He saw the value of extempore speech to the man with a future, and he wisely determined to possess himself of its advantage.  He little dreamt, however, to what great use he was to devote it in later years.  There were other points worth noting at this time, and which seemed to prophecy for him a future of distinction.  He possessed a most attractive personality.  His energy and geniality, his keen sense of humor, his social and bouyant disposition, even his positive and opinionated temper, were sources of popular strength to him.  People were strongly drawn to him.  His friends were devoted to him.  He had that quality, which we vaguely term magnetic, the quality of attaching others to us, and maintaining over them the ascendency of our character and ideas.

In the midst of all this progress along so many lines, the days of his apprenticeship in the Herald office came to an end.  He was just twenty.  With true Yankee enterprise and pluck, he proceeded to do for himself what for seven years he had helped to do for another—­publish a newspaper.  And with a brave heart the boy makes his launch on the uncertain sea of local journalism and becomes editor and publisher of a real, wide-awake sheet, which he calls the Free Press. The paper was independent in politics and proved worthy of its name during the six months that Garrison sat in the managerial chair.  Here is the tone which the initial number of the paper holds to the public:  “As to the political course of the Free Press, it shall be, in the widest sense of the term, independent.  The publisher does not mean by this, to rank amongst those who are of everybody’s and of nobody’s opinion; ... nor one of whom the old French proverb says:  Il ne soit sur quel pied danser. [He knows not on which leg to dance.] Its principles shall be open, magnanimous and free.  It shall be subservient to no party or body of men; and neither the craven fear of loss, nor the threats of the disappointed, nor the influence of power, shall ever awe one single opinion into silence.  Honest and fair discussion it will court; and its columns will be open to all temperate and intelligent communications emanating from whatever political source.  In fine we will say with Cicero:  ‘Reason shall prevail with him more than popular opinion.’  They who like this avowal may extend their encouragement; and if any feel dissatisfied with it, they must act accordingly.  The publisher cannot condescend to solicit their support.”  This was admirable enough in its way, but it was poor journalism some will say.  And without doubt when judged by the common commercial standard it was poor journalism.  In this view it is a remarkable production, but in another aspect it is still more remarkable in that it took with absolute accuracy the measure of the man.  As a mental likeness it is simply perfect.  At no time during his later life did the picture cease to be an exact moral representation of his character.