威廉‧勞埃德‧加裏森
(WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON)

《解放者》報發刊詞
Prospectus for The Liberator

我不願溫文爾雅地思考、發言和寫文章……我是誠切認真的──我不會閃爍其辭──我不會客套──我將寸土不讓──我將使人們聽到我的呼聲。

威廉‧勞埃德‧加裏森(1805－1879)生於馬薩諸塞州，當過新聞記者、職業改革家，不僅為廢奴主義運動，也為了爭取婦女的權利、和平主義運動以及戒酒運動四處奔走呼號。1829年，他與一個公誼會教友編輯了巴爾的摩的廢奴運動報紙《普遍解放精神》報。1830年，他寫了一篇社論譴責一位紐伯裏波特商人販賣黑奴的行徑而判誹謗罪入獄。一年以後，他遷居波士頓，創辦了《解放者》報來推進廢奴主義事業。加裏森抨擊奴隸制的罪惡，呼籲立即解放黑奴。1832年，他建立了新英格蘭反對奴隸制協會；一年後又創立美國反對奴隸制協會。加裏森是個傑出的雄辯家，總是一語中的地譴責社會的罪惡。他的同時代人認為他是個極端主義分子和激進派人物，而他們自己卻情願在奴隸制下長遠地生活下去。加裏森不願這樣。他靠自己熾烈的雄辯引起公眾道德意識上的憤慨，使越來越多的美國人意識到奴隸制既非理所當然，又不是正義的、值得維護的。

這篇《發刊詞》刊登在1831年《解放者》報第一期上。

……近來，為了激勵民眾的覺悟意識，我四處奔走，對於奴隸問題發表了一系列的講演。所到之處都給予我新的例證：與南方各州相比較，自由州的公眾情緒將掀起一場更為巨大的變革波瀾──在新英格蘭尤為如此。我發現在這些地方，與奴隸主們自己的情緒相比，持輕蔑態度的更加強烈，持反對態度的更加積極，持貶斥態度的更加無情，持有偏見的更加固執，而漠不關心的也更加冷淡。當然，個別情況會有例外。這種現狀使我苦惱，卻不使我氣餒。我已下定決心。不顧一切風險，面向舉目在望的邦克山，腳踏這片自由的誕生地，在我們民族的心目中，讓解放的戰旗高高飄揚。這面戰旗業已展開，願她長久飛舞，在時光的流逝中完好無損，在仇敵鋌而走險的射擊中槍彈不入──是的，直至每一根鎖鏈都被砸開，每一個奴隸都獲得解放！讓南方的壓迫者們發抖吧！讓他們的幕後策劃者們發抖吧！讓他們北方的辯護者們發抖吧！讓所有殘酷迫害黑人的仇敵們發抖吧！

我認為發表我的《發刊詞》本是沒有必要的，因為它已經家喻戶曉。它所包含的原則將在這份報紙中切實遵循。但我要說明我不是為了任何黨派的觀點而說話。在捍衛人權這項偉大事業中，我希望得到各教派和各黨派的支援。

我贊同《美國獨立宣言》中主張的「不證自明」的真理，即「一切人生來就是平等的；他們的創造者賦予他們某種不可剝奪的權利──其中包括生存權、自由權以及追求幸福的權利」。因此我要為我們的奴隸立即得到解放而努力奮鬥。1829年7月4日，我在公園街教堂作了講演。當時我欠考慮地說我同意那種流行的但又是有害的關於逐漸廢除奴隸制的觀點。現在，我要利用這個機會徹底地、明確地收回我的話，並且在此當眾祈求我的上帝的原諒，我的國家的原諒，我的受窮受難的奴隸同胞們的原諒，原諒我說了這樣充滿怯弱、不公正和荒謬的情緒的話。我在1829年9月巴爾的摩《普遍解放精神》報上同樣寫過要收回我的話。這樣，我的良心總算得到了安寧。

我知道許多人反對我的言辭激烈，但難道我沒有理由這樣做嗎?真理是嚴厲的，因此我要嚴厲；正義是毫不妥協的，因此我也毫不妥協。對於這個問題，我不願溫文爾雅地思考、發言和寫文章。不!不！你們可以對一個家中起火的人溫吞吞地報警，叫他慢慢地把妻子從死神的手中奪回來；讓做母親的慢慢地將落入火海的嬰兒救出來──但是，你們不要勸我在當前的這個事業中採取溫文爾雅的態度。我是誠肯認真的──我不會閃爍其辭──我不會客套──我將寸土不讓──我將使人們聽到我的呼聲。人們的冷漠已足能使每座雕像從底座上跳下來而加快死者復活的進程了。

有人說，我採取粗俗漫罵的言辭和驟然激烈的手段，在這場解放事業中不過是裝腔作勢而已。這項指控不能成立。在這個問題上，我的影響力──雖則並不起眼－──此時此刻卻已經達到了相當程度。在未來的日子裏，我的影響將會發展，它將是有益而不是有害的；是一聲祝福而不是一道詛咒。我們的子孫後代將會證明我是對的。我誠心感謝上帝，他使我無視「使人落入陷阱的恐懼」，使我能傳播他的簡樸而又強大的真理……

Prospectus for The Liberator

. . . During my recent tour for the purpose of exciting the minds of the people by a series of discourses on the subject of slavery, every place that I visited gave fresh evidence of the fact, that a greater revolution in public sentiment was to be effected in the free states--and particularly in New-England--than at the south. I found contempt more bitter, opposition more active, detraction more relentless, prejudice more stubborn, and apathy more frozen, than among the slave owners themselves. Of course, there were individual exceptions to the contrary. This state of things afflicted, but did not dishearten me. I determined, at every hazard, to lift up the standard of emancipation in the eyes of the nation, within sight of Bunker Hill and in the birth place of liberty. That standard is now unfurled; and long may it float, unhurt by the spoliations of time or the missiles of a desperate foe--yea, till every chain be broken, and every bondman set free! Let southern oppressors tremble--let their secret abettors tremble--let their northern apologists tremble--let all the enemies of the persecuted blacks tremble.

    I deem the publication of my original Prospectus unnecessary, as it has obtained a wide circulation. The principles therein inculcated will be steadily pursued in this paper, excepting that I shall not array myself as the political partisan of any man. In defending the great cause of human rights, I wish to derive the assistance of all religions and of all parties.

    Assenting to the "self-evident truth" maintained in the American Declaration of Independence, "that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights--among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," I shall strenuously contend for the immediate enfranchisement of our slave population. In Park-street Church, on the Fourth of July, 1829, in an address on slavery, I unreflectingly assented to the popular but pernicious doctrine of gradual abolition. I seize this opportunity to make a full and unequivocal recantation, and thus publicly to ask pardon of my God, of my country, and of my brethren the poor slaves, for having uttered a sentiment so full of timidity, injustice and absurdity. A similar recantation, from my pen, was published in the Genius of Universal Emancipation at Baltimore, in September, 1829. My conscience is now satisfied.

    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. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher: tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen;--but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest--I will not equivocate--I will not excuse--I will not retreat a single inch--AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.

    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....