January, 1859
Barnum has been lecturing here, and sent me a copy of
his life with a very good, manly letter. He has heard of some criticisms of
mine he thought unjust. . . . I had met him at the W. W. Temperance Convention
in New York. I have written him an equally frank reply, telling him that I
admire some of his qualities and respect his pecuniary honesty and fidelity to
engagements, and that I wish while priding himself on this, he could treat the
public to a little truth also occasionally — that being, in my opinion,
his one enormous sin.
. . . As for the result of my trial [Anthony Burns riot], I
expect a disagreement of the jury. But I don't care much; I shouldn't regret
the imprisonment for a few months except for Mary; it would be a good
experience, help my influence, and give me a chance to write some things I
should be glad to say. But I expect no such thing.
SOURCE: Mary Potter Thacher Higginson, Editor, Letters
and Journals of Thomas Wentworth Higginson, 1846-1906, p. 80-1
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