Letter from George William Benson and Henry Egbert Benson, Providence, [Rhode Island], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1833 [March] 5th

Item Information

Title:
Letter from George William Benson and Henry Egbert Benson, Providence, [Rhode Island], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1833 [March] 5th
Description:
In this letter to William Lloyd Garrison, George William Benson says that while he was "cheered by the delightful intelligence that a high school for young colored misses was to be established in Canterbury, (Conn.)," the project has raised the "unholy prejudices of the people ... to such a dregree, that they were fully determined, if possible, to prevent the school from going into operation." Benson describes how he traveled to Canterbury and met with Prudence Crandall, the "truly benevolent young Lady, who has so nobly esposed the cause of suffering humanity," and he lists the objections of prominent townspeople to the creation of the school. Benson argues "friends of the cause" will help establish and support the school, "relying upon the Constitution of our nominally free country, and firmly believing that our colored brethren are entitled to all the priviliges that we ourselves enjoy."
Author:
Benson, George William, 1808-1879
Author:
Benson, Henry Egbert, 1814-1837
Transcriber:
Benson, Henry Egbert, 1814-1837
Addressee:
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Date:
[March 5, 1833]
Format:
Letters/Correspondence
Manuscripts
Location:
Boston Public Library
Rare Books Department
Collection (local):
Anti-Slavery Collection
Subjects:
Abolitionists--United States--19th century--Correspondence
African Americans--Education--United States--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century
Social reformers--United States--History--19th century
Abolitionists--United States--History--19th century
African Americans--Education--History
Antislavery movements--United States
Social reformers--United States
Canterbury Female Boarding School (Canterbury, Conn.)
Benson, George William, 1808-1879
Benson, Henry Egbert, 1814-1837
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Crandall, Prudence, 1803-1890
Liberator (Boston, Mass. : 1831)
Extent:
1 leaf (4 p.) ; 32 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/2z10zj82q
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
Providence, [Rhode Island]
Language:
English
Notes:
Holograph, signed.
Title devised by cataloger.
On verso, the letter is addressed to "Mr. Wm Lloyd Garrison Editor of the Liberator Boston Mass." and is postmarked with a red, circular stamp reading, "Providence R.I. Mar 6".
This letter is printed in the Liberator of May 9, 1833 under the title, "Infamous Conduct."
After the letter from George William Benson to William Lloyd Garrison, Benson's brother, Henry Egbert Benson, writes an additional letter to Garrison, explaining that he penned the letter for his brother because the "severity & intense cold of the weather frose [sic] all his fingers on both hands & [he] suffered much otherways with the cold." Benson says that at his brothers request he "copied the above letter which he is anxious should appear in the next Liberator with his own signature." H.E. Benson then insists that it is important "our friends abroad should be enabled to rely on the correctness of the facts and have early information of what has taken place so that they may if necessary be enabled to second any movement that may take place in this shameful affair." He also relates that "Miss C[randall] thinks on the whole Friend [Arnold] Buffum had better not come then in the present excited state of public feeling," before repeating the message from his brother that "they have determined on no compromise in this affair".
Notes (date):
This date is inferred.
Identifier:
5157030
Call #:
MS A.1.2 v.3, p.18
Barcode:
39999086045505