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Written on “Am I Not A Woman And A Sister?” letterhead of the Anti-slavery Society This is a striking letter from Quaker abolitionist Isaac Hopper to Friend Isaac Post fuming over a statement purportedly written by Robert Hicks, which he asks Post to authenticate. Hopper is outraged at accusations against him and his family over an incident in meeting with one George F. White (possibly abolition related, as Hopper was disowned by the Quakers for his fervent abolitionism at this time). Isaac Tatem Hopper (1771-1852). Autograph Letter Signed. New York, July 31, 1841. 2 pp. With postmarked cover addressed to “Isaac Post/ Rochester/ New York”. Inventory# 11592 $ 1,500 “A document has been put into my hands said to be a copy of a letter written by Robert Hicks of this City, to Samuel Griffith of, or near, Mount Pleasant Ohio. It was handed to me by Hallidy Jackson and he informed me that he got it of thee. Wilt thou please informed [sic] me as soon as thou can, what evidence there is of its authenticity. More palpable misrepresentation, or downright untruth, I have seldom, if ever, met with. In this copy the closing sentence is omitted, as thy friend or whatever it may be, the signature is also wanting. please when thou write supply those omissions. It requires a degree of effrontery that I should hardly have supposed was possessed by Robert Hicks, to assert that the letters written by George F. White to Alvin Johnson, and published in his pamphlet, contain ‘alterations, omissions and additions.’ Equally false is the assertion that I was cognizant of Alvin’s going to Rose St meeting to oppose George F. White, or that any members of my family went there ‘to witness the outrage.’ I have not time to notice all the false statements in the paper to which I refer, but when we can get it authenticated, we will review it and if the writer has any sense of shame remaining, I think he will regret that he ever put pen to paper in this business.” Hopper, had recently become treasurer and book agent for the Anti-slavery Society, indicating the source of the letterhead, which features a circular seal of a shackled black woman kneeling in prayer, under the motto “Am I Not A Woman And A Sister?” It is stylized after Josiah Wedgewood’s popular antislavery challenge, “Am I not a man and a brother?” Isaac T. Hopper. Trained as a tailor in Philadelphia, where he became a convert to Hicksite Quakerism. Sheltered and aided numerous fugitive slaves, and was overseer of the Benezet School for colored children, and teacher in a free school for adults. Later disowned by the Quakers for his extreme abolitionist views. Isaac Post, Quaker philanthropist, and another leading member of the Underground Railroad.
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