NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Richards, Lysander S. Marshfield Hills, Mass. Mrs. Alice S. Blackwell Sept. 2/12 Editor of Woman's Journal & [*FILE*] Pres. of Mass. Suffrage Ass. Dear Madam: Your solicitation for funds for the Mass. Suf. Ass. is rec.d., I refuse to contribute any money for the following reasons: Nearly a year ago I called a meeting of the Old line Garrisonian Abolitionists in Lorimer Hall (Tremont Temple) at my own expense. I sent a notice of it to several papers yours among the rest. Other papers put it in freely. Your paper failed to notice it. I was astonished at the omission & slight. The founder of your paper Lucy Stone & Mr. Blackwell were old Abolitionists. + I had reason to suppose that your paper sympathized with the Anti-Slavery movement. [It] Your refusal to mention the meeting cannot be because your paper is solely confined to Woman's Suffrage for mention was made afterwards of meeting of some old Abolitionists in Boston. Perhaps you did not know I was identified with the Garrisonian Abolitionists. I joined the movement young. Was but 21 - & moved 2 in the circle of to this Emancipation. I was then a citizen of Quincy + was a non-resistant as well as an Abolitionist & engaged several years in getting the leading Abolition speakers to speak in Quncyn such as Wm Lyod Garrison, Stephen C. Foster, Parker Pillsbury, Abby Kelly Foster, Henry C. Wright, Wm Wells Brown, John S. Rock the Col. lawyer. Adin Ballou & many others + entertained most of them at my house. I was present at the return of fugitive Anthony Burns to slavery at Court House. [ I thought] & was ready to fight with other abolitionists for his release. I called this meeting to see how many old Abolitionists were living. As there must be very few. I was summoned to court on the very day of my meet on the Lawson Case & the [counsel?] would not excuse me, so to my great disappointment I could not attend, but I paid for the Hall. My first lecture I gave over half a century ago on Woman Suffrage in Quincy to a crowded audience. [& then] & have been in sympathy with the movement since, hence briefly must say I [cannot] wish my subscription to [the] your paper discontinued, it is run on too narrow lines to suit me. Yours Truly Lysander S. Richards Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.