This essay was written for a class in American history. This topic was chosen as one that fits with the author's interest in the life of Prudence Crandall.
Edward S. Abdy recorded and commented on his observations of race relations in the United States in the 1830’s. Writing for a large audience, he had his work published in 1835. As a visitor from England, he was not a product of the culture he was describing, and thus had a somewhat distanced perspective of events. He published his observations in the 1830’s under the title A Journal of a Residence and Tour in the United States. It is a journal with entries marked by dates, written firsthand by the author. Volume one of this three volume work provides readers with many details of the difficulties and challenges which faced Prudence Crandall in her efforts to set up a school for black girls in Canterbury, Connecticut. Abdy provides many observations of American culture and government in his journal, and it is well worth reading. My particular interest is in his descriptions of the efforts of Prudence Crandall and the reactions of the townspeople of Canterbury.
Crandall
encountered extreme opposition in the traditionally peaceful town of
Canterbury, Connecticut where she lived. The opposition escalated into
violence. Her school was attacked, and Crandall was denied access to
local shops. Her family and students were denied access to church
services (Abdy, Chapter 6).
Some of Abdy’s comments are based on first-hand observations of
events, while other comments are based on conversations, sometimes with a
person who has observed an event, and sometimes with a person who has
read or heard of the event. Abdy spoke with a number of people involved
in the situation, and was able to report the observations of various
people and groups as a result. Abdy does not pretend to have objective
opinions about the topics he reported on, and in fact he advocates for
the rights of Prudence Crandall and her husband Calvin Philleo by
explaining their rights, as he understands them, to town officials.
My
access to this primary source is by reading through the filter of a
digitized version, which has preserved the words, but not the page
numbers, nor all of the publisher information, from the original text.
My surrogate primary source is the transcription of the text of A Journal of a Residence and tour in the United States (Abdy) as accessed on the website maintained by Hal Morris, “Tales of the Early Republic: A History Resource and an Experiment in Hypertext Style.”
Although
Abdy was a visitor to the United States, which makes his perspective as
an outsider objective in certain ways (he was not U.S. citizen, he was
not a product of U.S. culture, and he was not a neighbor to anyone he
described) he was subjective in ways that can be seen in his editorial
remarks. In his journal he often comments on the inequality that he
sees between black and white Americans. Such comments make it clear
that he is completely against and appalled by the inequality and
injustice he sees, and that he would not support the view of those who
wished to suppress the rights of black people. At the time of his
writing, some Americans shared his views of equality, and many, of
course, did not. Slavery had not yet been outlawed in Connecticut. As we
read his works today, we now are inclined to agree with Abdy, and to
sympathize with his outrage at inequality. We have benefited from the
changes in law, society, and outlook that have evolved in the United
States since the 1830’s. His words and style suggest that he wishes to
influence his readers. It appears that he wants the reader to think
about civil rights, and to be aware of injustice. He provides enough
detail and passion in his writing that the reader may be swayed to look
at civil rights issues and to act in such a way as to promote equality.
Demonstrating
that he is not an impartial journalist, but a writer with an interest
in advancing equality, Abdy tells in his journal of how he himself
approached town officials in Canterbury on behalf of Crandall and her
school. He was able to speak to a selectman, Mr. Bacon. Abdy asked what
sort of measures would be taken to prosecute the townspeople who had
damaged the school. Mr. Bacon responded that nothing had been done,
nor would it be done, for no formal complaint had been made. Abdy points
out that Philleo had attempted to speak to the town clerk, but the town
clerk refused to hear the complaint. As Abdy pursues the matter, Bacon
tells him that Crandall had broken a State law. This is a very
interesting and ironic aspect of the story, because as Abdy points to
Bacon, this law was passed after Crandall had opened her school, and as a
matter of fact was passed in consequence of the school having been opened to girls of color (Abdy, Chapter 6).
Abdy describes Crandall’s personal response to the new law:
Abdy describes Crandall’s personal response to the new law:
They
had, however, miscalculated the temperament of their victim. She set
both her oppressors and their ex-post-facto statute at defiance. She
persisted in keeping her school. She was prosecuted; and declining, by
the advice of her lawyer, to give bail, she was sent to prison, and
confined (not intentionally it was afterwards stated) in the very room
which a murderer had just quitted (Abdy, Chapter 6).
Abdy
describes the trial of Prudence Crandall in a tone which is highly
critical of the unfair treatment she was shown by the justice system:
Miss
Crandall's trial came on at Brooklyn in August. Judge Eaton, who tried
her, was one of the committee of the legislature that drew up the law
under which she was indicted. He charged the jury three times to convict
her; and evinced throughout a marked spirit of hostility against her.
