W. O. Duvall to Frederick Douglass, April 16, 1860

THE GARRISONIANS AND DISUNION

HAYTI, N.Y., April 16, 1860.

MR. EDITOR:—In your criticisms on the Garrisonians, you seem to me to overlook the main point. You reproach them for demanding a dissolution of this black conspiracy called the American Union, without becoming conspirators themselves and help do the work. You charge them with not pointing out the way. To point out the particular way of dissolving the Union before the people saw a necessity for such an act, were folly indeed. You and I well know that the mistaught masses fo this country regard the Federal Union as the holiest of all holy things; that previous to its formation, this planet called Earth 'was without form and void;' and that it was George Washington who said 'let there be light' and there was light.' And to such untaught, mistaught, hollow-headed and hollow-hearted things as these, you would have the Garrisonians put the cart before the horse, and show Unionworshippers how to destroy their idol!

I think those gentlemen know a trick worth two of that. Before they would point out the way to the Hindoo widow of escape from death upon the funeral pile of her dead husband, they would endeavor to convince her that such sacrifice was wrong; and before she could be persuaded to abstain from such sacrifice, it would have to be made plain to her that such abstinence was necessary.

These Garrisonians are showing this Godforsaken people what American slavery was before the Revolution; that there was nothing in the old articles of confederation to sustain it; and that during and immediately succeeding the Revolution, the accursed thing was on the wane, and that its wonderful increase in numbers—its spread over vast territory, and supreme control over Federal and State governments since the formation of the Federal Union and the Federal Constitution—are but the legitimate frutis, the natural consequences of certain bad clauses in, and worse constructions of, that thing known as the Constitution

of the United States, which is so seen in the eyes of spoilsmen. Now, when the mistaught models of these so called free States shall become intelligent and honest enough to perceive and admit these plain historical truths, and manifest an earnest desire to dissolve this partnership—to break up this unhallowed conspiracy, by which liberty and justice are trampled in the dust, and through which the vilest oppressors of men, and the plunderers of the treasury are alone benefitted —it will be the easiest thing in the wind world to point out the way of doing it.

You assume that those standing above, and outside of the Government, have no right to demand of those inside, and governmental action. Permit me, very respectfully, to dissent therefrom. You Government manufacturers must not 'run the machine' against my rights, nor my equal fellow's rights. If your system secures to me the exercise of my natural rights—well; but if it steps one inch beyond that, may it be damned! Nor am I under any more obligation to join this conspiracy and vote, in order to exert an influence on the people composing said conspiracy, than I am to become a horse and eat hay, before I insist upon his performing his legitimate duties in drawing the wagon and the plow.

Through the whole of yoru criticims, you represent the Garrisonians as being opposed to governments per se. This is wrong. They would be glad to participate in a righteous civil government, and to that end they are for forming a new Union of mis-called free States, where liberty, justice and mercy would not be trampled in the dust, nor the holiest of human duties made penal offences.

W. O. DUVALL.