Description

Holograph, signed.Title devised by cataloger.Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) manuscript contains engraving that says "Engraved by P.Reason, A Colored Young Man of the City of New York, 1835." On the top left written in pencil states, "The Grimke Sisters to Queen Victoria." Card includes descriptive information about the letter.Sarah Moore Grimkè and Angelina Emily Grimkè write to Queen Victoria regarding human rights and slavery.They discuss their upbringing in Charleston, South Carolina and discuss the rise of anti-slavery societies in the United States as an opposition to the institution of slavery. They write that they have followed Queen Victoria's "progress of the cause of liberty in thy dominions, the names of British Philanthropists are dear to our hearts, & we rejoiced when we heard that King William had set his seal to the Liberation of the West India slaves. We have been grieved tho' not disappointed, at the failure of the scheme of apprencticeship, and are thankful that it has been exhibited in such striking contract with the happy affects of Immediate Emancipation in the islands of Antigua & Bermuda." They discuss a petition that is being written by women abolitionists in Great Britain to the apprenticeship system and will be presented to Queen Victoria in the hopes that she will abolish it. They also ask her to help keep fugitive slaves in Canada from being taken by their southern slaveholding masters.

Record Contributed By

Boston Public Library

Record Harvested From

Digital Commonwealth