Letter from Samuel Joseph May, South Scituate, [Massachusetts], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1837 Dec[ember] 26

Item Information

Title:
Letter from Samuel Joseph May, South Scituate, [Massachusetts], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1837 Dec[ember] 26
Description:
Samuel Joseph May writes to William Lloyd Garrison sharing his "dislike" of Garrison's "strictures upon the part of Dr. Channing's Letter to Abolitionists, in which he exhorts us to adhere to the pacific principles that we avowed in the beginning of our career." May warns that, "if we do not steadfastly adhere to them, the evangelical character of our enterprise will be soon lost." He then criticizes abolitionists as a whole, and the Emancipator newspaper, "the official paper of the American Anti-Slavery Society," for not condemning "Brother [Elijah P.] Lovejoy's resort to physical force." Furthermore, May challenges the American Anti-Slavery Society for violating the nonviolent principles put forward in the organization's own Constitution and Declaration of Sentiments, asking, "What must be the effect of the course pursued ... to destroy the confidence of our fellow citizens in the sincerity of our solemn declarations?" May reminds Garrison of a letter he wrote to the Emancipator, "a fortnight ago," critical of Beriah Green and the American Anti-Slavery Society's Executive Committee, saying he "is sorry it has not yet been published" (the letter is published in the Liberator of January 5, 1838 [Vol. VIII, no. 1]). He then argues for Garrison to consider the views of Channing, and asks him to publish this letter in the Liberator.
Author:
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Addressee:
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Date:
December 26, 1837
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
Nonviolence--Religious aspects--Christianity
Social reformers--United States
American Anti-Slavery Society
May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871
Green, Beriah, 1795-1874
Lovejoy, Elijah P. (Elijah Parish), 1802-1837
Channing, William Ellery, 1780-1842
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Emancipator (New York, N.Y. : 1835)
Extent:
1 leaf (4 p.) ; 25 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/2z10zg30j
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
South Scituate, [Massachusetts]
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."
Identifier:
5143547
Call #:
MS A.1.2 v.6, p.99
Barcode:
39999085506234