Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1879 — Anecdote of Garrison. [ARTICLE]

Anecdote of Garrison.

Oliver Johnson, writing to the New York Tribune, tells this story of the late William Lloyd Garrison: On one occasion, when returning from an anti-slavery convention in Philadelphia, he fell into conversation on board the steamer with a slaveholder. The whole subject of slavery was discussed between them, Mr. Garrison keeping perfectly cool, but plying the stranger with convincing logic and strong appeals to conscience. Mr. Garrison retired at length, and aby stander of less discretion, resuming the argument on the antislavery side,waxed hot and denunciatory; when the slaveholder said: “Why do you not talk coolly and candidly as that other gentleman did? It is a pleasure to discuss the question with a reasonable man like him, but you are as fierce and unreasonable as Garrison himself.” “Did you ever see Garrison?” inquired the interlocutor of the slaveholder. “No, but I have read his paper and know him to be a wild fanatic.’’ “Let me tell you, then, that it was William Lloyd Garrison with whom you were talking just now, and who, you sav, was so candid and sweet-tempe’ed.” The slaveholder would not believe it till he was c mvioced of tbetruih by the Captain of the steamer, who assured him that he had indeed been conversing with the fanatical editor of The Liberator, and had commended him for his “sweet reasonableness” in discussion. Nails grow more rapidly in children than in adults, and faster in summer than in winter. Those of the right hand grow faster than those of the left, and in proportion to the length of the fingers. Those of the middle finger are therefore the quickest in growth.