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

1854-11-23

Description

Handwritten letter from William Cooper Nell to Amy Kirby Post. Nell writes to Post about the reaction in Boston 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

1048

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)

Thursday 3. P.M. Nov 23
                                                             1854

I have Just called on Mr Phillips= by being one
of the favored few to whom audiences are
granted= He was applied to as a substitute
for Chas Sumners introductory anti slavery [sic] lecture
this evening Mr Sumner being indisposed
but this ( Thursday ) evening You have Mr
Phillips at Rochester= You need him to
Climax the other antislavery lecturers
at Corinthian Hall-
    Mr Phillips though looking better than
usual Yet complains of feeble health -

    The Slave Girl in whose behalf
I had interested myself finally

concluded to return South with her
sick Mistress and Children = She professes
to believe they will Set her free I lost
Several days [dancing?] attendance at
the Adams House = and planning with J. K. Hayes
the Anti Burns Police man = Lewis Hayden
My Sister Louisa Little Ira V= She accompanied
me one Sunday to Louisas where we all
gave our advice = but though professing to
be plausible even grateful Yet for some
reason best Known to herself She run the
hazard of going bacK

(Page 2)

Comment is unnecessary = Such is Slavery –
I feel sure You will all read Ida May
I had an advance opportunity of doing so
it will appeal to a class of American
minds in a different way from Uncle Tom
but both BooKs have a great mission to
fulfil [sic]-
    Some of the Boston School Committee
man having become interested in Little Ira
by his Panoramas =Paintings =Drawings and
his deportment =perfected a plan for his
admission to Public School where he now
happens to be a favorite with Teachers
and fellow Pupils = this is well so far as it-
goes yet I shall not rest until the System
of exclusiveness is abolished-
By the Bye= I flatter myself as
having been Somewhat instrumental
in breaKing down the prescription of
Colored     persons at the New
Boston Theatre = a beautiful
Spacious   and       Costly Temple
of the Drama= I addressed a
letter to the Manager before the
Season commenced = which has now

(Page 3)

resulted in his trying the experiment
Parties of Colored persons have been
admitted for thier [sic] own Selection of
Seats = thus far without any-
Thunder Lightening or EarthquaKes
But as the Opera is about commencing
I Know not but Some Colorphobia
Victim may = maKe a noise = but upon
the while it is a glorious move= which
may prove entirely successful –
3 Cheers =
              Every TicKet for the anti
Slavery [sic] Lecture has been sold 1200 double
and the demand is Yet for more
though not a radical course Yet
how encouraging the fact -^The Hall seats
                                         3000 and will
                                          be full-^
Wendell Phillips Portrait now, only awaits
the lettering = I lost the chance (tho
promised me) of Publishing Theodore
ParKer but have an agency-
     Stephen S. Foster is released from
Bail =on his parole of honor = an officer
for forms saKe = giving promise for
Stephen's appearance = this was an
exception as bail was required of
                                    others

(Page 4)

So You See a HunKer Judge
has faith in the word of a
radical = Non Resistant
Abolitionist=
                   Sallie Holley will
be very welcome to the old Bay State
distribute one third of the satisfaction
thereof to Sarah Hallowell Willis
and= Amy Post, and Somebody
else will appropriate the remainder
    I was delighted to hear
the news from Rochester
wonder when I shall wake
up Joe in the middle of the
night again =and hear that
Musical Voice = Joseph Somebody
has broKen into the house –
    Tell Mary Ann V Willie to
thinK of me ThanKsgiving
day = = I shall be unable to accompany
Jacob to my choice friends William & Mary
that day= I expect to be with Wm
Wm W Brown at Chas Remonds in Salem
Love to Everybody. Write Soon Sincerely Yours
Wm C. Nell

Annotations

William Cooper Nell, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Boston to fellow activist, Amy Post. Wendell Phillips was an abolitionist, Native American advocate and lawyer. Charles Sumner was a Massachusetts Senator and a radical abolitionist. Joseph Hayes resigned as Captain of the Watch and Police to avoid executing the Fugitive Slave Law. The new law made it illegal for anyone to aid escaping slaves. Nell refers to Anthony Burns, a runaway slave, who members of the Boston anti-slavery community tried to protect from slave catchers. The lawfulness of their actions was brought to court and Burns was eventually returned to his master. Lewis Hayden was a former slave and an abolitionist leader. Louisa was one of Nell's sisters. Ira was her son. Mary Hayden Green Pike wrote the anti-slavery novel, Ida May. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Theodore Parker was a Transcendentalist and a reform minister in the Unitarian Church. Stephen S. Foster was a radical abolitionist and a woman’s rights activist. Sally Holley traveled as an anti-slavery lecturer with Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone and Sarah Remond, and others. Sarah Hallowell Willis was Post’s sister. Joseph was Post's son. Willie was Post's youngest son and Mary Ann took care of him as a child. William and Mary Hallowell were Post's son-in-law and step- daughter. William W. Brown was an African American abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright and historian. He was born a slave and escaped to the North in 1834, where he wrote the first novel by an African American: Clotel, as well as Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave. Charles Lenox Remond was a lecturer and an abolitionist leader.

Tags

Abolitionism; Enslaved people; 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 24, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3338.

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