Letter from Arnold Buffum, Andover, [Massachusetts], to William Lloyd Garrison, 1832 [October] 23

Arnold Buffum writes to William Lloyd Garrison describing his lecture delivered in "the large town Hall in Lowell" to what was "said to be the largest audience ever assembled there." Buffum reports that "we have there a number of zealous friends and many more who think favorably," as he tells Garrison about a number of clergyman who support their efforts. He then describes his attempts to secure a location for another night of lectures and tells Garrison he plans to meet him in Newburyport so they can travel "to Boston together to make arrangements for thy voyage to England & France for thou shalt see the good Lafayette." He also comments on the proposed school for free African-American men, proposing "the idea of a farm school [since] it is much more acceptable to the public than that of a college." Before ending the letter, Buffum suggests that they both lecture in Newburyport "and let us see what impression we can make." After his autograph, on the last page, Buffum continues to discuss his lecture plans and references an article in the North American Review.
Courtesy of Boston Public Library