Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Isaac and Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Isaac and Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Douglass, Frederick

Contributor

Isaac and Amy Kirby Post

Date

1849-04-22

Description

Handwritten letter from Frederick Douglass to Isaac and Amy Kirby Pos. Douglass writes to the Posts about recent events during his stay in New York City and Long Island.

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

728

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Westbury L. I. 22^d April.

My Dear Friends Amy. & Isaac.
                                         Here I am in the family
of your Brother and sister seated in the quite
quiet so pleasant after ten days of confusion
in the City of New York. This is a beautiful
place. The little lake his sleeping lovingly at
the right of the window and all looks sweet
quiet and quakerly around. I have two
meetings appointed for This good Sabbath day.
One at the colored meeting house and
the other in this room. Your Brother
Joseph tried to get Friends meeting house
and asked for it but friends were unwilling.
They are too godly to favor goodness.

                                    I came here on the cars
yesterday from Brooklyn and on reaching
The westbury station I found that I had
come the whole distance with E. P. Willis
and had not known it & some expect
to see him here today when I hope
to here [sic] from Sophia Street. The meeting
here to day will not probably be larger
than your meeting in the Antislavery
office. You will have J. S. Jacobs with
you I suppose. But what a time he has
had on his last tour – Will it not
dishearten him? I fear it. How I wish
you were here with us to day.

                                    My friends have not yet
arrived from London. The steamer was due
five or seven days ago. The high winds
from the west have opposed her
passage. She will probably reach New York

(Page 2)

and I shall not, you see, be there
to receive my friends. I shall
however be there early tomorrow
morning. I have not been spending
my time idly in New York but
have been holding meetings among
the colored people mostly and in
this way increasing the circulation
of the North star. I have already
obtained the names of forty or fifty
in New York and have succeedid [sic]
in getting a North star committee
appointed to obtain subscribers.
My success here has been far greater
than I had any idea it would
be. I shall not dispair [sic] of the
North star yet. I want to see
you greatly. and shall probably
do so on thursday next.

                          Thinking that you
would not be displeased by a line
from me at this place I
have been moved to pen
this hasty scroll.

                     I shall try to persuade
Julia and her sister Eliza to remain
in New York to attend the annual
meeting and not come home with
me at this time. With best
Love to your Dear family and
family circle William and Mary
one and inseparable.
                         Yours Always
                                  Frederick Douglass

Annotations

Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Westbury Long Island to fellow activists, Isaac and Amy Post. Douglass is staying with Isaac's brother, Joseph and his wife, Mary. Edmund P. Willis was Post's brother-in-law. Douglass refers to the Post family home at Sophia Street in Rochester. John S. Jacobs was abolitionist and former slave, Harriet Jacobs's brother. Douglass published a newspaper, called the North Star. Julia and Eliza Griffiths supported the newspaper. Mary was Isaac Post's daughter and William was her husband.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Douglass, Frederick, “Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Isaac and Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 21, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3019.

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