From Disunionism to the Brink of War

Louis Ruchames was Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Anti-slavery scholars ought to be grateful once again for the exceeding care and scholarship which have gone into this publication. It provides us with another perspective on America's sole genius of reform agitation, a truly noble figure for all his personal quirks and growing mellowness with the passage of time.

• Editorial Statement Abbreviations and Short Titles I. THE YEAR OF THE COMPROMISE--THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT AND ITS AFTERMATH: 1850-1851 To Samuel J. May, January 13, 1850 To Helen E. Garrison, May 7, 1850 To the Editor of the New York Tribune, May 13, 1850 To the Editor of the Boston Transcript, May 17, 1850 To the Editor of the Boston Transcript, May 31, 1850 To Sydney Howard Gay, June 21, 1850 To Sydney Howard Gay, June 24, 1850 To Sydney Howard Gay, July 2, 1850 To Samuel May, Jr., July 16, 1850 To Elizabeth Mountfort, July 19, 1850 To James Brown Syme, August 9, 1850 To Samuel May, Jr., September 6, 1850 To an Unidentified Correspondent, September 27, 1850 To Samuel J. May, October 7, 1850 To William Rathbone, October 17, 1850 To the Editor of the Times, November 1, 1850 To Francis Jackson, December 31, 1850 To Wendell Phillips, January, 1851 To Drs. William Clark andPorter, January 23, 1851 To George Thompson Garrison, February 18, 1851 To Whom It May Concern, March 4, 1851 To Abby Kelley Foster, March 25, 1851 To Abby Kelley Foster, April 6, 1851 To George Thompson Garrison, June 10, 1851 To Elizabeth Pease, June 23, 1851 To Samuel May, Jr., July 16, 1851 To Adin Ballou, July 24, 1851 To Abby Kelley Foster, August 12, 1851 To Samuel May, Jr., August 19, 1851 To an Unnamed Correspondent, August 23, 1851 To the Editor of the London Morning Advertiser, September 19, 1851 To Sydney Howard Gay, September 27, 1851 To Adeline Roberts, September 27, 1851 To J. Miller MeKim, October 4, 1851 II. KOSSUTH IN THE UNITED STATES: 1852 To Caroline C. Thayer, January 5, 1852 To Louis Kossuth, February, 1852 To Benjamin Fish, February 20, 1852 To Samuel J. May, March 23, 1852 To George Thompson Garrison, June 17, 1852 To J. Miller MeKim, July 18, 1852 To Samuel May, Jr., July 19, 1852 To Samuel May, Jr., July 22, 1852 To Anne W. Weston, August 14, 1852 To Samuel May, Jr., August 27, 1852 To Samuel J. May, September 7, 1852 To Adeline Roberts, September 14, 1852 To Samuel J. May, September 16, 1852 To Samuel J. May, September 27, 1852 To Joseph A. Dugdale, October 16, 1852 To D. P. Harmon, October 16, 1852 To Adeline Roberts, October 16, 1852 III. CONVENTIONS AND TRIPS WEST: 1853 To Lydia Maria Child, January 20, 1853 To Thomas Wentworth Higginson, February 1, 1853 To J. Miller MeKim, March 19, 1853 To Helen E. Garrison, April 18, 1853 To Joseph A. Dugdale, May 19, 1853 To Friends of the American Anti-Slavery Society, May 30, 1853 To Samuel J. May, May 31, 1853 To Wendell Phillips, June 25, 1853 To Sydney Howard Gay?, July 25, 1853 To Adeline Roberts, August 26, 1853 To the Abolitionists of the United States, August 29, 1853 To Helen E. Garrison, September 5, 1853 To Samuel May, Jr., September 17, 1853 To Samuel J. May, September 17, 1853 To Sarah H. Earle, September 20, 1853 To Samuel J. May, September 23, 1853 To Caroline C. Thayer, October 3, 1853 To J. M. W. Yerrinton, October 3, 1853 To Helen E. Garrison, October 8, 1853 To Helen E. Garrison, October 10, 1853 To Helen E. Garrison, October 15, 1853 To Helen E. Garrison, October 17, 1853 To John P. Hale, November 10, 1853 To Samuel J. May, November 22, 1853 To Francis Jackson, November 27, 1853 To Wendell Phillips, November 27, 1853 To Harriet Beecher Stowe, November 30, 1853 IV. THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT--THE CONFLICT INTENSIFIES: 1854 To Henry Wigham, Jr., January 1, 1854 To Caroline C. Thayer, January 13, 1854 To Helen E. Garrison, February 16, 1854 To Parker Pillsbury, March 21, 1854 To Charlotte Newell, April 7, 1854 To Robert Purvis, April 9, 1854 To Sydney Howard Gay, April 21, 1854 To Robert Purvis, April 21, 1854 To an Unknown Correspondent, April 21, 1854 To Caroline C. Thayer, June 20, 1854 To Charles Sumner, June 27, 1854 To H. I. Bowditch, July 13, 1854 To Caroline C. Thayer, August 6, 1854 To Caroline C. Thayer, August 10, 1854 To Charlotte Newell, August 19, 1854 To Mary Estlin, August 27, 1854 To Samuel J. May, September 1, 1854 To Lucy Stone, September 1, 1854 To Samuel J. May, September 11, 1854 To Lucy Stone, September 11, 1854 To Samuel J. May, September 24, 1854 To Thomas Davis, October 6, 1854 To Francis Jackson, October 9, 1854 To Helen E. Garrison, October 19, 1854 To Caroline C. Thayer, December 25, 1854 V. THE RADICALIZATION OF MASSACHUSETTS--WARFARE IN KANSAS: 1855 To Edwin Barrows, January 1, 1855 To Oliver Johnson, February 