Benjamin Lundy and his friends in the city were among those that were most exposed to Garrison and his pen. The cabinetmaker John Needles as well as other local Quakers were among those who met and spoke with Garrison on a somewhat regular basis. Garrison himself grew to admire the Quakers he knew in Baltimore and began to emulate them.(1)
His most lasting impact, however, by far was with the publication of the Genius of Universal Emancipation. Garrison attacked anyone and everyone he deemed to be for slavery. In this way, he gained a lot of notoriety within the city. He met threats and hostility from many citizens when walking through town, as Maryland and Baltimore allowed the ownership of slaves.(2) Years after his initial stay in town, he cautioned John Needles to avoid speaking to lawyers about getting his mother's money from the Savings Bank of Baltimore because they may be opposed to him because of his paper. The Baltimore Gazette also was one of the exchange papers that Garrison used when publishing the Liberator.
1. Thomas, p. 101.
2. Nelson, p. xii.