God dealing with slavery : God's instrumentalities in emancipating the African slave in America : spirit messages from Franklin, Lincoln, Adams, Jackson, Webster, Penn, and others

Front matter

Book •Y&S'

WW.

0ass_£F_L2jLL_ Book^ .*Rs

Introduction

nation, working through the various ramifications of American sentiment, and forms of government, to inaugurate the strife. He then guided it to the removal of the infamous crime of negro slavery. The moral and religious sentiment of the people was not sufficiently elevated and pure to do this work of justice. God had appealed to it many years in vain. He next resorted to the lower passions of the slaveholder, which manifested themselves in rebellion against the national government, and ultimately accomplished the desired object. " The wrath of man praiseth Him."

GOD USES INSTRUMENTS.

A few years proceding this great work, and preparatory to it, God, through that scientific philosopher, Dr. Franklin, and others, " rent the veil" between this material world and the world of spirits, opening the way by which spirits could communicate to mortals, by using their natural faculties.

A NEW DISPENSATION

of life, a new mode of divine manifestations was introduced, a living, active commerce was opened between the spiritual and material worlds, by which the wisdom and sympathy of the upper is transmitted to the lower world, to our conscious material senses.

INTRODUCTION.

A CONGRESS OF SPIRITS

composed of the former statesmen of this country and persons of governmental experience abroad, who felt an interest in human welfare and the rights of man, existed. Dr. Franklin, of Revolutionary days, the early Philadelphia printer, he who first brought electricity under human control, was constituted communicator of the wisdom and plans of that Congress to mortals. The author of this book was appointed by the same authority to receive, impart, and promulgate the wisdom thus communicated by Dr. Franklin to him, through the appointed medium.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin's history is well known by the American people, and needs no comment.

President Lincoln is known throughout America and the world, as the great visible instrument of the emancipation of the African from slavery. His letters to the author since he passed away, as well as the messages from Dr. Franklin and others, prove that he was controlled by the Divine Mind acting through this author's brain ; they show that this was the channel of power from the world above, acting upon the national mind.

Dr. Farnsworth, the medium through whose hand the messages were written, is known as a writing medium, answering sealed letters for a time. At the commencement of the war Dr. Franklin perfected his development as a mechanical writing medium, and used him up to the present time.

INTRODUCTION.

Nearly all of the communications in this book were written mechanically through his hand, without pay, by the spirits whose names appear.

Dr. Franklin is the controlling spirit of this work ; most of the messages are from him. There are some from John Q. Adams, Wm. Penn, Danl. Webster, J. C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, I. T. Hopper, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joan of Arc, Mary, Queen of Scots, Josephine, and others. These messages cover a period of ten years ; the subjects were the war, reconstruction of the national government, and the amendments to the Constitution. Notwithstanding their apparent sameness, there are no two messages alike. Each one has a fact, thought, or idea, which no other one contains. The numerous spirits and various dates make up a good variety.

The fact that for ten years the spirits wrote to me on the same theme, the various minds communicating, and the constancy with which they dwelt upon the leading subjects, ought to convince every honest mind of the truth of the grand idea, that God inaugurated the rebellion, and worked out its results through the instrumentalities herein named.

I ask the indulgence of the learned reader for what to him will appear a great lack of good taste and refined language. I have no pretension to literary acquirements. More than fifty years of active business life and correspondence have given me a mode of expression more befitting that life

INTRODUCTION.

than authorship. This mode of expression I have used in this book — always laying more stress on the facts, truths, and principles given, than the dress in which they are clothed. This is the first book of my production — contains the first thought of being the author of one. This thought came with the request of Dr. Franklin to me, in June, 1866, to gather up the communications that are in this book, compile, and publish them. I offer it to the reader for its intrinsic worth, and not for its polish or style. Read it for its truths, its science and philosophy ! Read it to cure your infidelity, and to quicken and cultivate your religious nature. Read it for its facts and history. Read it to establish and strengthen your faith in the Wisdom and Power that works this great universe with the precision of perfect mechanism. Read it, though it lacks the polish of literature, or rhetorical order and science :

"Be true, thinker, to thy nature's law, "And borrow not another's style, but speak " Thine own brave thoughts in thine own spirit's tongue. "Call things by their right names, right minds shall hear."

Pollock Spirit.

To those who have known me as a business man for years, I need only say that I was acted upon by an irresistible power above me, and gradually developed and drawn into God's service in a work of national justice, as unexpectedly as St. Paul was changed from the work of persecuting Christians, to that of preaching Christ. The same power that called Moses from his sheepcote, called

INTRODUCTION.

me from commercial pursuits, and for the same purpose — of securing justice to oppressed - humanity.

For those who are unacquainted with me, I copy a paper given by my old business friends in Chicago, recommending me to office in the government, under President Grant, which paper never was presented to him, as I felt that I could not confine myself to such a place as I knew that my ability demanded.