7, 1855 To J. M. W. Yerrinton, February 20, 1855 To Oliver Johnson, February 23, 1855 To J. M. W. Yerrinton, March 22, 1855 To Joshua B. Smith, March 23, 1855 To James N. Buffum, May 18, 1855 To Oliver Johnson, June 4, 1855 To Helen E. Garrison, June 15, 1855 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., June 19, 1855 To Wendell Phillips, June 26, 1855 To Ellis Gray Loring, August 13, 1855 To Elizabeth Buffum Chace, September 6, 1855 To Charles F. 1-lovey, September 15, 1855 To E. A. Webb, September 25, 1855 To Francis Jackson, October 11, 1855 To Adeline Roberts, October 18, 1855 To Samuel J. May, October 26, 1855 To Eliza Frances Eddy, November 3, 1855 To Anne \V. Weston, November 3, 1855 To Francis Jackson, November 3, 1855 To Francis Jackson. November 4, 1855 To Anne W. Weston, November 6, 1855 To Dr. Samuel G. Howe, and Others, Committee, November 12, 1855 To Maria W. Chapman, November 24, 1855 To Harriet Martineau, December 4, 1855 To Samuel Aaron, December 7, 1855 VI. THE ATTACK UPON SUMNER AND THE CANDIDACY OF FREMONT: 1856 To Graceanna Lewis, January 4, 1856 To Samuel J. May, January 27, 1856 To Helen E. Garrison, February 10, 1856 To Helen E. Garrison, February 12, 1856 To Maria W. Chapman, March 11, 1856 [?] To the Editor of the Anti-Slavery Advocate, March 18, 1856 To Samuel Aaron, March 21, 1856 To Samuel J. May, March 21, 1856 To Austin Steward, June, 1856 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., June, 1856 To the Editor of the Boston Evening Transcript, June 17, 1856 To Theodore Parker, July 2, 1856 To Samuel May, Jr., July 15, 1856 To Samuel May, Jr., August 1, 1856 To Ann R. Bramhall, August 8, 1856 To Theodore Parker, September 5, 1856 To an Unknown Correspondent, October 11, 1856 To J. Miller McKim, October 14, 1856 To Elmina K. Roberts, November 4, 1856 To Elizabeth Buffum Chace, November 7, 1856 To Miss Roberts, November 18, 1856 To Ralph Waldo Emerson, November 20, 1856 To Helen E. Garrison, December 17, 1856 VII. INTENSIFIED CALLS FOR DISUNION: 1857 To Theodore Tilton, January 17, 1857 To Francis Jackson, February, 1857 To Lydia Maria Child, February 6, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, February 8, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, February 9, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, February 12, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, February 17, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, February 18, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, February 19, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, February 21, 1857 To John Burt, February 26, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, May 13, 1857 To Helen E. Garrison, May 18, 1857 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., May 23, 1857 To Several Friends, June 18, 1857 To Susan B. Anthony, June 19, 1857 To M. J. Sheehy, June-July, 1857 To the Antislavery Men and Women of the North, July 8, 1857 To Elizabeth Buffum Chace, July 13, 1857 To Elizabeth Buffum Chace, July 15, 1857 To an Unknown Correspondent, July 20, 1857 To Maria W. Chapman, July 23, 1857 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, July 23, 1857 To J. M. Hawks, July 24, 1857 To F. F. Burnham, August 5, 1857 To Francis Jackson Garrison, August 8, 1857 To the Editor of the Boston Transcript, August 13, 1857 To Francis Jackson Garrison, August 13, 1857 To Fanny Garrison, August 14, 1857 To John Needles, August 14, 1857 To Francis Jackson Garrison, August 17, 1857 To Fanny Garrison, August 19, 1857 To J. M. Hawks, August 20, 1857 To the Editor of the Boston Transcript, September 8, 1857 To Samuel May, Jr., September 10, 1857 To Samuel J. May, September 14, 1857 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, September 15, 1857 To John Needles, September 22, 1857 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, October 2, 1857 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., October 2, 1857 To Caroline C. Thayer, October 2, 1857 To Theodore Parker, October 3, 1857 To Adeline Roberts, October 12, 1857 To Wendell Phillips, October 18, 1857 To Samuel J. May, October 18, 1857 To the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, October 20, 1857 To a Friend in New Bedford, November 1, 1857 To Theodore Parker, November 8, 1857 To Sarah H. Earle, December 25, 1857 VIII. THE REMOVAL OF JUDGE LORING: 1858 To John Adams Jackson, beginning of 1858 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., January 7, 1858 To Samuel J. May, January 8, 1858 To Sydney Howard Gay, January 15, 1858 To Nathan R. Johnston, January 25, 1858 To an Unknown Correspondent, February 6, 1858 To Susan B. Anthony, February 9, 1858 To the Joint Special Committee of the Legislature March 5, 1858 To Samuel J. May, March 6, 1858 To Susan B. Anthony, April 14, 1858 To Adeline Roberts, April 