Letter from Samuel Joseph May, Brooklyn, [Connecticut], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1832 Feb[ruary] 29

Item Information

Title:
Letter from Samuel Joseph May, Brooklyn, [Connecticut], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1832 Feb[ruary] 29
Description:
Samuel J. May writes to William Lloyd Garrison requesting a copy of an earlier Liberator as he "wish[es] to preserve a complete file." He then comments on some recent articles in the Liberator before discussing his "discourse" and how "some have strangely misunderstood" his meaning. May defends his statement, arguing that he was not advocating a civil war and claiming that "I would not have the nation plunge itself into one kind of wickedness, in order to escape from another." He then addresses the charge that abolitionists should "let things take their course" and counters that "the first step, in all public improvement, ... is to make the public feel there is need of improvement." He proposes that the end of slavery "may be found out, if we only search for it with our whole hearts." Before closing the letter, he also asks Garrison about the sale of his "discourses."
Author:
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Addressee:
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Date:
February 29, 1832
Format:
Letters/Correspondence
Manuscripts
Location:
Boston Public Library
Rare Books Department
Collection (local):
Anti-Slavery Collection
Subjects:
Abolitionists--United States--19th century--Correspondence
Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--Religious aspects--Christianity--United States--History--19th century
Social reformers--United States--History--19th century
Abolitionists--United States--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--United States
Christianity
Social reformers--United States
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Liberator (Boston, Mass. : 1831)
Extent:
1 leaf (4 p.) ; 24 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/2z10z841t
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
Brooklyn, [Connecticut]
Language:
English
Notes:
Holograph, signed.
Title devised by cataloger.
Most of this letter, beginning on page 2, is printed in the Liberator of March 10, 1832 (Vol. II, no. 10) under the heading, "Rev. Mr. May's Discourse."
On verso, the letter is addressed to "Mr Wm Lloyd Garrison Ed of Liberator. Boston."
Identifier:
5123776
Call #:
MS A.1.2 v.2, p.5A
Barcode:
39999085431193