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

1859-10-27

Description

Handwritten letter from Frederick Douglass to Amy Kirby Post. Douglass writes to Post about how long he expects to remain in Canada, following the conspiracy surrounding John Brown's raid of Harpers Ferry.

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

1246

Location

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

Transcription

(Page 1)                                                                                      Clifton, Canada west . 27. 1859
My dear Friend:
                           I am sincerely thankful to you for your two kind notes. They
seemed like good news from a far country. Your face here w.^d
be quite a benediction, but I cannot urge you to come. I am stopping
at a low Dutch Tavern, the very opposite of your taste &
that of my own. I bear it for the moment as the best I can do-
for to change boarding place would be to make enemies – and
I happen to be quite sufficiently blest with these already. No:
my friend Amy- you must not urge me to remain on this
side the water. It will take many months to blow this heavy Cloud
from my sky- and I can not consent to an inactive exile.
I am very sorry not to have been able to send you a line
Dear Aunty W. last night. Both Brothers have
shown themselves true and valued friends in my present
trouble. Had I gone down to Rochester- with our mutual
friends, the other night, I should have walked into
a trap. Make my kindest regards to Dear Isaac
and your kind household.
                 I am dear, Amy, very Truly,
                               your friend.
                                                      Frederick Douglass-
                                                                                      over-

                                                                                        (Page 2)
I have just received your
note sent by Lewis
with one from Dear
Lucy N Coleman expressing
fears in regard to my
property- I am about convinced
that nothing is to be feared at
this point. It cannot be lost
unless I am convicted. I cannot
be convicted, if I am not tried. I
cannot be tried unless I am
arrested:- I cannot be arrested
unless caught; I cannot be
caught while I keep out of
the way- and just this thing
it is my purpose to do.
              Again. Yours Truly
                            F.D.

Annotations

Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist and former slave, is writing from Clifton, Canada to fellow activist, Amy Post. Douglass is staying in Canada to protect himself from those who believe he conspired with radical abolitionist, John Brown, who was responsible for attacking the federal armory of Harpers Ferry on October 16, 1859. Lucy N. Coleman was also an abolitionist.

Tags

Personal

Collection

D.93 Isaac and Amy Post Family Papers

Citation

Douglass, Frederick, “Douglass, Frederick. Letter to Amy Kirby Post.,” RBSCP Exhibits, accessed November 24, 2024, https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/items/show/3535.

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