Ask the Scholar

Thomas Williams writes to William Lloyd Garrison and Isaac Knapp introducing himself as the corresponding secretary for the Providence Anti-Slavery Society. Williams informs them that the Society wishes to purchase John Rankin's "Letters to his brother" that were originally published in the Liberator and John Greenleaf Whittier's "late pamphlet on abolition," asking how soon they could be published, and at what volume and cost. He says they wish to have the books before the trial of Prudence Crandall begins in August, stating "there is a great call for information on the subject of slavery in the region." In the postscript, Williams adds that he and Moses Brown will each purchase additional copies of the requested publications. After the letter from Thomas Williams to William Lloyd Garrison and Isaac Knapp, Henry Egbert Benson writes an additional note to Isaac Knapp asking him to forward the Liberator to Nathan Gilbert. Benson reports that his brother will send Knapp the money for the subscription and for the publications requested by the Providence Anti-Slavery Society that Williams mentioned in the preceding letter. He also tells Knapp that Williams delivered addresses on July 4th in Providence and Pawtucket and "much interest was excited, the principles of the declaration of Independence & the reward offered for Mr. Garrison for promulgating the like doctrines made the house ring for many minutes." Benson says "we took a pretty good sum as collecting" while "no collection was taken in this city on the 4th for the [American] C[olonization] Society."