Letter from Samuel Joseph May, Syracuse, [N.Y.], to William Lloyd Garrison, Dec[ember] 6, 1851

Item Information

Title:
Letter from Samuel Joseph May, Syracuse, [N.Y.], to William Lloyd Garrison, Dec[ember] 6, 1851
Description:
Samuel Joseph May writes William Lloyd Garrison declaring that a letter received from Abby Kelley Foster leads him to conclude that his own previous letter to Garrison was "misunderstood". May asserts that neither he nor the Finance Committee wished to give the impression that they desired that Foster or Sallie Holley should not labor in Central or Western New York unless they are engaged as agents of the American Anti-Slavery Society, and that his advising them to refrain from laboring in this geographical vicinity was due solely to his fear that "it should seem like interferance with our financial operations" therein. May states that as they cannot canvass "any considerable portion of Central and Estern New York", that they shall therefore be happy to have any "true and able" persons such as Foster and Holley "engaged in agitating the public mind" in this region concerning slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act. May declares that he is at a loss as to where they will find the agents that they require. May comments that his controversy with Mr. Comstock "waxes warmer", and informs Garrison that he will send him his last letter on the subject. May asserts that while Garrison may find his support for civil disobedience against the Fugitive Slave Act to be extreme, he knows "not what other counsel" to provide in the matter, arguing that if they cannot "kill this infernal Law" it will in turn destroy them. May informs Garrison that Gerrit Smith has "subscribed $1000" to "meeting the demands that may arise from the rescue of Jerry".
Author:
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Addressee:
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Date:
December 6, 1851
Format:
Letters/Correspondence
Manuscripts
Location:
Boston Public Library
Rare Books Department
Collection (local):
Anti-Slavery Collection
Subjects:
United States.
Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century
Abolitionists--United States--19th century--Correspondence
Social reformers--United States--History--19th century
Women abolitionists--United States--History--19th century
Civil disobedience--United States--History--19th century
Fugitive slaves--United States--History--19th century
Vigilance committees--New York--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--United States
Abolitionists--United States--History--19th century
Social reformers--United States
Women abolitionists--United States
Civil disobedience--United States
Fugitive slaves--United States
Vigilance committees
American Anti-Slavery Society
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Holley, Sallie, 1818-1893
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887
Liberator (Boston, Mass. : 1831)
Places:
New York
Extent:
1 leaf (4 p.) ; 19.2 x 24.9 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/5h73zx011
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
Syracuse, [N.Y.]
Language:
English
Notes:
Holograph, signed.
Title devised by cataloger.
Manuscript includes affixed United States postage stamp, marked at three cents.
Manuscript addressed to "Wm Lloyd Garrison Boston, Masstts".
Identifier:
4698936
Call #:
MS A.1.2 v.20, p.154
Barcode:
39999066762731