William Lloyd Garrison :: essays research papers

William Lloyd Garrison Uncompromise During Times of CompromiseWilliam Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) was an American journalist and adamant abolitionist. Garrison became famous in the 1830s for his uncompromising denunciations of thralldom.Garrison lived a troubled childhood. His family lived in poverty. In addition, his father was a drunkard, and when Garrison was three years old, his father deserted his family and never came back. Thus, with the absence seizure of an encouraging father figure in his life, Garrison would attempt to gain recognition elsewhere.Effected by the Second Great Awakening, Garrison developed into an exceedingly thoughtful and religious man. Garrison believed that slavery was a sin and was an injustice. In 1831, he began publishing the Liberator, an influential newspaper that vehemently aroused violent human beings reaction in both the North and the South. However, the abolitionists of Garrisons time were a minority. The Liberator, published until 1865, never had more than 3,000 subscribers, and it never made a profit. Thus, it is fair to say that Garrisons inclination was non to become affluent through this publication.Garrison used his religious, abolitionist views to elevate himself into renown. He wanted sight to hear his views. In response to his abolitionist causes, Garrison proclaimed, I am in earnest&8212and I will not equivocate&8212I will not excuse&8212I will not retreat a single inch&8212and I will be heard.Garrison enlightened Americans with his altruistic sensibilities, but his motives were not altruistic. He wanted people to side with him, but he did not offer any medicine to ease the wounds of racial tension. His armies of allies grew, but this was gradual. Nevertheless, with no real suggestions on how the slavery issue could be resolved, he accepted the Civil War as necessary.