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[Letterhead]

Penn’a. Freemen’s Relief Association, No. 424 Walnut Street, Philada.

[Handwritten]

March 1862

My dear May

I returned yesterday from New York, where delegates from this city Baltimore to Boston had been having a meeting to consummate the opening [show?] of the [American Freemen Aid Commission.][underlined]

The enclosed portion of the Constitution will show you our object this to give unity & nationality to the movement for the Black man; to take it out of the rut in which it has been worked – by [?] [?] – [Confident?] to take in its breadth & sig nificance – and put it in the plane which it ought

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to occupy.

This is not – Except incidentally & [?] - an [  ? ] move: ment; it is a reconstruct- live movement. This to re- organise the masses of the south- & that on a better basis - & to re-integrate societ there.

This movement is the Anti. Slavery movement [...e.......cy? ]. [chosed?]. The Am. Freemen Aid Commission

       [?][crossed out]

is the processor & [object?] to be the heir of the Am. Anit slavery Societ.

The national Reorganizati zer – if such a [] with any such a name would be established – should fall [him?] to the goodwell

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[...ly?] what [] to the [?][crossed out] ...[inivaty?]. Talk to Quincy [?] ...... that is if you happen to meet them

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and subscription list of the [?] National anti. slavery stand: ard. Especially if Wendell Phillips Lawson or some] such person would be its editor.

Our centre of opera: tions will be New York.

Judge Berd is our President, and until a permament appointment shall be made Wendell Phillips Lawson is our secretary pro tem.

We shall introduce ourselves to the world in a week or so by an ad- ress, & in the second week of May by a grand “Anni: versey” meeting in New York & be addressed by Phillip Brooks, H W Beecher,

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Please regard this letter especially possible Editor of the paper as [?] & [?] [Cha..man?] about it

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Genl Saxton, [?] Andrew or from such persons.

Now I want you as one of the Board of Managers of the Am. Associet to put these facts in your pipe & smoke them & see what the result will be.

Oliver thinks that the standard will come to a stop about the [?] [May?]. That is my own im pression also.

I am [?] coming to Boston one of these days. I want you to be there when I come. I am in the [Com er] to establish a paper & that will be part of my errand. Mean while

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write to me, and aid me by your [?] [...trous?] ever yours J M McKim