As soon as Birney became the accepted leader in the national society, there was friction between his followers and those of Garrison.

To denounce the Constitution and repudiate political action were, from Birney's standpoint, a surrender of the only hope of forestalling a dire calamity.

He had always fought slavery by the use of legal and constitutional methods, and he continued so to fight.

In this policy he had the support of a large majority of abolitionists in New England and elsewhere.

Only a few personal friends accepted Garrison's injunction to forswear politics and repudiate the Constitution.
The followers of Birney, failing to secure recognition for their views in either of the political parties, organized the Liberty party and, while Birney was in Europe in 1840, nominated him as their candidate for the Presidency.