Letter from Arnold Buffum, Fall River, [Massachusetts], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1832 [July] 16

Arnold Buffum writes to William Lloyd Garrison describing an address he heard from "friend [Joshua Noble] Danforth". Buffum quotes from the address, including a theoretical story about the result of immediate emancipation upon a slave ship, and says, "it was perfectly consistent with all the reasoning of the Apologists for Slavery (which by the way I think the best term by which to designate Colonizationists)." He relates some of the arguments of colonizationists, telling Garrison how they believe abolitionist arguments "punch up the consciences of slave holders as with a hot iron" and so "dispose them to give up their slaves to be carried back to Africa," rather than be free in the United States. Buffum then asks Garrison to have "50 printed Constitutions for auxilliary [sic] Societies sent to Benson & Chace Providence" and for the Liberator to be sent to a number of individuals. He also asks Garrison for a copy of an article by Joshua Noble Danforth "in which he recommends as authentic the article on Colonization in the July n[umber] of the North American Review." Buffum plans to use the article Danforth endorses to show that the American Colonization "Society is most Anti-Colonization in its Character, and that it originated in the Legislature of Virginia." He then shares his travel plans and his efforts to "convert" Americans from supporting colonization.

Courtesy of Boston Public Library

anti slavery collection boston public library rare books department abolitionists united states 19th century correspondence antislavery movements history social reformers african americans colonization africa american colonization society garrison william lloyd 1805 1879 buffum arnold 1782 1859 danforth joshua n joshua noble 1798 1861 letters correspondence manuscripts english arnold buffum 1782 1859 william lloyd garrison arnold buffum fall river ultra high resolution high resolution slavery

1832

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