Post, Isaac. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Post, Isaac. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1844-05-05

Description

Handwritten letter from Isaac Post to Amy Kirby Post, May 5, 1844.

Is Part Of

Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Rights

The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Identifier

608

Location

Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Transcription

(Page 1)

                      Rochester 1^st day morning
                                                                                  5o of 5 m   1844
    My dear Amy
                           All that I have ^heard^ from thee since thou
left was from Edmund saying he saw the home & I
suppose seventh day evening. I suppose we get along
as well as we could expect but thee dont know
how I miss thee. Mary Dale keeps her temper pretty
well she has the house pretty much to herself though
the day the weather is mostly pleasent [sic] and Matilda
spends much of her time out of doors she spent near a week
with Mary but seemed glad to get back. Thou doubtless
either saw or heard the contents of E P W letters from me that
M Dale has cleaned house &c.   The Cherry Peach & plumb [sic]
trees have lost then blossoms and Apple trees are now in
full bloom as also the the Lilock [sic] bushes & I have been
hoeing peas this morning. Jeffries & Sarah are settled
in the 4^th loft directly over our small store they seem
pretty well situated have two large rooms sarah has
a cold some unwell Joseph & Elizabeth have finally gone
to board the east side of the river were [sic] they used to live
P Grove declines going on the farm & David Fox has
concluded to go how he will do I dont know he has
a late begining [sic] & the grass is so large ^it^ is difficult ploughing
What an excelent [sic] letter that is of Harriet Martineau or rather
production for it does not appear as a letter in the standard of the
2^nd of this month I was particularly struck with the part
relative to the hapiness [sic] the spirit of forgiveness produces
it is indeed a Jewil [sic] of priceless value. The other day I
recvd a letter from G M Cooper on buisness [sic]. In wich [sic]
he adds after views relative to monthly meeting matters
&c Mankind are strugling [sic] for liberty they ^must^ have it
God made and created them for it. Sects may strive to
fetter and enslave. but men are out living ^it^ Sects
would make all men think ^alike^ or smother their con-
victions in silence. Priestcraft is the same wherever
found it matters not wither [sic] disguised under a drab coat
or a black one. Notwithstanding the persecutor should claim
our sympathy not wrath or indignation they are

(Page 2)

only carrying out their religion. Bigotry, superstition
& exclusiveness are the legitimate children of sectism
No Christianity about it. But no matter men are
out living them. they are looking upwards & their
course is onward. there is a redeeming spirit stal-
king through the land sect . clans with all their
comcomitant evils must become annihialated [sic] and
Christianity raign [sic] triumphant. God ^be^ glorified.
I & S. W & Mary & Phebe Smith have been here
the 3 latter have ^gone^ to S Ports & it is now time for me
to prepare for meeting. I should have said above The
immediate cause of G M Cooper, writing us he did I sup
pose was because of the complaint against Elihu
May for his belief &c I understand he was disowned
last month I was not there. Farewell untill [sic] after meeting
Meeting rather small and nearly silent Barnabus offered
a few words near the close I do not recollect to have heard
B Renouf since thee left Mary Braithwait was at Meeting
John Robbinsens health is improving the Browns have broken
up and left. C Frost has left the market and is engaged at
continuing his stone wall and arranging his lot & Peter
has a fine job painting the old Assilem [sic]. he Peter
is coming in the house next to Cheneys. suppose
thou will soon leave the Island to attend the convention
I hope thee will enjoy it but I do not feel that it would
be much gratification for me to attend hope there will
much good grow out of it hope zeal will be tempered
with judgement [sic] I do not like our friends batling [sic]
with those that think they are called to work at the
Ballet Box but I think it would ^be better^ to bear in remembrane [sic]
the experience [sic] of Jesus let them alone for they that are
not for us are against us evidently meaning if they
do cast out Devils they are doing the same work they
are engaged about so the deciples [sic] must not forbid
them. I have been renewedly convinced that
much good is being done by our Liberty party

(Page 3)

friends they continue to meet 2^nd day evenings and si-
cuss the merets [sic] of the 3 Parties with I think incresing [sic]
interst [sic] it gives Bloss a chance to tell how powerfull [sic]
Morrel [sic] Suasion is and that political ^action^ only is calcul-
ated to hold what su^a^sion gains &c and Porter
to [sic] has done well as far as I can judge. those attend
that would not go any were [sic] else to hear the subject
of liberty canvassed on somany bearings. and to se [sic] the
Liberator continualy [sic] saying so many hard things
against the liberty party as tho there was no honesty
amongst them why when it gets out here and is seen
by the inocent [sic] ones such as Henry Quimby why they
must necessarily suppose there is something wrong
in the manegers [sic] of the paper for they seem disposed
to find fault with every thing that that party does
while here as honest ones as are enlisted in the cause
look though [sic] Liberty ^party^ eyes. How much better it would
be to follow out H Martinau [sic] theory to forgive
what others say of us. how much more noble it would
be. and how much better we should feel to keep out
of these slandering faultfinding spirit and stand on
the elivated [sic] position where we could look down
upon them ^with^ the feeling of Father forgive them for
they know not what they do. Could the Society
sufficiently lay aside their zeal I mean the prominent
ones and call in sound judgment then there is not
danger. For the cause is exalted it seems to me –
above any other cause that man can be eng-
aged in. some may reason that the salvation of the
soul is of far greater importance but does not this
lead directly to it. for how much more likely ^is^ he that
ceases to be an oppressor to be saved and also him
that is oppressed. and again how noble to be engaged
in a work that brings no reward that is pecuniary
reward that does not have any foundation in selfishness

[Text in right margin, written upward]

30$ from the Rochester ^L^Anti Slaver LSociety

(Page 4)

give my love to enquiring friends for I suppose thou
will see many that I have become acquainted with
not forgeting [sic] N P Roggers . I suppose this will get to the
3^rd day I shall direct to Kirby & Robbins & I would pay
the postage only its firt [sic] day evening please rember [sic] and
pay it. Mary Ann, Father has been here I did not see
him to ask how he liked her change after he had
been there to (Eliass) to see her. he sais [sic] he lives 75
miles from Buffalo and that he walked it in a little
[Continues below with line beginning “over a day”]

[Text in center of page, written upward]

                           Kirby & Robbins
                                        No. 330. Delancy Street

                                                         New York
                          For Amy Post

[Text at bottom of page, written normal]

over a day that is about 60 miles the first day and the
next morning by 9 oclock he was ther [sic] does that not
much a Grahamite. Mary Dale is gone to me-
eting and her Brother Thomas and Wife have come
I had thought I would walk down to the office and
stop at Jeffries a while how I shall manage now I
have ^not^ determined I suppose it will be necessary
for this to go to night for thee to get it 3 day at
which time the [sic] will like to hear from us. We do not
know when to look for E P W. My love to our
friends as if Named Thou knows thou has mine
                                                                                I P

Tags

Abolitionism; Family

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Post, Isaac, 1798-1872, “Post, Isaac. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/2900.

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