The Life of William Lloyd Garrison

William Lloyd Garrison was born in newbury, Massachusetts on December 13th, 185. Garrison's father, Abigail Garrison, is from New Brunswick, Canada. Because of the Seafarers' Protection Act of 185, he obtained legal residency in the United States. The embargo law of 187 made many people unemployed, and Abigard became a member of the unemployed army. In 188, Abigard ran away from home and never came home again. Garrison's mother, Maria Francis Lloyd, is a tall and charming woman. What is commendable is that she is an extremely devout Christian. Although he received little primary education, Garrison got a good Christian education from his mother. Maria died in Springfield in 1823.

Garrison grew up in poverty and started his apprenticeship at the age of nine. Garrison studied shoemaking and printing. At the age of thirteen, Garrison entered the newbury Pioneer as an apprentice. In the seven years of Pioneer, Garrison became a pen holder. His writing was sharp and pungent, and he spared no effort in attacking slavery. Garrison's guiding ideology is the Christian Bible, and he opposes slavery from the perspective of the Bible and humanitarianism. Garrison learned from his mother at an early age that slavery is incompatible with the Christian spirit. At first, Garrison entered the newspaper office in order to have a good job. During his apprenticeship in Pioneer, Garrison met a Harvard graduate, which not only enlightened him, but also made him realize the evil of slavery again, and at the same time changed his life path, making it his lifelong career to overthrow slavery.

On September 4th, 1834, Garrison married Helen Eliza Benson, and they had five sons and two daughters. Among them, one son and one daughter died in childhood.

On March 17th, 1828, Garrison, who worked in Boston, attended a pastor's party. At the meeting, Benjamin Lundy, publisher of Baltimore's Global Liberation, suggested organizing an anti-slavery association. The meeting didn't have any impact, but Randy noticed Garrison who was listening carefully. After the meeting, the two started talking and became friends. In January of the following year, Lundy came to Boston again and suggested that Garrison go to Baltimore to host the Global Liberation newspaper and run around for black immigrants himself. Garrison was very happy, but Garrison told Lundy, "He doesn't approve of black immigrants anymore." Lundy said, "Let's express our opinions in the newspaper.". This is a gentleman's agreement to "agree or disagree". As a result, Garrison became one of the two main writers of Global Liberation.

In the autumn of 1828, Francis Todd, a wealthy merchant ship owner in newbury, hired captain Nicola Brown to transport a group of slaves from Baltimore to New Orleans to give them to the sugar plantation there. Garrison lashed out at this in Global Liberation. He said, "Anyone can make a fortune by hook or by crook. There are seventy-five slaves in chains on Brown's ship, and they are kept in a narrow space between decks ... newbury people have always wondered why other people engaged in shipping from New Orleans to newbury earn much less than Captain Brown. Now this mystery is solved. " Garrison also directly accused Todd and Brown of being robbers and murderers and enemies of their own kind.

in February 183, Todd filed a lawsuit in the Maryland court. The defendants are Lundy and Garrison, the two main writers of Global Liberation. The plaintiff's witness pointed out that slaves were never shackled, they were free on the ship and were treated humanely. Todd also said that he was always opposed to slavery, and it was only because his business was bleak that he had to make such a single business. There are many people who prove that Todd and Brown are honest. The court ordered Garrison to pay a fine of $5 and all legal fees. Garrison had no money to pay the fine and the court sentenced him to six months' service.

On April 17th, 183, Garrison entered Baltimore prison. Garrison in prison said in a letter to a friend, "I am now living in a huge building. Although I am not the owner of it, I don't have to pay, I don't have to worry about maintenance, I don't have to worry about everything, but I am comfortable. I still sing loudly, just like before I folded my wings. " In prison, Garrison wrote a pamphlet "Briefing on Garrison's Trial for Alleged Defamation of Francis Todd". After reading it, Arthur Tappan, a philanthropist in new york, expressed deep sympathy and contributed money to save Garrison. Garrison was released from prison on June 5th, and was held for forty-nine days. After being released from prison, Lundy and Garrison were unable to cooperate and broke up immediately.

in January, 1831, Garrison began to publish his Liberator newspaper independently. Garrison wrote a famous "Release Speech" for The Liberator:

