Letter from Charlotte to Samuel Cowles, 1836 January 25.

  • Views (80)
  • Downloads (14)


  • Page 1

    Farmington January 25, 1836.


    My Dear Brother,


    I might file a page with all manner of apologies for remissness but they are of all things the most vexatious; so I will write with just the same assura^nce^ as if I were the most punctual of correspondents.


    Perhaps it will be the best way to begin at the beginning, and relate things in regular order. Mr Seely, left the day after you did. The next Monday, the Society meeting voted to give him thirty dollars. The young ladies will give him twenty dollars out of the remains of the Fair; -- quite a respectable sum for Farmington. He will have a better opinion of us than some strangers have. – Mr Ellis preached here on the 10th inst. and took up a collection for a College in Michigan. – On Wednesday, the 13th was held the terrible Anti-Abolition meeting. As my station at a window of the Academy was favorable for noticing the people who passed in, I quizzed each of them, and have now in my possession a list of names of all whom I recognized. A great number were from the adjoining manufacturing towns, -- how “respectable” they were, I cannot say. It was a high day for the rioters, and all that class of people, who came in throngs. If the Editor of the Vermont Chronicle had seen them as I saw them, he would have altered his phraseology. He says, “a meeting of the friends of good order, opposed to the measures of the Anti-Slavery Society”&c. The ring leaders of the



    Page 2

    mob were around, shaking hands with every body, as politicians do, to make people join their party. The Hon. Timothy Pitkin purchased an Anti-Slavery handkerchief, for the express purpose of confuting the story of selling slaves by the pound. And after flourishing about the innocent piece of cambric, he exaltingly asked, Who ever knew of such a thing as selling slaves by the pound! Mr John North, one of the vice-presidents, arose, and made this reply, “I knew a black boy, Peter Bob, who was sold,in this town, for twenty shillings a pound”. You may be sure that the orator had no more to say on that part of his subject. Mr Chapman, of Hartford, made a speech. Some flaming resolutions were drawn up, with frightful stories about “the dissolution of the Union”, and all that sort of stuff. It is a great pity that Mr North’s speech was not published in the account of the meeting. Probably they thought it would rather turn the laugh against the speaker. - ladies were present, and none of these staid long. The Ladies are always on the right side. – The Constitution of the Anti-Slavery Society has been drawn up, and carried about for signatures only a day or two. Cousin Austin said his success was better than he expected. Chauncey has joined, and Miss Hurlbut, which was more than I had anticipated. I believe it is likely to flourish, notwithstanding Mr Jonathan Cowles’ declaration that it should not be formed. – Mr Clark spent the vacation here, and was present at the meeting, and voted in favor of the resolutions. A little girl in the family where he boards cried bitterly when she heard that he was going to Farmington, for she said that “she did not know what would become of him, if he got among the “ ‘bolitionists”. Probably the child thought “ ‘bolitionists” synonymous with “cannibals” and “murderers”. I suppose New Haven people generally are about as much enlightened, upon this subject.



    Page 3

    It seems there is a prospect that Mr Birney’s paper will make its appearance before long. Have you seen his last letter, in the Emancipator for this month? He gives the Abolitionists a good character. The “chivalrous Southrons” grow more and more frantic, and have even now got to such a pass, that on the floor of Congress, they speak of ladies in terms too shocking for repetition. And all the matter is, that these ladies signed a petition. Sixty thousand petitions are sai [d to] have been presented to the English Parliament, before the Abolition of Slavery in the West Indies. – Gov Marcy does not seem quite willing that Gov Gayle should trample on him and his. I think the spirit of the Northerners will be somewhat excited if the Southerners go on as they have done, commanding “us tobow down, and, let them pass over”.


    Cousin Austin teaches us singing once a week. What we shall do when he goes to New York, I do not know.- Mr Gro [break] school closes tomorrow; -- John Hooker will, perhaps, take it. [break] however, it is not yet decided. – Chauncey has moved into the store, and Jane is an Abolitionist, now that she has got away from her father. The Anti’s are raving, some of them, naturally wild, use language beyond all bounds of moderation, when speaking of Anti Slavery.


    Tuesday morning. – A snow storm, the greatest we have had this season, commenced Sunday evening, and continued till yesterday afternoon, 3 o’clock. Present depth some fourteen or sixteen inches. I should think. If I do not happen to think right, do not suppose I meant to exaggerate. Please write as soon as convenient, and tell me what is going on in the good city of Boston.


    Yours very sincerely,


    Charlotte L Cowles.



    Page 4

    To


    Mr. Samuel S. Cowles


    Boston


    Care of E. A. Andrews


    [annotated by Samuel Cowles: Jan. 25, 1836]


    Page: of 4
    Download: PDF (10.12 MiB)

    Content Review Lists: