation was before, how
keenly and marvelously alive it became afterward. The blast which he had
blown had jarred upon the senses of his slumbering countrymen he
admitted, but he should not be blamed for that. What to his critics
sounded harsh and abusive, was to him the trump of God. For, at the
thunder-peal which the Almighty blew from the mouth of his servant, how,
as by a miracle, the dead soul of the nation awoke to righteousness. He
does not arrogate to himself infallibility, indeed he is sure that his
language is not always happily chosen. Such errors, however, appear to
him trivial, in view of indisputable and extraordinary results produced
by the _Liberator_. He believes in marrying masculine truths to
masculine words. He protests against his condemnation by comparison.
"Every writer's style is his own--it may be smooth or rough, plain or
obscure, simple or grand, feeble or strong," he contends, "but
_principles_ are immutable." By his principles, therefore he would, be
judged. "Whittier, for instance," he continues, "is highly poetical,
exuberant, and beautiful. Stuart is solemn, pungent, and severe. Wright
is a thorough logician, dextrous, transparent, straightforward. Beriah
Green is manly, eloquent, vigorous, devotional. May is persuasive,
zealous, overflowing with the milk of human kindness. Cox is diffusive,
sanguine, magnificent, grand. Bourne thunders and lightens. Phelps is
one great, clear, infallible argument--demonstration itself. Jocelyn is
full of heavenly-mindedness, and feels and speaks and acts with a zeal
according to knowledge. Follen is chaste, profound, and elaborately
polished. Goodell is perceptive, analytical, expert, and solid. Child
(David L.) is generously indignant, courageous, and demonstrative; his
lady combines strength with beauty, argumentation