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

1853-08-12

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about the recent events surrounding the ideological split between William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass.

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

996

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

a few ^Some^ evening ago took tea at Francis JacKson
with Sallie Holley and John Mercer Langston
   Oberlin School Mates.
                                    Boston Aug 12. 1853
Dear Friend Amy Post=
                                            One weeK ago last
Sunday I breaKfasted at William Lloyd Garisson
in the company of William H. Ashurst
of London = the interview was one to be
proud of and long remembered
on Monday I went to New Bedford
and there   enjoyed public and private
very pleasant times with FredK Douglass
rode in the Barouche over the City to the
grove V= with him = left 2 oclock
tuesday morning with him and old
Gentleman Downing = in a driving
rain by Carry all for MyricKs in order
to reach Framingham next morning
there the scene occurred between
Wendell Phillips and FredK Douglass
     On   reaching -Boston He has held
Several meetings in Boston = I felt it my
duty to asK him to set himself right
if he = could) for his hostility direct and
     indirect against his old friends

(Page 2)

the affair spread itself over two evening
and He disposed of the matter in a
Characteristic manner = professing love
for Mr Garrison    but no love for Wendell
Phillips – Edmund Quincy = and regarding
Mrs Chapman as his inveterate enemy -
He brought all Kinds of charges against the
abolitionists = V= acquit me of any
dishonorable motives in bringing the
matter up V= but it is a long and
disagreeable matter for me to go over now
I shall taKe measures to correct the
misrepresentations in his paper of
August 12^th               Giles B. Stebbins was at
                                                  one meeting
                          Robert Morris = presented
his second edition of an extraneous
and ungentlemanly attacK upon me
because of my speaKing of his
Cause at the State House as You
heard something of= He got hissed
however and pretty Severely
questioned and rebuked by Benjamin
Weeden and others = Douglass had
taken some Votes about the controversy =
I told he was mistaKen in regards
Such votes under such circumstances as any

(Page 3)

test of sympathy or agreement with him
   after Morris = attack upon me -
Some of my friends proposed a vote on my
Course which I thanKed them for but
discouraged thier [sic] being put = because as I
had already said= they were not
then a test = Lewis Hayden   Grimes
and Robert Morris though professing
old organizationer [sic] V= Yet lend thier [sic]
influence against me = but I am no
ways troubled = It will all come right
It was as You must Know a very hard
duty for me = but I done it because
it was my duty-
    W. G.W=          Wm G. Watkins has
engaged to go to Rochester as an assistant
of Mr Douglass = He expects to talK and
write Garrisonism = and I believe
him sincere but between F.D &
J. G.         I tremble for     his integrity –
                              -
I could talK to You about this
much better than I can now
write = I did not expect Mr Douglass
would have exhibited so much venom
           as in his paper of 12^th(Page 4)

   But the end is not Yet.
I shall not have room to send my
Kindest and special words to
the valued   and loved Circle of
friends = would that I could
be with You = but a las [sic] alas
how few of our most choice
wishes are realized in this
world =   To Isaac & Jacob
Joseph = = Eunice = George Mary Johnson
Sarah Birney = Mary Ann & Willie
William & Mary Hallowell -
Sarah and Edmund P. Willis
please distribute my kin-
Cordial greetings.
Do Send me a line Soon
My health continues good
Shall You attend the meetings
at Syracuse= If I can afford it
I shall attend. = Affectionately Your
                              William C.   Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post. Francis Jackson and Sallie Holley were abolitionists. John Mercer Langston was born a free black child in Virginia and became an abolitionist. William Lloyd Garrison was an abolitionist leader and the editor of the Liberator.
William H. Ashurst was a British solicitor and an advocate of women’s rights.

Nell refers to New Bedford, Massachusetts and spending time with Frederick Douglass- an abolitionist and former slave. Wendell Phillips was an abolitionist and edited and published several anti-slavery pamphlets. Nell refers to the recent split in the anti-slavery movement between Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. Douglass no longer believed that the United States Constitution was pro-slavery- unlike Garrison- he believed it was anti-slavery. Edmund Quincy and Maria Weston Chapman were abolitionists.

Giles B. Stebbins was an anti-slavery lecturer. Robert Morris was the second African American to study and practice law in the United States. Together with Nell, Benjamin Weeden wrote a number of articles on abolitionism. Lewis Hayden Grimes was also an abolitionist and served as part of the Underground Railroad network in Boston.

Jacob, Joseph and Willie were Post's sons. Mary Johnson was a free woman, who housed Douglass as he escaped from slavery. Mary Ann took care of Willie. William and Mary Hallowell are Post's step-daughter and son-in-law. Sarah and Edmund P. Willis were Post's sister and brother-in-law.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal

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/3285.

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