At this juncture, one of the faithful friends in
Andover, was startled by the reception of a letter
from Mr. Torrey, so explicit as to rouse Wm at
once to a perception of the meaning and tenden-
cies of things, which, till then, had escaped his
notice. The letter dwelt on the great influence of
Mr. Garrison in Massachusetts, and thence ar-
gued that it would not be safe to attack him or
the Liberator openly ; — on the great need of a
new paper; — which he, (Mr. Torrey/ had as-



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cerUtned by sounding. tbe clergymen throughout
the State ; and they were for it to a man. *' Now,

Brother , have on a full delegation at the

Annual Meeting, at 10 o'clock in the morning,
prepared to stay two days. Have them pledged
to go for the new paper, and to spar the annual
report, and we will show them how it is done."

Upon the reception of this letter, those who
had been wont to keep watch and ward over
the interests of the cause in Essex, met and
decided to communicate instantly with other
friends, that, if possible, the evil might be sub-
dued in this stage of its progress.
Dr. Farnsworth, of Middlesex, with whose own
observation and experience their intelligence har-
monized, instantly suggested to Mr. Garrison the
idea of removing all their pretensions for such a
paper by issuing a small cheap sheet of exclu-
sively Anti-Slavery matter. Mr. Garrison, from
whom, though in almost daily communication
with Mr. Phelps, Mr. St. Clair and Mr. Stanton,
their whole plan had been carefully kept, could
hardly credit so treacherous a proceeding.
