oundation principle of free institutions had been assailed.
"Happily," he shrewdly observed, "one point seems already to be gaining
universal assent, that slavery cannot long survive free discussion.
Hence the efforts of the friends, and apologists of slavery to break
down this right. And hence the immense stake which the enemies of
slavery hold, in behalf of freedom and mankind, in its preservation. The
contest is, therefore, substantially between liberty and slavery.

"As slavery cannot exist with free discussion, so neither can liberty
breathe without it. Losing this, we, too, shall be no longer free men
indeed, but little, if at all, superior to the millions we now seek to
emancipate." This apprehension and spirit of resistance, voiced by
Francis Jackson, was Garrison's new ally, which, phoenix-like, was born
out of the ashes of that terrific attempt of his enemies to effect his
destruction, known as the "Broad-Cloth Mob."

CHAPTER XIII.

THE BAROMETER CONTINUES TO FALL.

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. In December following
the