Lundy, Benjamin (1789-1839) to Elizur Wright
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04372.01 Author/Creator: Lundy, Benjamin (1789-1839) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Letter signed Date: 7 November 1836 Pagination: 2 p. : address : docket ; 25 x 20.6 cm. Order a Copy
Lundy writes to Wright, a fellow abolitionist. Lundy is on a committee organizing a convention held to establish a state anti-slavery society. The convention will meet at Harrisburg 19 December, and Lundy solicits Wright's participation. Signed by other members of the committee: William H. [Scott?], Isaac Parrish, Lewis C. Gunn, and Benjamin S. Jones. Written on the Anti-Slavery Society's stationary bearing an engraving by Patrick Reason. The image depicts a bonded slave woman kneeling and the text "Engraved by P. Reason: A Colored Young Man of the City of New York 1835." The image is again repeated on the wax seal.
Patrick Reason, who was an African American Engraver, was hired by the Anti-Slavery Society to create their letterhead which depicts a kneeling slave in shackles. The original emblem, manufactured by Josiah Wedgewood in 1787, was an image of a kneeling man with the motto "Am I Not a Man and a Brother?" and was adopted by the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade in England. This engraving depicted here by Reason, is an image of a kneeling woman in shackles with the motto "Am I Not a Woman and a Sister?"
[draft]
Anti Slavery Office Philda.
November 7th 1836
Dear Sir
The friends of Immediate Emancipation in Pennsylvania, have taken measures to hold a Convention, with a view to organize a State Anti Slavery Society. The Committee to whom was entrusted, the business of making the preparatory arrangements, have issued a Call signed by a very respectable number of citizens;-and the public has been notified, that the Convention will meet at Harrisburg, the seat of government for this State on the 19th of December next. We the undersigned, as members of the committee aforesaid, have been instructed to correspond, with prominent individuals residing in other States who are friendly to our cause, and request their attendance at the Convention.
On behalf of our Anti-Slavery friends in Pennsylvania, we therefore respectfully invite you to be present with them, and to participate in their proceedings on the occasion referred to. A paper containing the Call and the signatures so far as they have been published will accompany this letter.
Hoping that you may find it convenient to comply with the above request, and that we shall have the pleasure of your company, with the aid of your counsel on that occasion.
We subscribe ourselves, Most truly
Yours, in the bonds of Philanthropy
Benjamin Lundry
WM H Scott
Isaac Parrish
Lewis C. Gunn
Benj S. Joes
Prof. Elizur Wright
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