that the great expectations, which were
excited by the Irish address, were never realized. But the pioneer had
other fish in his net, had, in fact, meanwhile, got himself in readiness
for a launch into a new and startling agitation. As to just what this
new and startling agitation was we must refer the reader to the next
chapter.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE PIONEER MAKES A NEW AND STARTLING DEPARTURE.

When Garrison hoisted the banner of immediate emancipation he was
over-confident of success through the instrumentality of the church. It
did not enter his heart to conceive that after he had delivered his
message touching the barbarism of slavery that a church calling itself
Christian, or that a ministry arrogating to itself the character of the
Christ, could possibly say him nay. But he learned sadly enough the
utter folly of such expectations. For from pew and pulpit the first
stones were hurled against him, and the most cruel and persistent
opposition and persecution issued. Then as the movement which he had
started advanced, he saw how it was, why the church had played him false
and the cause of freedom. It was because the poison of slavery which the
evil one had injected into the nation's arteries had corrupted the
springs of justice and mercy in that body. The Church was not free, it,
too, was in bonds to slavery, how then could it help to free the slaves?
That was the reason that pulpit and pew cried out against him and
persecuted him. It was not they but the slave despotism, which ruled
them, which wrought its fell purpose within them.

If the reformer cast his eyes about him for other help it was the same;
the slime of the serpent was upon State as well as Church. Both of the
two great political parties were bound hands and feet, and given over to
the will of the slave tyranny. In all departments of Government, State
and National, the positive, all-powerful principle was slavery. Its
dread _nolo me tangere_ had forced Congress into the denial of the right
of petition, and into the imposition of a gag upon its own freedom of
debate. It was the grand President-maker, and the judiciary bent without
a blush to do its service. What, then, in these circumstances could the
friends of freedom hope to achieve? The nation had been caught in the
snare of slavery, and was in Church and State helpless in the vast
spider-like web of wrong. The more the reformer pondered the problem,
the more hopeless did success loo