and resolved against the
society and its sinister designs upon themselves. These people did not
wish to leave the country; they did not wish to be sent to Liberia; but
the society, bent on doing them good against their will, did want them
to leave the country, did want to send them to Liberia.

And why did the society desire to remove the free people of color out of
the country? Was it from motives of real philanthropy? The colored
people were the first to detect its spurious humanity, the first to see
through the artful disguises employed to impose upon the conscience of
the republic. Their removal, they intuitively divined, was proposed not
to do their race a benefit, but rather to do a service to the owners of
slaves. These objects of the society's pseudo-philanthropy had the
sagacity to perceive that, practically, their expatriation tended to
strengthen the chains of their brethren then in slavery; for if the
South could get rid of its free colored population, its slave property
would thereby acquire additional security, and, of consequence,
increased market value. Like cause, like effect. If the operation of the
colonization scheme was decidedly in the interest of the masters, it was
the part of wisdom to conclude as the free colored people did actually
conclude that the underlying motive, the hidden purpose of the society
was also in the interest of the masters.

Garrison did not reach his conclusions as to the pro-slavery character
and tendency of the society abruptly. The scales fell away gradually
from his eyes. He was not completely undeceived until he had examined
the reports of the society and found in them the most redundant evidence
of its insincerity and guilt. It was out of its own mouth that he
condemned it. When he saw the society in its true character, he saw what
he must do. It was a wolf in sheep's skin running at large among the
good shepherd's flock, and inflicting infinite hurt upon his poor sheep.
He no longer wondered at the horror which the colonization scheme
inspired among the free people of color. They were right. The society
was their dangerous and determined enemy; it was the bulwark of the
slave-holding classes. With the instinct of a great purpose he resolved
to carry this powerful bulwark of slavery by assault. To the attack he
returned week after week in the _Liberator_, during a year and a half.
Then he hurled himself upon it with all his guns, facts, arguments,
denunciations, blowi