Marks, B G Bushnell. Letter to Amy Kirby ? Post.

Title

Marks, B G Bushnell. Letter to Amy Kirby ? Post.

Creator

Marks, B G Bushnell

Contributor

Amy Kirby ? Post

Date

1854-01-16

Description

Handwritten letter from B G Bushnell Marks to Amy Kirby ? Post, January 16, 1854.

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

1010

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

                                                     New Orleans. Jan. 16^th 1854
     My Dear _ dear Sister P._
                                                It is with inexpressible emotions of
gratitude & pleasure, that I have arrived at a period, when I can
quietly retire from the bustle & confusion of the world, & pen my
thoughts & sentiments of love & respect, unmolested to you:_ One
that among all my numerous friends none ^none^ is more highly appre-
ciated than your dear_self.      Your goodness of heart & purity of
sentiments endears your remembrance to me with ties that
naught but death can remove; and even when the dissolution
of these frail bodies Shall have been fully realized, the spirit
will be quickened & invigorated with the union that has
usually existed, and our love be made perfect by the
re-union of immortal bonds.   Sweet is the thought, that
kindred spirits shall never be severed, and that the
veil which now seperates [sic] us for a season, will ere long
be drawn, & we commune together in one eternal theme.
But dear Sister, what a distance lies between us now.
Often have I thought of you since our last parting scene
And as often have I contemplated writing you at length
but could not fully express my mind as I desired,
and for which favorable opportunity, I have desired.
After travelling by land nearly all the distance of
2000 miles, we have reached the point of our long
contemplated destination . We arrived here on the
8th [Ult?]. We did expect to remain here until spring,
The state of the atmosphere is very bad, & much sickness
prevails.    My nephew who resided here formerly, and
with whom we expected to sojourne [sic], has removed to
Galveston, Texas. on account of the health of his family
& his business prospects.   He has written us to imm
ediately remove thither, and we have become satisfied
it is much better for us, and have resolved upon
leaving for that point on the first boat, which sails
the morning of the 18th, while I have just time to pen
my thoughts to the numerous friends at the north &
remind them that they are not forgotten. In the
mean time, I would say many things, that duty
& expediency forbids; and yet, tell you of many more
that lies deeply rooted in this heart. I will here
make mention of the Pittsburg Token, for which I
write weekly, and expect you read it, as I desired
the Ed. to forward it you with the expectation of
your weekly perusal.    In that, you will find a
general description of our visits & observations.
After I left Washington, my health improved very
rapidly, and I think I have entirely recovered, from all
                    appearance of my protracted illness

(Page 2)

Mr M. has enjoyed good health, and on the whole, our
journey has been pleasant & profitable. We made quite
a number of long stops, particularly in the state
of Georgia.      That is a beautiful country & Augusta
is one of the most delightful towns in the world. It is
but a short distance from Florida line, situated
on the savanna river, and is the terminatrys [sic] of
nearly all the southern & northern rail roads, and
river transportation.    There is much enterprise,
influence and enthusiasm in the state of society, &
a people in every way calculated to please & gratify,-
but Oh, how stupid in one feature of future progress!
Slavery - that horrid vice! holds them fast in chains
of depredation & moral insanity.   This subject, in
my weekly writings, I have not dared to approach
But my Dear friend, I can never paint to you the
anguish of my mind, & which has destroyed much
of the pleasure of my otherwise pleasing & romantic
trip.     While in Augusta, I was situated so near
the jail, and became a favorite of the jailor & his family
I hold every opportunity to daily see the horrors of the
vile & inhuman treatment of those unhappy victims
who are doomed to Slavery within the territory of a
people professing liberty & equal rights. I shall not
attempt to portray any facts now as it would nec-
essarily devolve more time & occupy more space
than I in justice could employ, besides, when
I approach the most appaling [sic] facts, my feelings
become so aroused, indignant and maddened, that
it unfits me for any thing else.    My very soul recoils
within me at this instant, and I forbear. Permit
me however to say, that as long as our northern
men refuse to sustain a political government for
the suppression of this evil; slavery will be protracted and
its direful consequences attend every effort mad;
while the poor sufferer will continue to complain as
they do already, that "the Anti Slavery people of the north
make their servitude harder & their tasks increas'd."
Many subjects that have hitherto called me into
the public field, are diminutive, compared with
the nature of the one in question; that when I return
to my native land and where I have the rights of speech
I shall have occasion to employ myself in Speeches
pertaining particularly to this world's affairs, that
I may more effectually [ripen?] for the spheres beyond
My sister, I assure you in all honesty & sincerity,
that when I come to Rochester again, My subjects

