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Letter from Samuel Joseph May, Washington, District of Columbia, to Mary Anne Estlin, 1870 Feb[ruary] 17

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Holograph, signed.Title devised by cataloger.Samuel Joseph May writes to Mary Anne Estlin in regards to his travels the past few months. He is currently in Washington D.C. due to an invitation by a new Unitarian Church called "The Free National Church" to supply their pulpit during January, after which he will travel to Florida to visit governor Harrison Reed and his wife to make his "observations in that State, & perhaps Georgia & South Carolina, into the condition & prospects of the colored population." He had hoped that his cousin, Samuel May Jr. would accompany him but his 93 year old father fell ill and he was needed at home. He thanks her for her comments on his book, which have been kindly received except from his Unitarian brethren who believe he is "too severe upon the short-comins of our denomination." He believes if his Unitarian ministers had preached "fearlessly" against slavery, it would have been "peacefully abolished long ago." He discusses the 15th amendment and writes, "I confess too that I ahve always thought that some qualification of intelligence should be required as a condition of the right to vote-that the would be voter should show that he had read and had a fair understanding of the Constitution. But I do object to this qualification being required of colored, unless it can be imposed likewise upon white men, which is said now to be impracticable." He discusses the importance of universal education. He thanks her for sending John S....
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