Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Douglass, Frederick

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1849-07-17

Description

Handwritten letter from Frederick Douglass to Amy Kirby Post. Douglass writes to Post about his recent illness and lecture tour of the mid-west.

Subject

Post, Amy Kirby, b. 1802

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

746

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                          Niagara- 17^th July
                                         1849

Dear Amy:
                    Sister to Frederick. When
I left Rochester- I resolved that you
should hear from me often during
my western pilgrimage- but nearly
three weeks have elapsed and
not a word from my own pen.
Do you know the reason? Well, I will
tell you. I have been and still am
sick- I was attacked upon the very
threshold of my journey- and made
to feel the weakness of my resolves
and the uncertainties of man’s
promises. I had pictured to myself
a most successful and brilliant
career in the west. How soon was
my picture mared and defaced? But
thank God I am yet alive and
on my legs- with my face toward
the evening- and can yet do Both
for the right and thee. I shall
not in my present weak state
venture into Cincinnatti- Since
my system is just now peculiarly
open to an attack of Cholera.

(Page 2)

The probability now is that I
shall be with the friends
in Buffalo on the first of
August if I go out at all on
that day. There will doubtless
be a large gathering at that
point at that time, and a good
work may be done on that
day. I find the friends there
all alive for the occasion.

                       When in Detroit
I wished much to visit [Pontiae?]
agreeably to the kind invitation
of Miss Owin. But my limits
were all broken. How could I
I travel? I wanted to go to
Battle Creek. B but this I could
not do- all was disappointment

                          I shall probably
reach home by friday. I cannot
say positively Julia Griffiths
continues ill- and Eliza is the
only sound one of the company.
If you were here- I should feel
oceans of happiness on the
Dear Girls account- They have
need of your tender and affectionate
heart to cheer- and strengthen them.
But we shall have to come to you

(Page 3)

In consideration of my illness and
the necessary expenses to which
I have been put, the Girls have
just sent thirty dollars more
towards holding up the North
Star.                 I am now at not
expense- they sustain me when
I am ill- and until I get strong.
you will see a somewhat
minute account of my illness
in the North star of this weak ^week^
or I would write you out
particulars. My Dear Love
to Isaac- Wm Hallowell and
Mary Hallowell- and receive
the Lion’s share for
your Dear self.

         I am most truly
       yours Always
                      Frederick Douglass
Julia and Eliza join me in                                            Love to yourself and family
                          F.D.

(Page 4)

[Text aligned vertically across center of Page 4]

Amy Post
Care of Post & Willis
Rochester
N.Y.

Annotations

Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Niagara to fellow activist, Amy Post. Battle Creek is in Michigan and where abolitionist and former slave, Sojourner Truth lived for a period. Abolitionist supporters, Julia and Eliza Griffiths, supported Douglass's newspaper, the North Star. Mary was Post's step-daughter and William Hallowell was her husband.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Douglass, Frederick, “Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed December 22, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3037.

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