Letter from Moritz Pinner to Wendell Phillips Dated December 13, 1860

The original is at the Houghton Library of Harvard University. From the Blagden Collection of Wendell Phillips Papers: 10 letters from M. Pinner to Wendell Phillips, 1860-1873, bMS Am 1953 (1006) [item 4].

Transcribed (by Doron Zeilberger) and posted on the web: November 2003.

By kind permission of the Houghton Library of Harvard University.


                                        New York Decbr. 13, 1860.
Wendell Philips [sic] Esqr
                          Boston.

                          Honored Sir,

I would have taken pleasure long ago in replying to your kind favor of Octbr. last had I had anything practically good to write about, and as there is always time enough to report failure, I write to say to let you know that there is little prospect of having Prof. Struve history of the world published in English. Before the election the Harper's wanted to await the result of the campaign, and since election they have of course their hands full with "saving the Union". To undertake said publication by subscription, as I once contemplated, would now too be ill-timed, and thus I see no other chance than to burry our wishes - for a while.

How do you like things since Mr. Lincoln's success? I confess that, taking everything into consideration, I am satisfied with all except Boston. Not that I suppose Boston more pro-slavery now than she always has been, but I regret that she has ceased to be the bugbear of the pro-slavery men or rather devils. For the same reason that I would have prefered [sic] Mr. Seward's success (for the reason of striking terror into the pro-slavery ranks) I would also have prefered [sic] of having Boston considered an out and out anti-slavery city, but it seems as if the work before us is much greater yet than we all supposed. I have still some faith in the republ. party and even in the republ. leaders in spite of the cowardly submission of those two nutmeg senators Dixon & Foster. This republ. policy of letting the fire eaters blow off their gas uniterruptedly is a good thing. S.C. dare not embarrass Mr. Buchanan and by the time Mr. Lincoln gets in, that secession movement will probably be played out, at least I hope so. I also like Mr. Lincoln keeping mum. With his wings tied by pro-slavery Congress and a pro-slavery Constitution, to say nothing of fugitive slave laws etc. I think he'll do well yet. Reform in our African Coast squadron, reform in the army & navy, homestead bill, Pacific R.R., river and harbor improvements, free press at the South, encouragement of emigration from abroad, are all practical anti-slavery movements, which I really believe will be carried out. Let a revised tariff and an economical administration cause internal prosperity and the popularity of the new administration will secure us the next Congress and the repeal of the fugitive slave law.

Let us all hope, work and cheer up one another. Blair & Co are working for Bates in the Cabinet, I am doing what little I can against it; how much my efforts will avail me remains to be seen. After my articles against Mr. Bates in Mo. papers shall have arrived here I'll try to get the Ev. Post to copy them, and if I succeed in that, I'll send the nos containing them. Aside of this I mean to interest myself this winter in influencing the NY legislature in the passage of two laws: One to totally abolish capital punishment, embracing and substituting some new plan of indefinite imprisonment [sic], and another to force children into school, similar to the Prussian plan.

Now for John Brown! You failed on the 3d, I on the 1st of Decbr. I question the propriety of holding such meetings, simply because they are generally attended only by those who need no further enlightenment on the subject, but since the reading public is your audience as well, and since to elevate the messes you have constantly to entertain them with something new and keep in advance of them, it may be just as well to hold them. However I little calculated to have free speech interrupted in Boston when we make way for it in Missouri. The news was sad and discouraging to some extent, although hounds may howl over it in exultation, but I apprehend no other unpleasant results from it than additional exertions for you and yours.

On the eve of the 1s of Decbr I was on a visit at Prof. Struve's and he reminded me of Poland's day Decbr 1 1830. Prof. S. had promised the Committee of Poles to address them in the small hall of the Cooper Institute and requested me to accompany him. I did so, found in the hall about 50 or 60 Poles and as many more of other nationalities, heard glorification speeches in Polish, French and German and also a few capital remarks about Washington, Garibaldi and other heroes. Being called to say a few words myself, I took occasion to remind the audience of the solidarity of the interests of all nations in the question of liberty, of the necessity of sustaining it everywhere, and of the duty of Poles and all others to fight for this principle not merely in and for their own country but wherever they happen to be. I thus began to dwell upon slavery here and upon the fitness of paying at that hour our tribute of respect to the memory of him, who just one year ago died for the cause on a scaffold in Va. -- Here I was interrupted by the President of the meeting, who told me that it was the settled policy of the exiled Poles to not mix up with any national politics wherever they happen to be. I looked upon this policy of the Poles as a lack of earnestness in their profession of devotion to the cause, and was strengthened in this belief when I learned that this meeting counted one Pole who witnessed the struggle of 1830 and one more, who took part in the rise of '46 and '48. I closed my remarks soon and the meeting hastily adjourned.

I am pleased with Redpath's efforts in Haiti and wish him all possible success. Should it also turn a pecuniary success to him, he'll well deserve it. Friend Helper I see but seldom. His prejudices against the negroe race is strong enough to have prevented him from voting for the suffrage bill. If Bennet knew it ?! There is too much panic for starting my Mo. Colonzt enterprize, should G. A. Grow be secretary of the Interior I hope to be able to do something in that line, without seeking or obtaining that foreign charge ye know!

Now for some business, or rather for some act of charity!
Can you influence some capitalist there (Mr. Stearns, to whom you'll please give my best regards, or others) to lend a widow lady in Kansas a few hundred dollars for one or two years on good security? Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong (white woman) of Wyandot, Kansas, daughter of a Methodist minister from Ohio and widow of a half breed Wyandot, who bore a good character and was practicing law in Ohio, has plenty of town lots and houses and lands in and near Wyandot but no money and little to eat. She is justly considered wealthy, but has raised nothing on her small farm and actually suffers from want. She would not and dare not apply to any Committee for relief, there being so many more urgent cases ahead, and yet she suffers. She is feeble in health, has a family of 5 children and herself and niece to support, and in her letter before last wrote me, that her family had for several weeks already to subsist on corn meal, she not having money enough to buy a pack or even a few pounds of flour. She is honest and trustworthy, can give ample security, would want only from 300 to $500 and would pay legal (10%) interests. I myself have boarded with her for a year and a half and she is well known by and on friendly terms with the families of John Sherman and Gov. Ford of Ohio. She ask none and would receive no presents and yet here is a case of distress. If any party wants to help her, please to cause direct communication with her, you have her address above.

Times here are dull. To make a living I have started a Real Estate Office, the panic however has done me mischief.

Friend John C. Underwood handed me Mrs. Child's tract on Jamaica, I wish 5, or 10,000 Copies could be spread in Missouri. All hail to Montgomery! All hail to John P. Hale! Please write to me all the secret workings of your Boston troubles and a great deal about your dear self. Who'll write Mr. Parker's life? Yours sincerely

                               M Pinner
                             Box 3765 New York.

10 Letters from Moritz Pinner to Wendell Phillips.

Moritz Pinner.

Doron Zeilberger's Family.