Letter from Ebenezer Clapp to Samuel Downer detailing Free Soil Party activities in 1848

Dorchester July 30. 1877

Friend Downer

I cannot lay my hand on the list of names that we had to call the first Free Soil Meeting in Dorchester.  In looking over my journal which I have kept upwards of forty years, I find the following in the year 1848

June 9   Heard the news of the nomination of Taylor for President

June 20  Convention at Worcester of those opposed to the nomina-tion of Cass and Taylor

June 30  Giddings spoke in Tremont Temple

July 8  I called at Samuel Downer Jr's with several others to talk over political affairs

" 2   Sunday Rev Hall preached powerfully from the words “Remem[ber] those that are in bonds as bound with them”

July 12 In the evening went to S. Downer Jr's to talk over politi-call[sic] matters with John L. Hayes, John J. May, Dr Jarvis + Jona. Battles

July 19  Went to S. Downer Jr's

" 22  "     "   "       "           "

" 24  Was the public meeting at Lyceum Hall when S. C. Phillips spoke

Sept 1  Went to the Free Soil Caucus at Town hall to choose delegates to the State Convention

Sept 6  The convention met at Tremont Temple. John Van Buren spoke in Fan-euil Hall in the evening and I rode out with Sam-uel Downer Jr

[These]

These things are recorded with others. Phillips, Van Buren, Giddings, Taylor, Cass and a host of others are dead, and when we look about it appears that a large part of the active men of that day have passed on

                                                                                Truly yours

                                                                    Eben Clapp 

P.S.  Please give my best respects to your wife

                                                E. C.