(Page 3)

for mutual & national progression as well as for
    eternal; will be American Liberty.    I have some
    things to say [Now?] on subjects that I never
    approached there in public. Yes, I want to live
to return to N.Y. and deliver my messages, as for
Eternity! that an All wise providence is more pre-
paring me for, and for aught I know, the assembled
universe of Spirits influenced me & directed my duty
to God and humanity better. I have much to say
upon the subject ^of slavery^ so long agitated even in Rochester
Yes. I long to finish my education in the south,
am daily, & hourly taking lessons for the purpose
of disseminating the truths concealed from the
Northern people.   I necessarily use much intrigue
& apparent deception, for the purpose of arriving
at the whole root & motive of this southern theme
Getting into the good will & confidence of the most pop-
ular actors, I arrive at facts hitherto hidden.
I am also permitted to witness, myself, the most
heinous practices, and all their modes of punishment
of ^and^ treatment in every form.   These lessens [sic] have
been daily developing themselves before me in new
and more glowing colours ever since I left Baltimore
But as I design completing my course & graduating
by the close of May next, and Shall be then prepared
to illustrate more perfectly; I will now abbreviate my
notes, and leave the remainder to deliver orally.
When I come to you again in R. I have much to say
and that without money & without price. It is an
errand of mercy, and my life will only be just
long enough to tell the story.   This most important
of subjects occupy my thoughts mostly, and you need
not wonder, that I dwell so long upon it. My husband
Also, partakes of the same spirit, & sometimes has
occasion to take lessons that myself, as a sex,
would be prohibited from.     But dear me_ I have
almost filled the sheet, & have yet many things to say
I often think of my Rochester friends, of ^the^ dear circle
of acquaintance with whom I have enjoyed so much
and can but wonder if any have left for the other
regions since I met them last? I am extremely
anxious to hear from sister Bush.   Do write
me, if you have heard from her since She sailed
upon the Pacific.   I have written her twice, requesting
an immediate answer, and time enough
for reply, but none has come to hand. She told
me she would write me to Philadelphia, but
dd not. Has any one heard of her arrival in San-F.
                                                               rancisco?

(Page 4)

I not unfrequently call to mind my last brief visit with
her at your house. It was a pleasant meeting, but a
solemn parting. You know we had become very much
attached, and of course, dreaded the consequences of ^her^ long
and hazardous trip. But I can but hope for her safety,
I wonder if the Spirits meet with you in R, as they did
They dont visit the South much, where Slavery is
so poisonous to the atmosphere. Mr Marks & I have
private circles sometimes & they talk well to us.
The rapping Spirits are just coming to this town.
I have not seen any out of my room. When we
get located at Galveston, we shall be extremely
anxious to hear from you, and I am sure you
will gratify me by writing every thing you think
can please me to hear. Dont forget my love to Mr
& Mr Kedzie, I must write them before long too,
our friend John Robinson ^your sister^ Br.^and husband^ Hammond, Mr
Granger, Br B. Fish & Wife, and all in whom
I have an interest. I cant write them all, but
they may be assured I remember them. I forgot
entirely to settle with Mr Post for some little boxes
I had of him; but then the time will come that I do
and it will not brake [sic] him down before I return.
We contemplate returning in May or June next.
Our general prospects are good, Our journey has
been an expensive one I assure you. We pay
here 7# pr day for our living & room. We have
to pay 40# trip to Galveston. I think we hall
feel better pleased with that place than we do with
this.   Yellow fever has disappeared, but there is a
little of every thing else, in the form of disease.
There are thunder showers of hot, murky ^weather^, and the
Musquetoes [sic] so thick, big & poisonous, that we
can hardly sleep nights in safety. Have to use
[Bars?] as much as though it was July. I have
seen no such thing as winter, this year. Mr
M. says I must not forget to put in his
respects. He is busy writing, dont know but he
is making his will. I think he is my Equal
and can keep ahead of me in most respects.
We happen to think and act in unison & conseq-
uently dont have many disputes. We enjoy our-
selves well, and feel that the future will yield a
rich reward for all our toils and self sacrifice.
Dont forget to write me to Galveston, Texas.
Address Me Mrs J. W. Marks, in care of D.L. F
Home, and it will all come safe. Yourself & Br. P.
accept love, and believe me yours for reform in the bonds of progress^ion^,
                                                          B. G. Bushnell, Marks.

Tags

Abolitionism; Personal; Spiritualism

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Marks, B G Bushnell, “Marks, B G Bushnell. Letter to Amy Kirby ? Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 23, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3300.

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