December 28, 1855
The story of a presentation to Nell for his efforts on behalf of Equal School Rights. The gathering is at the Southac Street church, and includes, a record of presentations to Nell, speakers extolling his efforts, and a speech by Nell. In his speech, Nell comments on the excitement with which students have accepted the closing of the colored school: “On the morning preceding their advent to the public schools, I saw from my window a boy passing the exclusive Smith School, (where he had been a pupil), and, raising his hands, he exultingly proclaimed to his companions, ‘Goodbye forever, colored school! Tomorrow we are like other Boston boys!’” ” Nell’s address was frequently interrupted by applause, especially at the mention of those anti-slavery friends who had given their aid to the cause.”
December 21, 1855
Here is a notice from the Boston Transcript, of the school, located on Temple Place, with a tuition of twenty dollars a year. The article appeals to women to enroll.
December 14, 1855
William Cooper Nell culls from The Liberator, some memories of what Garrison has said and stood for. , “showing that, from his first advocacy of anti-slavery to the present period, he has made the stand point of the slave his own.” Nell, speaking of Garrison, concludes: “That he may live to behold the jubilee in promotion of which all of his powers have been so nobly and consistently dedicated…”
December 7, 1855
William Cooper Nell writes an account of the Convention, held in Philadelphia.
Amos Beman presides, and speakers include Remond, M’Clune Smith, Robert Purvis, and Frederick Douglass. A plan of Colonization was presented, but a motion to commit it to the flames was approved by the body. There is discussion of the role of clergymen who seem to “monopolize leadership” among the group. Cooper asserts that this means that clergymen should be “more deeply imbued with the spirit of reform than they have hitherto been.”
November 26, 1855
This letter, from Garrison, is dated October 29, 1855, and comes from the Hall of Free State Constitutional Convention, Topeka. Garrison believes that Free State people outnumber the proslavery people by ten to one; he is critical of Governor Shannon’s proslavery speech, and includes a number of phrases used by proslavery press to describe Free State people. He indicates that the Convention is made up of many who are Conservative, that President of the event voted in Congress for the Nebraska bill, and that there is a very strong prejudice against Negroes “even in the Free State ranks’.
November 26, 1855
Here is notice of a pamphlet, now available, which contains the speeches made at the time of the twentieth anniversary of the Mob of “Gentlemen of Property and Standing”. This edition also includes reminiscences of the event by Nell and Hilton.
November 16, 1855
A letter to Garrison, is signed , “G.W.S.”, and tells the story of a fugitive slave from Richmond, who was sheltered in Milford overnight, then the next day sent to Worcester, “to take the underground railroad” “I trust he has reached that soil which alone is free.”
November 2, 1855
Three full pages of this edition are devoted to speeches made on this occasion, by many who were present then, including Garrison, Parker, Phillips, Jackson, Wright. None of the women are featured speakers! The edition carries references to newspapers of the time, and what they were saying about Thompson and other abolitionists. This is a thorough account of memories of those who were there.
October 26, 1855
An account of the event which on the anniversary of the ‘35 event when Garrison was almost lynched, and members of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society, were forced to leave the building and hold their annual meeting elsewhere. Included among the speakers at this event was Wendell Phillips. “At this hour twenty years ago, I was outside, down in the street, and among the rioters, though not of them. I thank God that I am inside now.”… “Up to that time I had paid no particular attention to Anti-Slavery, and I knew nothing of the meeting, until, accidentally going that way, I found the mob.” ..I have to thank the anti-slavery women for the lesson they taught me…”
October 19, 1855
Here is a brief exchange between William Goodell and Garrison. Goodell writes to Garrison, saying that he is mistaken in thinking that he (Goodell) makes “the condition of voting to depend upon sex”; Goodell claims that he is a member of the Liberty Party, which Party is in favor of women voting. Garrison’s response claims that the Liberty Party has sworn to sustain the Constitution of the State of New York; that state Constitution says that only men, of certain age, and possessions are entitled to vote. Garrison says “..the Liberty Party goes, in theory, for equal political rights, without regard to sex or complexion”, but practically, “it says that such proscription is no outrage, by swearing to sustain the Constitution of New York.”
