SIR T. F. BUXTON.--LETTER FROM LADY BUXTON.--ELLIOTT
CRESSON.--LETTERS.
After the death of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, Mr. Lawrence had read
what had been published respecting his life and character, and had
formed an exalted opinion of his labors in behalf of the African race.
A small volume had been issued, entitled "A Study for Young Men, or a
Sketch of Sir T. F. Buxton," by Rev. T. Binney, of London. Mr.
Lawrence had purchased and circulated large numbers of this work,
which recorded the deeds of one upon whom he considered the mantle of
Wilberforce to have fallen; and, through a mutual friend, he had been
made known to Lady Buxton, who writes to him as follows:
"Very, very grateful am I for your love for him, and, through
him, to me and my children. I desire that you may be enriched by
all spiritual blessings; and that, through languor and illness
and infirmity, the Lord may bless and prosper you and the work of
your hands. I beg your acceptance of the third edition, in the
large octavo, of the memoir of Sir Fowell."
Those who have read the memoir referred to will remember the writer,
before her marriage, as Miss Hannah Gurney, a member of that
distinguished family of Friends of which Mrs. Fry was the elder
sister. During the remaining short period of Mr. Lawrence's life, a
pleasant correspondence was kept up, from which a few extracts will
hereafter be given.
To Elliott Cresson, of Philadelphia, the enthusiastic and veteran
champion of the colonization cause, Mr. Lawrence writes, June 12,
1851:
"MY DEAR OLD FRIEND CRESSON: I have just re-read your kind letter
of June 2, and have been feasting upon the treasure you sent me
in the interesting volume entitled 'Africa Redeemed.' I will set
your heart at rest at once by assuring you that I feel just as
you do towards that land. Do you remember visiting me, a dozen or
more years ago, to get me to lead off with a thousand-dollar
subscription for colonization, and my refusing by assuring you
that I would not interfere with the burden of slavery, then
pressing on our own Slave States, until requested by them? * * *
* Liberia, in the mean time, has gone on, and now promises to be
to the black man what New England has been to the Pilgrims, and
Pennsylvania to the Friends. I say, with all my heart, to Gov.
Roberts and his associates, God speed you, and carry onward and
upward the glorious work of redeeming Africa! I had a charming
message from a young missionary in Africa a few days since,--the
Rev. Mr. Hoffman, of the Episcopal Mission; and you will be glad
to hear that the good work of education for Liberia progresses
surely and steadily here. My son A. is one of the trustees and
directors (Prof. Greenleaf is president), and has given a
thousand dollars from 'a young merchant;' and I bid him give
another thousand from 'an old merchant,' which he will do as soon
as he returns from our old home with his family. Now I say to
you, my friend, I can sympathize and work with you while I am
spared. God be praised! we are greatly favored in many things. No
period of my life has been more joyous.
"With constant affection, I am yours,
"AMOS LAWRENCE."
Among other memoranda of the present month is found a cancelled note
of five hundred dollars, which had been given by a clergyman in
another State to a corporation, which, by reason of various
misfortunes, he had not been able to pay. Mr. Lawrence had heard of
the circumstance, and, without the knowledge of the clergyman, had
sent the required sum to the treasurer of the corporation, with
directions to cancel the obligation.
(TO LADY BUXTON.)
"BOSTON, July 8, 1851.
"DEAR LADY BUXTON: Your letter, and the beautiful copy of the
memoir of your revered and world-wide honored husband, reached me
on the 26th of June. I have read and re-read your heart-touching
note with an interest you can understand better than I can
describe. I can say that I thank you, and leave you to imagine
the rest. Sir Fowell was born the same year, and in the same
month, that I was; and his character and his labors I have been
well acquainted with since he came into public life; and no man
of his time stood higher in my confidence and respect. Although I
have never been in public life, I have been much interested in
public men; and have sometimes had my confidence abused, but
have generally given it to men who said what they meant, and did
what they said. I feel no respect for the demagogue, however
successful he may be; but am able to say, with the dear and
honored friend whose mantle fell upon Sir Fowell, 'What shadows
we are, and what shadows we pursue!' I feel pity for the man who
sacrifices his hopes of heaven for such vain objects as end in
the mere gaze of this world. The 'Study for Young Men,'
republished here a short time since, is doing such work among us
as must cheer the spirit of your husband in his heavenly home.
