Francis Jackson Garrison, William Lloyd Garrison, 1805-1879; the story of his life told by his children: volume 3

[174] was a memorable breakfast with Joseph Sturge, on his invitation. ‘In the presence of a considerable number of his relatives,’ wrote Mr. Garrison to his wife, ‘for¹ more than an hour, I had a very plain and faithful conversation with him, in regard to his treatment of me personally as an abolitionist, and to the unfair and dishonorable course of the London Committee towards the American Anti-Slavery Society. I have not time to give you the particulars of the interview; but it was one of confusion to himself, and it deepened my conviction that he is anything but a candid, straightforward man. My facts he did not attempt to invalidate, but he shuffled in a manner truly pitiable.’ At Sheffield, on September 10, the three orators again met in public at the Friends' Meeting-house—“the first one that has yet been offered to us in this country, and I presume [it] will be the last; for the opposition to us, in this country, runs almost exclusively in the channels of Quakerism, in consequence of the poisonous influence exerted by the Broad-Street Committee in London, of which Joseph Sturge is a member.” Ms. Sept. 10, 1846, W. L. G. to H. E. G. The poet Montgomery was present, and was deeply² affected by the proceedings. Another auditor was the ex-Methodist Rev. Joseph Barker, whom Mr. Garrison had just visited expressly at Leeds, at the instance of his Unitarian friends—Mr. Barker having recently gone³ over to that body, to the great scandal of his former cosectaries. This able but shifting character was well calculated to impress Mr. Garrison as one of the most remarkable men he had yet met. With eager sympathy the American surveyed his host's printing-office, and “set some types, just to see how natural it seemed,” Ms. Sept. 12, 1846, W. L. G. to R. D. Webb. and listened to Barker's glowing exposition of the wonders he was about to accomplish in the direction of cheap⁴ literature, by means of his new power press. Who more naturally than this pioneer should be chosen printer of⁵ the Anti-Slavery League's contemplated organ?

A few days after the Exeter Hall meeting, Mr. Garrison⁶ bade good-bye to London, and began his North British⁷