"Recently, in order to inspire people's consciousness, I have been running around and delivered a series of speeches on slavery. Everywhere I went, I was given a new example: compared with the southern states, the public mood in the free states will be greatly changed-especially in New England. I found that in these places, compared with the feelings of slave owners, those who hold contempt are more intense, those who hold opposition are more active, those who hold derogatory attitudes are more ruthless, those who are biased are more stubborn, and those who are indifferent are more indifferent. Of course, there are some exceptions. This situation bothers me, but I am not discouraged. I have made up my mind, regardless of all risks, to face Bunker Mountain, the birthplace of freedom, and let the flag of liberation fly high in the hearts of our people. This flag has been unfurled. May it fly for a long time, intact in the passage of time, invulnerable in the desperate actions of the enemy, until every chain is broken and every slave is free! Let the oppressors in the south tremble! Let their behind-the-scenes planners tremble! Let their defenders in the north tremble! Let all the enemies who brutally persecute black people tremble! "

"I didn't need to publish the Preface, because it has become a household name. Its principles will be faithfully followed in newspapers. I want to make it clear that I am not speaking for any party. I hope to get the support of all sects and all parties in the great cause of defending human rights. "

"I agree with the self-evident truth advocated in the American Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal; Their creator endowed them with certain inalienable rights, including the right to life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. I will persevere in striving for the immediate realization of the voting rights of our fellow slaves. On July 4, 1829, when I gave a speech at Park Street Church, I expressed my support for the idea of gradually abolishing slavery. I hereby express my complete rejection of this idea, and ask God, Chinese people and all slave brothers in suffering to forgive me for saying such cowardly, unjust and absurd words. "

"I know many people object to my fierce words, but I have reasons to do so. Truth is merciless, so am I; Justice is uncompromising, and I am uncompromising for this. On the issue of slavery, in my thinking, in my language and in my articles, there will be no moderation! No, absolutely not! Imagine that you see a burning house. Can you give a moderate alarm? Can you ask your husband to save his wife in moderation? Can you let the mother carry the child out of the fire in moderation? Today's question is like this, please don't advise me to take the middle way. I am sincere and serious, I will not be ambiguous, I will not make excuses, I will not give an inch of land, I want people to hear my voice. "

"Some people say that my sharp words and fierce means are actually delaying the cause of slave liberation. No! This accusation is not true, and history will prove me right. "

The Liberator closed down in early 1866, when the Civil War was over and the slaves had already been free. The Liberator has fulfilled its mission.

The emancipation of slaves advocated by Garrison is non-violent. In New England, he organized an anti-slavery association. He opposed members joining political parties. His liberation relied on non-military, non-political, pure moral and religious forces.

After the Tanner incident, the United States entered a white terror. Garrison published an editorial supporting Tanner in The Liberator. He said, "What we have been predicting for a long time is beginning to happen. The first step of the earthquake happened, and it will eventually destroy the whole oppression mechanism. The first drop of blood has flowed out, and it will eventually become a river of blood. The first lightning has flashed, and it will destroy everything. " "You accuse us that people who advocate peaceful liberation are people who instigate slaves to revolt. Please take back this absurd accusation. Slaves don't need us to stimulate them. The life they suffer is itself a stimulator. "

Garrison not only refused to compromise on the issue of liberating slaves, but also demanded equality between men and women, so he recruited an alliance of male chauvinists and slave owners to attack him.

On October 21st, 1835, the Boston Women's Association invited george thompson, an English abolitionist, to speak. They rented a small venue. In advance, the opposition called on people to go to the square to stop Thompson. Thompson got the news in advance and didn't show up. The mayor of Boston personally came to persuade the participants to go home. At this time, the opposition people outside knew Thompson was absent, but they saw Garrison enter the stadium half an hour ago, so they shouted to find Garrison. Seeing that the situation was not good, the mayor opened the window and ordered Garrison to jump out of the window. Garrison jumped out of the window and ran into an alley. The opposition people chased after the alley and dragged Garrison out. Garrison did not resist and was insulted. Fortunately, the police arrived and sent Garrison to the police station in the name of disturbing order, in fact, in order to save him from lynching. Garrison spent the night in the police station. Although Garrison suffered a lot, this incident made people see the relationship between abolitionism and democracy, which led many teenagers to join the abolitionist army. Wendell Phillips, a young lawyer, devoted himself to Garrison's abolitionist movement and became Garrison's right-hand man.