"I enclose you a note from Laura Bridgman, a deaf, dumb, and
blind girl, who has been educated at our asylum for the last
twelve years or more (now about twenty-two years old), which may
interest you from the fact of her extraordinary situation.
"With great respect, I remain most truly yours,
"AMOS LAWRENCE."
(TO A LADY IN PHILADELPHIA.)
"DEAR L.: Your call on me to 'pay up' makes me feel that I had
forgotten, and therefore neglected, my promise. I begin without
preface. When a child, and all the way up to fifty years of age,
the incidents of revolutionary history were so often talked over
by the old soldiers who made our house their rendezvous whenever
they came near it, that I feel as if I had been an actor in the
scenes described. Among these, the Battle of Bunker Hill was more
strongly impressed upon my mind than any other event. My father,
then twenty-one years old, was in Captain Farwell's company, a
subaltern, full of the right spirit, as you may know, having some
sparks left when you used to ride on his sled and in his wagon,
and eat his 'rattle apples,' which were coveted by all the
children. He was in the breastwork; and his captain was shot
through the body just before or just after Pitcairn was shot. My
father did not know Major Pitcairn personally, but understood it
was he who mounted the breastwork, calling to his soldiers to
follow, when he pitched into the slight trench outside, riddled
and dead, as my father always thought as long as he lived. But it
turned out otherwise. He was brought from the field, and lodged
in a house in Prince-street, now standing (the third from
Charlestown Bridge); and the intelligence was immediately
communicated to the Governor, then in the Royal House, now called
the Province House. He sent Dr. Kast and an officer, accompanied
by young Bowdoin as an amateur, to see to the major, and report.
On entering the chamber, the doctor wished to examine the wound;
but Pitcairn declined allowing him, saying it was of no use, as
he should soon die. When pressed by the argument that his
excellency desired it, he allowed Dr. Kast to open his vest, and
the blood, which had been stanched, spirted out upon the floor;
so that the room carried the mark, and was called 'Pitcairn's
Chamber' until long after the peace. The doctor returned
immediately to the Governor to report; and, before he could get
back, life had fled. He was laid out in his regimentals, and was
deposited in the vault of St. George's Church, now the Stone
Chapel, and there remained until 1788, when Dr. Winship, of
Roxbury, then on a visit to London, had occasion to call on Dr.
C. Letsom, and informed him that he had in his possession the key
of the vault; that he had examined the body, which was in so good
a state of preservation, that he recognized the features; and
that he had counted at least thirty marks of musket-balls in
various parts of the body. An arrangement was made, through Dr.
Winship, for the removal of the body to England. Dr. William
Pitcairn built a vault in the Burying-ground of St. Bartholomew,
near the hospital, for its reception. Capt. James Scott, the
commander of a trading vessel between Boston and London at that
period, undertook the service of removal, although he foresaw
difficulty in undertaking the business, on account of the strong
prejudice of sailors to having a corpse on board. With a view to
concealment, the coffin was enclosed in a square deal case,
containing the church-organ, which was to be sent to England for
repairs. This case, with 'Organ' inscribed upon it, was placed,
as it was said, for better security, in a part of the ship near
the sailors' berths, and in that situation was used occasionally
during the passage for their seat or table. On arrival of the
ship in the river, an order was obtained for the landing of the
case; and, as it was necessary to describe its contents, the
order expressed permission to land a corpse. This revealed the
stratagem of Capt. Scott, and raised such a feeling among the
sailors as to show that they would not have been quiet had they
known the truth respecting their fellow-lodger. Major Pitcairn
was the only British officer particularly regarded by our
citizens, as ready to listen to their complaints, and, as far as
in his power, to relieve them, when not impeded by his military
duties. Our excellent old friend B. will be interested in the
'Stone Chapel' part of this story, and probably can add
particulars that I may have omitted.
"Your affectionate
AMOS LAWRENCE."