after the united states abolished slavery, garrison announced in may 1865 that he would resign the presidency of the american anti-slavery society and offered a resolution declaring victory in the struggle against slavery and dissolving the society. the resolution prompted sharp debate, however, led by his long-time friend wendell phillips, who argued that the mission of the aas was not fully completed until black southerners gained full political and civil equality. garrison maintained that while complete civil equality was vitally important, the special task of the aas was at an end, and that the new task would best be handled by new organizations and new leadership. with his long-time allies deeply divided, however, he was unable to muster the support he needed to carry the resolution, and it was defeated 118–48. declaring that his "vocation as an abolitionist, thank god, has ended," garrison resigned the presidency and declined an appeal to continue. returning home to boston, he withdrew completely from the aas and ended publication of "the liberator" at the end of 1865. with wendell phillips at its head, the aas continued to operate for five more years, until ratification of the fifteenth amendment to the united states constitution granted voting rights to black men. (according to henry mayer, garrison was hurt by the rejection, and remained peeved for years; "as the cycle came around, always managed to tell someone that he was "not" going to the next set of [aas] meetings" [594].)