14, 1858 To John W. Le Barnes, April 29, 1858 To Oliver Johnson, May 1, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, May 12, 1858 To Louisa Loring, May 24, 1858 To Francis Jackson, May 25, 1858 To Theodore Parker, May 26, 1858 To the Sixth Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends, May 28, 1858 To Theodore Parker, June 3, 1858 To Theodore Parker, June 17, 1858 To Samuel May, Jr., July 20, 1858 To Aaron M. Powell, July 25, 1858 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., July 27, 1858 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, July 28, 1858 To Aaron M. Powell, August 9, 1858 To Samuel May, Jr., August 11, 1858 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, August 20, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, August 20, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, August 28, 1858 To Stephen S. and Abby K. Foster, September 7, 1858 To J. Miller McKim, September 11, 1858 To J. Miller McKim, September 25, 1858 To William H. Fish, September 30, 1858 To Helen K Garrison, October 6, 1858 To Helen F. Garrison, October 9, 1858 To Samuel J. May, October 9, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, October 13, 1858 To Helen F. Garrison, October 14, 1858 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., October 15, 1858 To The Liberator, October 15, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, October 18, 1858 To Samuel J. May, October 19, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, October 20, 1858 To Helen F. Garrison, October 22, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, October 25, 1858 To The Liberator, October 25, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, October 26, 1858 To Oliver Johnson, October 26, 1858 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., October 28, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, October 28, 1858 To Helen E. Garrison, October 29, 1858 To Theodore-Bourne, November 18, 1858 To Oliver Johnson, November 18, 1858 To the Editor of the Anti-Slavery Advocate, December 28, 1858 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., December 31, 1858 IX. DEATH, MARRIAGE, AND DIVISION AMONG THE GARRISONIANS: 1859 To Francis Jackson, January 2, 1859 To Elias Richards, January 11, 1859 To Theodore Parker, January 15, 1859 To John Greenleaf Whittier, February 12, 1859 To Several American Friends of George Thompson, February 15, 1859 To Maria W. Chapman, February 18, 1859 To Susan B. Anthony, February 21, 1859 To Joseph A. Dugdale, February 21, 1859 To James Freeman Clarke, March 5, 1859 To John W. Hutchinson, March 15, 1859 To Oliver Johnson, April 16, 1859 To William H. Furness, April 21, 1859 To James Monroe, April 22, 1859 To Helen F. Garrison, May 12, 1859 To C. F. Geist, May 23, 1859 To Parker Pillsbury, June 3, 1859 To C. Lyman Dwight, June 12, 1859 To Lydia Maria Child, June 14, 1859 To Mr. and Mrs. John Jay, June 21, 1859 To Henry C. Wright, June 27, 1859 To Aaron Cooley, July 12, 1859 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, July 18, 1859 To Abby Kelley Foster, July 22, 1859 To Abby Kelley Foster, July 25, 1859 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, August 23, 1859 To Fanny Garrison, September 6, 1859 To Abby Kelley Foster, September 8, 1859 To Samuel J. May, September 19, 1859 To Miss Roberts, October 10, 1859 To Elizabeth Buffum Chace, October 17, 1859 To an Unknown Correspondent, October 17, 1859 To Elizabeth Pease Nichol, October 18, 1859 To Henry C. Wright, October 19, 1859 To Oliver Johnson, November 1, 1859 To William H. Furness, December 17, 1859 To J. Miller McKim, December 17, 1859 To an Unknown Correspondent, December 18, 1859 X. ILLNESS, MORE CONVENTIONS, AND GARRISONIAN ANTISLAVERY REDEFINED: 1860 To Samuel J. May, January 14, 1860 To Elizabeth Pease Nichol, February 22, 1860 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, March 21, 1860 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, March 22, 1860 To Thomas Wentworth Higginson, April 6, 1860 To Caroline C. Thayer, May 19, 1860 To Henry I. Bowditch, June 18, 1860 To Wendell Phillips, July 5, 1860 To Charles Sumner, July 16, 1860 To Lydia D. Parker, July 20, 1860 To Ezra Hervey Heywood, July 30, 1860 To George W. Stacy, July 31, 1860 To William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., August 1, 1860 To Oliver Johnson, August 9, 1860 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, August 9, 1860 To J. Miller MeKim, September 1, 1860 To the Publishers of the World, September 18, 1860 To George L. Stearns, September 23, 1860 To Samuel J. May, September 28, 1860 To Nathan H. Johnston, October 15, 1860 To J. Miller MeKim, October 21, 1860 To Wendell Phillips Garrison, November 2, 1860 To J. Miller MeKim, November 5, 1860 To James Redpath, December 1, 1860 Index of Recipients Index