Letter from John W. Emmons to Samuel Downer declining his invitation to the reunion, with reminiscences

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Title

Letter from John W. Emmons to Samuel Downer declining his invitation to the reunion, with reminiscences

Description

In this two-page letter John W. Emmons declines the invitation to attend the Reunion of the Free Soil Party. He then continues the letter by reminiscing about important events and themes in the history of the abolition movement. He discusses the attack on William Lloyd Carrison in Boston, the failure of the United States to provide freedom to slaves before the Civil War, and one of the major battles that took place during that war.. He ends the letter by praising democracy and Christianity when they work together.

Subject

Downer, Samuel, 1807-1881
Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879
Sumner, Charles, 1811-1874
Mann, Horace, 1796-1859
Sargeant
Parker, Theodore, 1810-1860
Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874
Andrew, John A. (John Albion), 1818-1867
Sheridan, Philip Henry, 1831-1888
Reunions
Abolitionists
Abolition movement
Political parties
Invitations
Nostalgia
Hate
Violence
Crowds
Liberty
Democracy
Christianity
Death
Grief
Social justice
Civil wars
Campaigns and battles
Reminiscing

Creator

Emmons, John W.

Publisher

Hingham Public Library

Date Created

1877 August 6

Rights

No known copyright restrictions

Access Rights

Contact host institution for more information

Format

JPEG

Extent

7.81 MB
6.91 MB

Language

English

Type

Correspondence

Identifier

bpc-0136a
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Spatial Coverage

Springfield (Mass.)
Boston (Mass.)
Washington (D.C.)
Cedar Creek (Va.)

Temporal Coverage

1848-1865
1877 August 9

Rights Holder

Hingham Public Library

Text

Springfield Mass Aug 6th / 77 

Mr Downing Chairman of Reunion of Fee Soilers

Dear Sir

Not being able to be with you in person on Thursday next - I want to be in Spirit.  I trust you will have a pleasant + profitable time.  Looking back at the changes in time since the ball of Free Soilism began to roll - much pro-gress has been made.  Having been an eye witness when our belov’d friend W. Loyd Garrison was mobbed in Boston with a rope around his neck by a mob <insertion: of> Boston aristocraty[sic] - pardon me for the thought - but how many of that motly crowd has had, or would have had a rope around their necks if law and justice had been meted out to them.  Christianity and Democracy joined hand in hand in those days.  Democracy consisted in giving the negro the scars and the stripes beneath the Stars and Stripes under the eaves of the National Capitol.  Christianity was embodied in the person of <insertion: that> eminent of and pious general who on the plains of Mexico on that beautiful Sabbath morning as he met the enemy before him rises in his stirrups and with eyes heavenward utters that holy and pious prayer "Give em hell God damn em".

Oh Democracy and Christianity thou art a consistent jewel when joined hand in hand.  How changed the times now and then.

Now we miss a Parker a Sargeant a Mann a Garrett Smith an Andrew and a beloved Sumner and a host of others who have passed away leaving the motto Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for their works do follow them.

                Wishing you a happy time

                I am yours truly yours

                                John W. Emmons.

Physical Dimensions

12 ½” x 7 ¾” (torn fr. larger sheet)

Citation

Emmons, John W., “Letter from John W. Emmons to Samuel Downer declining his invitation to the reunion, with reminiscences,” Hingham Public Library Digital Exhibitions, accessed April 18, 2024, https://hinghampubliclibrary.omeka.net/items/show/139.