severe, on its most valued institutions, and gratified our spleen by indiscriminate abuse of leading men, who were often honest in their intentions, however mistaken in their views; that we have utterly neglected the ample means that lay around us to convert the nation, submitted to no discipline, formed no plan, been guided by no foresight, but hurried on in childish, reckless, blind, and hot-headed zeal,—­bigots in the narrowness of our views, and fanatics in our blind fury of invective and malignant judgment of other men’s motives.

There are some who come upon our platform, and give us the aid of names and reputations less burdened than ours with popular odium,who are perpetually urging us to exercise charity in our judgments of those about us, and to consent to argue these questions.  These men are ever parading their wish to draw a line between themselves and us, because they must be permitted to wait,—­to trust more to reason than feeling,—­to indulge a generous charity,—­to rely on the sure influence of simple truth, uttered in love, etc., etc.  I reject with scorn all these implications that our judgments are uncharitable,—­that we are lacking in patience,—­that we have any other dependence than on the simple truth, spoken with Christian frankness, yet with Christian love.  These lectures, to which you, sir, and all of us, have so often listened, would be impertinent, if they were not rather ridiculous for the gross ignorance they betray of the community, of the cause, and of the whole course of its friends.

The article in the Leader to which I refer is signed “ION,” and may be found in the Liberator of December 17, 1852. * * * “Ion” quotes Mr Garrison’s original declaration in the Liberator:  “I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity?  I will be as harsh as truth and as uncompromising as justice.  I am in earnest,—­I will not equivocate,—­I will not excuse,—­I will not retreat a single inch,—­AND I WILL BE HEARD.  It is pretended that I am retarding the cause of emancipation by the coarseness of my invective and the precipitancy of my measures.  The charge is not true.  On this question, my influence, humble as it is, is felt at this moment to a considerable extent, and shall be felt in coming years, not perniciously, but beneficially; not as a curse, but as a blessing; and posterity will bear testimony that I was right.  I desire to thank God that He enables me to disregard ’the fear of man which bringeth a snare,’ and to speak His truth in its simplicity and power.” * * *

“Ion’s” charges are the old ones, that we Abolitionists are hurting our own cause; that, instead of waiting for the community to come up to our views, and endeavoring to remove prejudice and enlighten ignorance by patient explanation and fair argument, we fall at once, like children, to abusing every thing and everybody; that we imagine zeal will supply the place of common sense; that we have never shown any sagacity in adapting our means to our ends; have never studied the national character, or attempted to make use of the materials which lay all about us to influence public opinion, but by blind, childish, obstinate fury and indiscriminate denunciation, have become “honestly impotent, and conscientious hinderances.”