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“THESE ARE GOOD BEGINNINGS & THE END IS BY & BY”
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BROWN, JOHN. Autograph Letter Signed, to his wife and children, stating that
his success at raising money in Chicago and Milwaukee would allow him to “start forward
at once” when he meets Owen [his son] in Akron, mentioning the assistance of Gerrit
Smith and his attendance at an antislavery convention in Milwaukee where a resolution
was adopted denying legal justification for slavery, expecting similar results at a meeting in
Chicago, asking that they write to Nelson Hawkins [alias used by Brown] in Tabor, IA, and
acknowledging that Free State men are eager for his return to Kansas. 1 page, 4to; mounted
to thick board, few scattered short closed tears at edges, faint staining at edges and folds,
remnants of prior matting in left margin recto.
Toledo, 22 June 1857
[4,000/6,000]
“
I am now on my way back from Chicago & Milwaukee, where I have been for several days in
order to raise . . . enough of ready money for freights, & travelling expenses. . . . [W]hen I get
back to Akron, where Owen is, I expect to start forward at once . . . . At Milwaukee I met
with Gerrit Smith & family, whose influence & assistance were of the greatest service to me. He
was there to attend a great State convention of Wisconsin, to decide whether any more slaves
shall ever be taken back from that State. The convention decided that there is no law for slav-
ery. He holds another meeting this Week at Chicago . . . where probably the same result . . .
will follow. These are good beginnings & the end is by & by. . . . I want you to write Nelson
Hawkins at Tabor Freemont Col. Iowa, Care of Jonas Jones Esqr. without fail. . . . I hear that
some of the Free State men in K. are very anxious for my return, I . . . have some hope of
being spared to meet you all again. . . .”
On June 17, 1857, a few days prior to the date of the present letter, a large group of antislav-
ery Republicans met in Milwaukee to hear speeches by Brown and Gerrit Smith, and to
approve public resolutions, among them one expressing outrage at the Dred Scott decision and
another encouraging Congress to prohibit slavery in the territories of the U.S. The content of
some of these resolutions were adopted by the Republican Party at their state convention held
later that year in Madison.