Five of the jury were for her, and seven against her each time. As they
could not agree, she was discharged. The second trial ought to have
taken place in December following before the same judge; but, in
October, she was indicted under a new writ, and brought before Judge
Daggett, who was well known, both for his attachment to the colonization
cause, and for the active part he had taken against a projected college
for colored young men at Newhaven, the University of which, it was
alleged, would be injured by its establishment. It was not likely,
therefore, that the question at issue would meet with an impartial and
unbiassed consideration in that quarter. The prisoner was convicted; and
appealed, from the sentence, to the Court of Errors, where the original
proceedings were quashed on the ground of an alleged informality — a
very convenient loop-hole to creep out at (Abdy, Chapter 6).
Edward
Abdy’s views and attitudes towards those he spoke with may have been at
times subjective rather than objective due to his relationships with
these persons. He had many acquaintances and friendships with Americans,
and this may have affected his choices in what to write and about whom
to write it, in addition to having affected his interest in supporting
certain individuals with his words or actions.
He
explains the beginnings of the boarding school for girls of color, the
first of its kind in Connecticut. She had originally set up a school for
young women, and had “admitted, as a scholar, the daughter of a
respectable neighbor, whose quarterings were unfortunately not of the
pure European tinge” (Abdy, Chaper 6).
Soon after this, Crandall admitted another young woman of color, who
asked to enroll at the school. The white parents of the other girls
began to withdraw their own daughters from the school, “annoyed at the
‘violation of the established order of things’, ” and in response, and
after consultation with Reverend May, Prudence “changed her white school
into a colored school."( Abdy, Chapter 6)
Abdy spoke personally to Calvin Philleo, who married Crandall (Abdy, Chapter 6) in
the midst of her difficulties with the Canterbury townspeople, and also
spoke to Crandall herself. At one point, Abdy describes the
conversation between Philleo and the town clerk of Canterbury, Andrew T.
Judson. Philleo wanted to complain about the damage that was done to
the school. Although the conversation is described in dialogue form,
using quotation marks, as Abdy himself says, “…the following
conversation, as well as my informant can remember the words, took
place.” (Abdy, Chapter 6).
The reported dialogue which follows may be close to accurate, as it
was remembered by Philleo, and recorded by Abdy. The gist of the
conversation itself is clear. Philleo attempted to speak to the town
clerk, and was refused (Abdy, Chapter 6). Abdy
also reports a firsthand conversation with Crandall on the topic of
her interest in leaving for England, fearful for her safety in
Connecticut (Abdy, Chapter 6).
Instead,
Crandall left for Illinois, where she lived near relatives in a farming
community and continued her abolitionist work. She later moved to
Kansas. The Connecticut government eventually acknowledged that it had
wronged her, and provided her with a small financial compensation (National Womens’ History Musem).
In 1995 the State recognized her as its State Heroine. Her house in Canterbury was declared a National Landmark in 1991 (CT.gov).
In 1995 the State recognized her as its State Heroine. Her house in Canterbury was declared a National Landmark in 1991 (CT.gov).
The
events in Canterbury surrounding Prudence Crandall’s school took place
over the span of a few years. The significance of her actions in her
time and for Americans today is remarkable. Abdy’s journal is an
excellent record which sheds light on the events as he perceived them. The
journal and the insights of its writer offer contemporary readers and
excellent view into an important moment in the past. Readers of this
text have the opportunity to ponder Prudence Crandall's actions, Edward
Abdy's work as a journalist, and the implications for their time and for
ours.
Works Cited:
Works Cited:
Abdy, Edward S. A Journal of Residence and Tour in the United States of North America. J. Murray. London: 1835. Reprint of the original. Tales of the Early Republic. Hal Morris' Home Page. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://jmisc.net/>.
"African American Historic Places - Beth L. Savage, National Register of Historic Places." Google Books. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://books.google.com/books?id=wjZIkchWX5AC>.
"CT.gov: "The State Heroine." CT.gov Portal. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=885>.
"Education & Resources." National Women's History Museum - NWHM. Web. 05 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/prudence-crandall/>.
"Miss Crandall in Prison.” New-Hampshire Sentinel 1833-07-18 Vol. XXV Issue 29, page 2. Early American Newspapers, Series I, 1690-1876. New England Genealogic Historical Society (online). November 27, 2005. <http://infoweb.newsbank.com>.
Image source: http://www.ct.gov/cct/cwp/view.asp?a=2127&q=302260
Also posted to my business website blog
Image source: http://www.ct.gov/cct/cwp/view.asp?a=2127&q=302260
Also posted to my business website blog
