Letter from John Greenleaf Whittier to Mrs. Cohen

Amesbury Mass 10 Mo 4 1886 My dear Mrs Cohen I heartily thank thee for thy kind hello, and am glad by [a ?] reply with the regard for autograph. I am a member of the Society of Friends, and therefor an anti-slavery man. But I had none but kind feelings for slave holders. I detest the system only; and I was only thankful that I was providentically not directly connected with it.

I had a great admiration for your great men, and for the noble qualities of manhood & womanhood that I had met from the faith, and when the sad calamity fell upon Charleston my heart was stirred, at once, with sympathy. I am glad to say that my feeling is shared by our whole people. I admire the brave, hopeful spirit manifested by the men & woman of Charleston. I am with sincere respect thy friend John G Whittier