Letter from George Helmick, Putnam, Ohio, to William Lloyd Garrison, 1838 Feb[ruar]y 3d
Description:
In this letter to William Lloyd Garrison, George Helmick describes discussions about non-resistance that took place in the "Putnam Lyceum" over three evenings. He tells Garrison he has long been interested in the subject but few people in Putnam "take the side of non-resistance," although the town has a large antislavery society and "nearly half of the population are Abolitionists." Helmick then requests that Garrison sends him "a written epistle ... your strongest argument in the negative of the following question, viz: Is it right to take life in any case whatever ... without violating the principles of the Gospel of Christ?" He states that Garrison's "arguments used faithfully" would help persuade people "who are on the fence, and in particular, a valuable Bro[ther], in the cause of the oppressed, bond and free." In the postscript, Helmick explains that he wishes to cancel one of the subscriptions to the Liberator he is paying for that was sent to George Eustis in Zanesville, Ohio.