Letter from Adin Ballou, Mendon, Mass[achusetts], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1838 Jan[uary] 10

Item Information

Title:
Letter from Adin Ballou, Mendon, Mass[achusetts], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1838 Jan[uary] 10
Description:
In this letter titled, "Government, Peace &c," Adin Ballou introduces himself to William Lloyd Garrison and asks him about his "doctrine of Government & Peace." Ballou describes his understandings of Garrison's non-resistant ideas, particularly that "all forms of human government are essentially sinful," and he asks "what duties this doctrine will impose on those who embrace it." He then proposes a list of 10 duties that he asserts any non-resistant might follow "to conform their practice to their faith." This includes declaring all "Kings, Presidents, Governors, magistrates, & rulers, usurpers of the divine prerogative" and the need "to recognize no right in any legislature, State or National, to make laws binding the people to do either good or evil." Ballou states that these duties "will oblige all consistent believers of it to practice" and he asks Garrison to "admit or deny the correctness" of his list.
Author:
Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890
Addressee:
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Date:
January 10, 1838
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
Social reformers--United States--History--19th century
Abolitionists--United States--History--19th century
Antislavery movements--United States
Nonviolence--Religious aspects--Christianity
Social reformers--United States
New England Non-Resistance Society
Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Extent:
1 leaf (4 p.) ; 33 cm.
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/2z111b36v
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
Mendon, Mass[achusetts]
Language:
English
Notes:
Holograph, signed.
Title devised by cataloger.
On verso, the letter is addressed to "Editor Liberator Boston 25 Cornhill."
Identifier:
5726599
Call #:
MS A.1.2 v.7, p.4
Barcode:
39999086048517