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Whittier, John G., 1807-1892 to Samuel J. May

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05720 Author/Creator: Whittier, John G., 1807-1892 Place Written: Haverhill, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 24 April 1834 Pagination: 2 p. : address : docket ; Height: 24.6 cm, Width: 19.2 cm Order a Copy

Whittier writes to May, an ardent abolitionist: "Until connected with the Cause of Anti-Slavery I never knew what friendship was... engaged in this holy cause of Truth & Love, I have found high & pure hearts beating in perfect unison... No matter what may be our creed- whether we follow Socinius or Fox, or Calvin,- we are all brethren." Discusses the engagement of abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison to Helen Eliza Benson: "It will quiet the fears of some of our good Colonisationists that our friend G. might some day or other practice upon the thing of Amalgamation- and, smitten by the mental charms of some dark-browed lady, 'mislike her not for her complexion, The shadowed livery of the burning sun' " (quote from Shakespeare). Asks May to remember him to the teachers of the Canterbury school and Andrew [T.] Judson (possibly Andrew Thompson Judson). A note written in the margin of page one asks May to recruit "Rev br. Channing" to the cause of abolition (possibly the theologian William Ellery Channing).

Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Judson, Andrew Thompson, 1784-1853
Garrison, Helen Eliza, 1811-1876
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Channing, William Ellery, 1780-1842

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