1843 December 28 . John Jay ALS to Gerrit Smith; New York, [New York]
3 pages
Box 3
Discusses editions of his father's book, A View of the Action of the Federal Government, in Behalf of Slavery, and producing an appendix if materials are provided for him. His father used to make anti-slavery scapbooks "... & there he could find a full history of every important matter connected with slavery & abolition." Sent Smith a copy of the address he delivered at the Colored Orphan Asylum (later printed as An Address in Behalf of the Colored Orphan Asylum, Delivered at their Seventh Anniversary, December 11, 1843). [Lewis] Tappan showed him a letter from [Joshua] Leavitt concerning fugitive slaves arrested in Washington, D.C., and some subsequently sold South by [Robert] Beall. Comments on John Bush, who assisted the fugitives: "Mr. Bush a free man of colour is under bond to be tried for kidnapping them - a capital crime here." Outlines courses of action to protest the matter, including petitioning Congress about government agents aiding "in capturing or detaining any person under the pretext of being a slave," petitioning the Senate about the sale of the enslaved people, and using Bush's trial to challenge the legality of slavery in D.C.