"Let the Monster Perish": The Historic Address to Congress of Henry Highland Garnet

By Henry Highland Garnet

"In a time of division, we can have no better prophetic voice to frame today's discussions of justice and freedom than a one-legged fugitive slave who came to a Capitol without a Dome to tell how the Constitution could be made more perfect, in the name of God."
—from a letter sent by the President of the Presbyterian Historical Society to the President of the Maryland State Senate

In February 1865, just days after the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment banning slavery, Presbyterian pastor and abolitionist Henry Highland Garnet spoke before the U.S. Congress, becoming the first African American to do so. Garnet's speech, titled "Let the Monster Perish," celebrated the end of slavery and pleaded with humanity to never let it rise again. Garnet's address would later set the tone for Congressional Reconstruction, providing the important and necessary perspective from those whose voices had been excluded from American democracy. His address is reproduced here along with a time line of his life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
• Release date: Jun 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646980024

Henry Highland Garnet

Henry Highland Garnet(December 23, 1815–February 13, 1882) was an African American abolitionist and Presbyterian pastor. Educated at the African Free School, he based his drive for abolitionism in religion and became a prominent member of the movement. In 1865, he became the first African American invited to speak in the U.S. Capitol.

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LET THE MONSTER PERISH

"LET THE

MONSTER PERISH"

The Historic Address to

Congress of Henry Highland Garnet

HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET

© 2020 Westminster John Knox Press

First edition

Published by Westminster John Knox Press

Louisville, Kentucky

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Westminster John Knox Press, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396. Or contact us online at www.wjkbooks.com.

Book design by Erika Lundbom-Krift

Cover design by Allison Taylor

Cover art: Engraving of Henry Highland Garnet used courtesy of the Presbyterian Historical Society, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (Philadelphia, PA).

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882, author.

Title: Let the monster perish : the historic address to Congress of Henry Highland Garnet / Henry Highland Garnet.

Other titles: Let the monster perish | Historic address to Congress of Henry Highland Garnet

Description: First edition. | Louisville, Kentucky : Westminster John Knox Press, [2020] | Publication of the address ‘A Memorial Discourse,’ which Garnet delivered to the U.S. Congress on February 12, 1865--Publisher’s note. | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: In 1865 Presbyterian pastor and abolitionist Henry Highland Garnet was the first African American to speak before the U.S. Congress. Garnet’s speech, titled Let the Monster Perish, celebrated the end of slavery and pleaded with humanity to never let it rise again. His address is reproduced here along with a time line of his life-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020016808 (print) | LCCN 2020016809 (ebook) | ISBN 9780664266295 (paperback)