Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Title

Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.

Creator

Nell, William Cooper

Contributor

Post, Amy Kirby, 1802-1889

Date

1853-03-11

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about recent anti-slavery meetings in Boston and about the community's reaction to the Fugitive Slave Act.

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

978

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

             Saturday 3.oclock PM; Sallie Holly has Just come in
goes to Fall River This afternoon = then returns for a week sojourn
at Francis Jacksons;
Peter still is also here;    they                Boston March 11^th 1853
have each wished to be remembered to     Friday morning 12.oclock
          You-
   Esteemed Friend Amy Post
                                                     Here I am at the anti-
slavery office despatching [sic] matters . hoping to leave
Boston soon after the 20^th unit Joseph H Putman
expects to sail on that day for Australia. I am already
heavy hearted in consequence. = I. have Just telegraphed
to Benjamin Cleggett = that his little Baby is very sick
and that the Doctor pronounces its recovery doubtful
Benjamin and Frank seem destined to bear the
Yoke in thier [sic] Youth. – Louisa the Two Iras
Frank and myself have had some very pleasant times
together = some suspended however by the Baby’s illness
what the result will be God only Knows
     I. have Just despatched [sic] letters to Dorcas Collins &
John Dick . and when finishing this will respond
to an interesting and beautiful letter from Sarah L.
Hallowell . I shall probably be at Rochester when
Herself and Edmund P. Willis have completed thier [sic]
Long Island visit.      It is my expectation to be
able to attend the Cincinnati meeting = and
then reach Boston by the New England
Convention = after that my future is very
uncertain.

(Page 2)

I. have been watching at Mr Phillips House a few nights
past = as some robbers broke through from the next
unoccupied house = though for some unKnown cause
they removed nothing. Yet it was deemed prudent
by the police who watched inside the first night
that continued vigilance should be continued some
time longer=    I wished I could have presented
You and Rochester friends some of my batch of
tickets to Wendell Phillips lecture on the
Lost arts delivered before the Mercantile
Library Association = to a crowded audience
in the Spacious and beautiful Music Hall
He =referred = when speaking of painting Vc
to his illustrious friend Garrison = this though
before hundreds of Hunkers = was warmly
applauded = and last evening the same Hall
^was^ filled to suffocation by the Temperance Convention
a Clergyman from Belchertown (Mr Wolcott) and
Henry Ward Beecher = incidentally denounced the
Fugitive Slave Law = for which both were
applauded to the echo = even more than
for thier [sic] strong talk on the License Law.
     So You see = that Humanity it was
uppermost with the masses-
                                          Salllie Holley
writes to the friends here that She is in too much
need of rest to anticipate going to Cincinnati –

(Page 3)

       She will probably remain here until after the May Convention

The Annual meeting will be held in New York City
though Mr Garrison is not favorable to it, there is also
talk of a meeting at Syracuse, please regard these
for the present as whisperings-
       I do not understand fully the objections urged
against the old society abolitionists = in relation to
Peter Still = nor did Mr Garrison-
Peter is now operating in Salem and Lynn
He is a great work = but perseverance will
accomplish anything. . I will say here however
that Peter Still has been aided very muchly by
the members of the Old Society Vc = and at
the meeting would have succeeded
much better had the case not been
prejudiced by the injudicious action of a person
in whom a majority had no confidence -
But I have and also Misters May, Wallcutt and
others given him names –Vc and Peter is
satisfied that with our efforts = but enough on
this = antislavery people do not think it right
to put money in the Slaveholders pocket
                              =

I really hope it will be my privilege to meet
the new Boarder at 36 Sophia St = I have
any quantity of matter for Conversation with
you and the Circle when we meet.

(Page 4)

The last Sunday in February I. heard Theodore
Parker preach on Good and Bad temper
it was indeed a mental and moral
feast = in his prayer he alluded to the
“ last smile of departing winter-
        Happy was I to hear of Sarah C. Owen
and hope to see her – when I reach Rochester -
   The question of Professor Allens = prevented marriage
excites much talk here Pro and Con = I have a
fine letter from him = but wait until I come
What a noble and truthful tribute does
Amy pay to Isaac     Post. – in the saying
‘ I wish every woman was as happily Yoked
as I am’. = a good wife has been my constant
wish through life = but I suppose my doom
is disappointment. If You have not written
to Phebe Thayer = please tender her and Abby my choicest
remembrances = Amy Post Knows they are very choice
availing myself of Mrs Scotts invitation last evening
to eat some good Johnny Cake How could I help
thinking of my Kind friend Sarah Birneys
standing invitation = to my masticating machinery ‘
being tested upon her Johnny Cake-
            with some of Jacob Kirbys oysters.
Please consider all the other things said
and all my friends Old & Young remembered
With every sentiment of grateful regard
          I remain faithfully Your Friend Wm C. Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post.
Sallie Holley traveled as anti-slavery lecturer. Francis Jackson, an abolitionist from Boston worked with anti-slavery groups. Joseph H. Putnam was the brother-in-law of abolitionist Charles Lenox Remond. Benjamin Cleggett was Nell's brother-in-law and Frances was his Cleggett's wife. Louisa was another of Nell's sisters. John Dick worked as a printer for Frederick Douglass's newspaper the North Star.

Sarah Hallowell was Post's sister. Edmund P. Willis was Sarah's husband. Wendell Phillips was an abolitionist. William Lloyd Garrison was a radical abolitionist and the editor of the Liberator. R.F. Wallcutt published an anti-slavery pamphlet containing a speech by Reverend Bleby. Henry Ward Beecher was a Congregationalist clergyman, abolitionist, social reformer, who opposed the Fugitive Slave Act. This law made it illegal for Northerners to aid escaping slaves and compelled them to return the slaves to their masters.

Peter Still was a former slave, who became a lecturer to raise money to buy his family out of slavery. Samuel J. May was a radical American reformer. Nell refers to 36 Sophia Street, where the Post family lived in Rochester.
Theodore Parker was a Transcendentalist and reform minister of the Unitarian Church. Sarah C. Owen was a woman’s rights activist.

Nell refers to Professor William G. Allen, who was almost murdered when he proposed to the daughter of a white minister. Allen was the editor of the National Watchman, a Temperance and abolitionist paper. Phebe and Abby Thayer were relatives of the Post family. Sarah Birney was a mutual friend of Nell’s and the Post family. Jacob was one of Post's sons.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal; Temperance Movement

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Nell, William Cooper, “Nell, William Cooper. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3267.

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