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Poughkeepsie 4 December [1870]
Dear Martha,
I received your noble
letter written on the 24th [ultimate] on the 28 -
yesterday I received the Deed and some
Papers. What must I do with the deed?
I looked over the Sentinel carefully read
all of the National Standard, and the
speech of Wendell Phillips with great care.
It is the weakest speech I ever read
from him. Several points in it I do
not believe, The most of it seems to
me out of place. He does not show to
my mind that it would be a benefit
to workingmen to labor only 8 hours
a day. The time is too short as, I think,
10 hours a day leaves time enough for
rest and enjoyment. Nothing in the [Loss of text]
now keep one man poor and [Loss of text]
another man rich. Every healthy [Loss of text]
may have enough and a surplus [Loss of text]
[Loss of text] chooses to be industrious and
[Loss of text]
[Loss of text] the report of the peace society, as
[Loss of text] saw it marked by your pen. I hope
that the nations will now turn their
mind to peace. We have nearly got
rid of slavery. We must next set ourselves
against [Underlined: the making of wars]. I
read also a part of the trial of Hahlon
for the murder of Mary Mohrman, the poor
little darling. It makes my heart sore
to think of her.
It never occurred to me that Stafford
would ask so much to move the building.
It would have been better to have given
them that much more of your land, you
would have had enough after that. But
you did better still. It is a good thing
to teach the colored people to do something
for themselves. They will think
[Loss of text] of the building from their having
[Loss of text] on it. you could not have claimed
[Loss of text] at all on any principles of
justice. If you had taken it, [Loss of text]
would no longer have been in [Loss of text]
a just and honest woman. You [Loss of text]
now go on and have it finished off in [Loss of text]
inside as your needs and comforts demand.
I hereby send you 25 [dollars] as my share of the
assessment which you must lay on your
friends. It gives me much pleasure to see
you so courageous and energetic, but you
must be prudent also, my dear Martha -
Make an appeal now to your friends, who
are ready to help you with your teachers'
home, and apply their contributions to your
schoolhouse. When that has been finished,
then turn your mind to the Home.
I wish I were able to send you more -
but I have many calls upon me and
not having much I must give small
sums. My fifth daughter was married
last Friday. She was reckoned still [Loss of text]
handsome than [?] and was a [Loss of text]
scholar, a popular and successful [Loss of text]
she had however her mother's
[Loss of text] dress. To keep her mind quiet
[Loss of text]had been broken down in body and
[Loss of text] by her long continued and severe
[Loss of text], I gave her 500 [dollars] - then her mother
and Josie needed a considerable sum also -
When I came to this country first in 1833
I boarded in a house with two sisters of
the Mistress - I fell into love with both of
them and they both learned to love me - I was
a kind of a brother to them until the older one
died- she was, like Martha Schofield, a noble
woman - and very dear to me - Her sister is living
still - The other day I sent her a bundle of
clothing to keep her warm in the cold Winter days
A pair of gloves - 4 pairs of stockings - 2 pairs of
flannel drawers - 2 flannel shifts - linen to
make 4 shifts and 2 pairs of drawers [Loss of text]
[Loss of text] with nice edging for the 6 articles. Lastly
a comfortable, warm dress - Every day I have been
thinking I saw her taking these articles from the big
Bundle - "Let not thy left hand know what thy right
hand doth" -Well, Martha, you are beginning to be a kind of right
hand to me - I have a poor old brother at home - who when
[Loss of text] was younger, could not make 25 [dollars] in a whole year -
[Loss of text] hard he might work. I send him something every
[Loss of text] and many a grateful letter I receive from
[Loss of text] the poor old man - I had a long kind letter
[Loss of text] our dear Mary Stone - It is well that you did not
[Loss of text] board with you - you might have fallen also into difficulties
[Loss of text] ladies mentioned above - Farewell -
William McGeorge
William McGeorge letter to Martha Schofield
The letter is damaged and some text has been lost. William McGeorge was a trustee of the Schofield Normal and Industrial School in Aiken, South Carolina. Asks Schofield what he should do with the Deed. Criticizes Wendell Phillips's recent speech. Mentions the need for world peace. Discusses Schofield's efforts for the Schofield School and donates money towards her cause. Describes his financial support of family and friends.
1870-12-04
4 pages
reformatted digital
Martha Schofield Papers, SFHL-RG5-134
Martha Schofield Papers, SFHL-RG5-134 --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/5134scho
A00182949