Letter from James Montgomery to Mary Anne Rawson (English MS 414/78)
When I received your note I had pre-
pared a rough sketch of the enclosed narrative from
memorandums. Which had lain on my desk ever since
my promise (sometime about last Easter, I believe)
to furnish you with something in the course of a few
weeks for your Negro-emancipation Volume. I
will not pretend to explain why this was not duly done;
latterly, however, it has been neglected because I thought
you would abandon your project when the ministerial
plan of abolishing Slavery was made known. -- All
this week, except today, I have been much occupied
in other unavoidable business -- not my own, and
therefore I cannot charge myself with evading your
commission either from idleness or ^for personal interest.
Here it is, such as it is, my humble contribution to your
Volume! The matter I am sure is excellent; and of
the manner[?] you will be hard-hearted indeed if you
think worse than I do; but my pen, my head my
heart itself, is worn out on this, and almost every
other subject of intense interest which in times past
has engaged all ^my powers and affections. No matter --
I must not trouble you with my troubles; forgive me for
ever ???. If the narrative now sent does not satisfy
you as suitable for your publication, do not hesitate to reject it.
XXX This is so late that I have no means of sending you this packet
except through the Post Office.
Perhaps the following new reading will suit the two last lines of the verse which you quote.
(or see the top of the page)
"What did it there, but to betray his thought,
-- The Man, that traffic'd in his fellow-man!"
"What did it there but to betray the thought
Of Him who traffic'd in his fellow-Man!