In January 1842, Congressman john quincy adams submitted a petition for his voters, arguing that the only way to avoid solving the problem of slavery by war was to separate the North from the South. Garrison came to the same conclusion after studying the situation between the north and the south. To this end, Garrison published a slogan in his newspaper, "In order to abolish slavery in the north and retain slavery in the south, the Federation of the free north and the slave south must be separated." Earlier, Garrison, like Adams, supported the American Constitution, but after rethinking, he thought that the three-fifths clause actually recognized slavery. To this end, Garrison came to a new conclusion, "Either you don't want the U.S. Constitution or you don't want Christ, and the two will be one of them." Garrison publicly burned the copy of the Constitution in 1844. He said, "Because the Constitution compromises slavery, it is an agreement with death and hell". In the New England Anti-Slavery Association, Garrison easily gained support, but in the National Anti-Slavery Association, his views were resisted, and finally the slogan was "No alliance with slave owners".

At the same time, john caldwell calhoun, the representative of southern slave owners in Congress, also put forward the idea of separating the North from the South. It can be seen that it is impossible to solve the problem of slavery within the Federation, and there is no other way but war. Although Garrison advocated non-violence, with the development of the situation, he supported Brown's rebellion and Lincoln's war in practical actions.

In October 1859, john brown, an abolitionist extremist, attacked a small town called Harpers Ferry, and the news came as a shock to all sides. Brown once declared that he would devote himself to ending slavery. Brown said that God instructed him to lead an armed force to attack Virginia and set off a slave uprising. Brown predicted that even if the uprising failed, it would ignite a civil war between the north and the south. Once the war breaks out, the north will chisel away the shackles on the slaves. However, the Brown Uprising was quickly put out. Brown and his comrades were sentenced to hang. Many abolitionists were outraged by Brown's death. To this end, Garrison delivered a speech, "We must never allow theft, robbery, human trafficking and abuse of women to happen! We must unite in the name of freedom. " "As for the federal government, where is it? What is it? In half of its territory, people can't exercise freedom of speech and the press-they can't publish speeches from Washington, Jefferson or Patrick Henry unless they risk their lives; As long as northerners cherish their feelings of love for freedom, they will be hunted everywhere and then expelled from the south. " "We live under the terrible tyranny of a brutal slave oligarchy. If we don't continue to do evil things for them as before until we die in front of them, they threaten to leave us. " "They will go to heaven! Only beggars will be cleared out of the city, won't they? They won't leave, they will pester us and make us yield. Will we yield? No, never! "

What is most commendable is Garrison's attitude towards the Chinese Exclusion Act. He is a rare American who opposes the Chinese Exclusion Act. On his deathbed, Garrison wrote in a letter to new york Tribune: "The problem of China people is our problem, and they deserve the rights enjoyed by ordinary people. They came here to live a better life; We should treat them in a friendly and kind manner. We shouldn't force them to change their living habits and customs. Their living habits and customs should be decided by themselves. They can have their own hobbies, they can sign their own contracts, maintain their rights and worship their own gods. We must be brothers within the four seas and oppose class and racial discrimination. "

In the last days of his life, Garrison was at home with his wife Helen. At the end of 1863, Garrison's wife Helen had a small stroke. On January 25th, 1876, Helen died of pneumonia, and the funeral was held at home. After his wife's death, Garrison was so sad that he couldn't even attend the funeral that Wendell Phillips had to deliver a eulogy. It took Garrison a long time to recover from the grief of losing his wife. In 1877, Garrison visited England for the last time. He met george thompson and other British abolitionists.

In his later years, Garrison became very weak due to kidney disease. In April 1879, Garrison came to his daughter's home in new york. In May, Garrison became even sicker, and all five children came to him. They sang Garrison's favorite song for Garrison. At midnight on May 24th, 1879, Garrison closed his eyes forever. On May 28th, Garrison was buried in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Most of Garrison's abolitionist friends attended the funeral.