William Lloyd Garrison Quotes

Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.

Resort is had to ridicule only when reason is against us.

Hear reason, or she'll make you feel her.

Every man in it is a great man—an orator, a critic, a statesman, and therefore every man upon every question must show his oratory, his criticism, and his political abilities. The consequence is that business is drawn and spun out to immeasurable length.

Though we cannot out-vote them we will out-argue them.

They (tyrants) should be attacked, not as ordinary enemies, but as assassins and rebellious brigands. Kings, aristocrats, tyrants, whoever they may be, are slaves in revolt against the sovereign of the land, who is the human race, and against the legislator of the Universe, who is Nature.

You can change my mind, but you gotta work harder at it.

The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.

The minds of men are at last aroused; reason looks out and justifies her own, and malice finds all her work is ruin.

Discussion in America means dissent.

I would have the Constitution torn in shreds and scattered to the four winds of heaven. Let us destroy the Constitution and build on its ruins the temple of liberty. I have brothers in slavery. I have seen chains placed on their limbs and beheld them captive.

Good argument is intended to persuade another.

If you turn the other cheek, you can be enslaved for 1,000 years.

Right reason is stronger than force.

Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master.

The best way to win an argument is to begin by being right.

He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to Defender of the Faith, than George the Third.

Then I despair... I remember that all through history, the way of truth and love has always won. There have been murderers and tyrants, and for a time they can seem invincible. But in the end they always fall. Think of it always.

Reason has never failed men. Only force and repression have made the wrecks in the world.

Reasonable, sensible men can always make a reasonable scheme appear such to other reasonable men.

Let twelve good black men get armed for battle and they will kill and put to flight fifty whites.... Kill or be killed. Had you rather not be killed than be a slave to a tyrant who takes the life of your wife and children? It is no more harm to kill a man who is trying to kill you than to take a drink of water when you are thirsty.

Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears. To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool. To be led by a thief is to offer up your most precious treasures to be stolen. To be led by a liar is to ask to be lied to. To be led by a tyrant is to sell yourself and those you love into slavery.

The seeds of freedom ... have now been scattered where despotism and tyranny ranked and ruled, will be watered by the enlivening dews of God's clemency, till the reapers [abolitionists] shall shout the harvest home.

He was amenable to argument, but it took a hell of a lot of argument

It is dangerous to speak the truth to tyrants.