Garrison thereupon left the hall meaning at the time to leave the building as well, but egress by the way of the landing and the stairs, he directly perceived was impossible, and did what seemed the next best thing, entered the anti-slavery office, separated from the hall by a board partition.

Charles C.Burleigh accompanied him within this retreat.

The door between the hall and the office was securely locked, and Garrison with that marvelous serenity of mind, which was a part of him, busied himself immediately with writing to a friend an account of the scenes which were enacting in the next room.
The tempest had begun in the streets also.

The mob from its five thousand throats were howling "Thompson! Thompson!" The mayor of the city, Theodore Lyman, appeared upon the scene, and announced to the gentlemen of property and standing, who were thus exercising their vocal organs, that Mr.Thompson was not at the meeting, was not in the city.
But the mayor was a modern Canute before the sea of human passion, which was rushing in over law and authority.

He besought the rioters to disperse, but he might as well have besought the waves breaking on Nastasket Beach to disperse.