djutor Wendell Phillips over a
resolution introduced by the latter, condemning the Government and
declaring its readiness "to sacrifice the interest and honor of the
North to secure a sham peace." Garrison objected to the severity of this
charge. He believed that there was but one party at the North of which
it was true, and that was the party of Copperheads. He endeavored,
therefore, to modify the harshness of the resolution by giving it a more
moderate tone. But the anti-Lincoln feeling of the Convention proved too
strong for his resistance, and Mr. Phillips's resolution was finally
adopted as the sentiment of the society.

The discordant note thus struck grew sharper and louder during the year.
The divergence of views in the ranks of the Abolitionists touching the
Southern policy of the Administration grew wider, until the subject of
Mr. Lincoln's renomination sundered the little band into two wings--one
for renomination, headed by Garrison, the other against renomination,
and led by Phillips. These differences presently developed into, if not
positive antagonism, then something closely akin to it between the two
wings and the two leaders. No little heat was generated from the strong,
sharp things said on both sides. Garrison was wiser than Phillips in his
unwillingness to have the country, in the homely speech of the
President, "swap horses while crossing a stream."

Serious differences of opinion sprang up also between the two leaders
and the two wings in relation to the proper time for dissolving the
anti-slavery organizations. Garrison held on one side that this time had
come with the adoption of the thirteenth amendment abolishing slavery,
while Phillips held on the other that the societies should continue
their operations until the negro was invested with the right to vote.
And here it seems that Phillips was wiser than Garrison in his purpose
not to abandon in 1865 the old machinery for influencing public
sentiment in the negro's interest.

At the anniversary of the American Anti-Slavery Society, in May, 1865,
Garrison contended for its dissolution, declaring that "Nothing is more
clear in my own mind, nothing has ever been more clear, than that this
is the fitting time to dissolve our organization, and to mingle with the
millions of our fellow-countrymen in one common effort to establish
justice and liberty throughout the land." For two days the debate upon
this question raged in the convention, but when th