John Jay's Grandson, Abolitionist, ALS to Gerrit Smith about Slavery, "it might be stigmatized as an abolition movement"

3pp, measuring 7.75" x 9.75", New York, dated April 25, 1844. Signed "John Jay" and addressed to Gerrit Smith Esq. The letter has also been free-franked by Jay on the address page. It has flattened mail folds, with spots of staining at the lower edge. Paper loss at the right edge of page three where the wax seal was broken. Minor soiling throughout. Mounting residue along the left edge on the front. Overall very good.

In a letter marked "Private", Jay discusses recent resolutions surrounding slavery and the annexation of Texas. Great content, reading in part:

"…The Resolutions were drawn by [Albert] Gallatin, & that respecting slavery is quite as strong as we had any right to expect would be adopted by acclamation in this city where southern influence has in very late years trampled upon all right, justice, decency & order. The feeling on the present occasion were unanimous with the exception of a few rowdies, who came for the express purpose of creating a disturbance. I carefully avoided the mention of my name among the officers or in the proceedings, for fear that it might be stigmatized as an abolition movement…I regard the project of annexation as one of such immense importance & at present so threatening in its aspect, as to demand the exercise of prompt action & great prudence, & I hope that the influence of this meeting will be such as essentially to aid the effort of abolitionist altho' their hand may not be seen in it…" 

John Jay (1817-1894) was an American lawyer and grandson of Founding Father John Jay. Like his namesake, Jay was active in the anti-slavery movement and was elected president of the New York Young Men's Antislavery Society while still in college. He became active in the Free Soil Movement and published several speeches and pamphlets on slavery. In his career as a lawyer, Jay defended numerous fugitive slaves in court and helped several gain their freedom. Jay famously led a team of attorneys in the landmark 1852 case of "Lemmon v. New York", in which he helped gain the freedom of eight Virginia slaves brought to New York by their owners in transit to Texas.

Gerrit Smith (1797-1874) was a social reformer and abolitionist. He ran for president in 1848, 1856, and 1860, but was unsuccessful each time. In 1846, he and fellow abolitionist John Brown attempted to spearhead a project that would help black families become self-sufficient and protect them from slave-hunters by encouraging blacks to settle on approximately 120,000 acres he owned in the remote Adirondacks. Unfortunately, the poor farming conditions, the inexperience of the settlers, and the hostility of white neighbors caused the project to ultimately fail.

The annexation of Texas was a strong political point in the presidential election of 1844. The Republic of Texas was finally admitted to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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