Be it understood that this paper relates solely to my fitness for office under our government, having no reference whatever to this book, or my religious faith.

I have given an exceedingly brief sketch of my business, religious, and spiritual career. My effort for brevity leaves but a skeleton of what it should be, to present me fully and fairly. This private history was not of my own prompting, or to show myself to the world, but was given by the special direction of Dr. Franklin, as an essential basis of this book. And so I send the book to the world upon its own merits.

Chicago, March 1, 1869.

U. S. Grant, President : — We, the undersigned, old inhabitants of the City of Chicago, having been acquainted with Mr. Thomas Richmond for many years, as a resident and an active business man in this city, take pleasure in recommending him to your favorable notice and consideration, for any office that he may desire.

INTRODUCTION.

We regard his business experience, capacity, industry, aud integrity, equal to any position he may ask in our government. He has been from the first an earnest and consistent Republican, and was a soldier in the war of 1812.

Ohas. V. Dyer, Wm. B. Rogers, Henry G. Young, A. J. Averill, S. W. Stryker, J. Nottingham, Saml. T. Atwater, Howard Priestly, Egbert Jamison, J. H. Knowlton, A. A. Sample, C. Y. Richmond, T. W. Steele, Mahlon D. Ogden, L. Laflin, S. Clary, Thos. Church, Albert Crosby, George Keyes, John T. Lester, F. Tuttle, J. C. Walter, H. Hayes, A. Duncan,

Matthew Laflin,

Wm. Bross,

Geo. M. Higginson,

0. S. Hough, F. W. Pratt, C.Follansbee,

H. W. Blodgett, + Chas. B. Brown, Thos. H. Marsh, Frank Scales, F. M. Kanzler, Jas. A. Smith, Chas. Scott, L. P. Hilliard, C. Beers,

S. A. Kean, I. N. Arnold, C. B. Smith, German Smith.

Index

My Youth and Minority 9

In the Army of 1312 11

First Journey West— How Employed 12

Now of Age, and Began for Myself 13

First Shipment of Salt— First Credit 15

Spent a Winter Studying Law 18

First Shipment of Salt to the Upper Lakes 19

Purchased Land — Laid Out Village in Ohio 21

Moved to Richmond, Ohio, and Commenced Business 23

Suspension of Banks — Great Embarrassment of 1337 24

Became Member of Ohio Legislature 25

Commenced Business in Cleveland 26

Removed to Chicago , 27

Became Member of Illinois Legislature 29

Built the Richmond House, Chicago 30

Built and Sent Vessel to Liverpool 30

Took the Agency of N. Y. C. R.R., and Steamers 32

First Sermon Heard and Remembered 39

Religious Experience 42

Built Large Church in Richmond 46

Member of Presbytei'ian General Assembly that Tried Al-

bert Barnes for Heresy 47

Left the Church for its Slaveholding Complicity 50

Interview With Spirit of Mrs. Chester 52

Daughter Carrie First Entranced 55

Carrie Passed Away 56

At J. Q,. Adams' Request We Hold Circle 56

German Minister Visits Me 60

Passed a Summer in New England 61

Passed a Winterin Boston 62

Took Baths in Salem by Dr. Rush's Orders 66

My Mode of Obtaining Truth 67

J. Q. Adams' Letter 72

Miss Barrett's Visit to Spirit Congress 74

" Circle of Three " Formed 75

Andrew Jackson's First Letter 77

I. T. Hopper's First Letter 78

Letters from Napoleon, Joan of Arc, Josephine, Mary,

Queen of Scots 80

INDEX.

"PAGE

Franklin and Adams Call Me to Boston 81

My First Letter to President Lincoln 97

Franklin's Seven Letters on Philosophy of Spirit Control 102

My Letter to Gov. Todd, of Ohio 118

My Second Letter to Lincoln 124

Franklin Tells How He Influences Lincoln 129

Use of "Circle of Three" 129

How Spirits Live 130

My Third Letter to Lincoln 134

Daniel "Webster's Letter to Me 137

Wm. Penn's Letter to Me 138

Patrick Henry's Letter to Me 140

Lincoln's (Spirit) First Letter to Me 143

Second " " " 145

JohnQuincy Adams' Letter to Me 146

Franklin's Account of My Development 150

Daniel Webster's Letter to Me 153

Letters from Adams and Franklin 154

Andrew Jackson's Second Letter • 156

Josephine's Second Letter 157

Mary, Queen of Scots' Second Letter 158

Letters from Napoleon and Joan of Arc 160

My Letter to President Johnson 161

My Letter to Chas. Sumner, U. S. Senator 163

" " " Thaddeus Stevens 163

My Letter to Franklin and His Reply 164

Arrived at Washington — Note to Franklin «... 170

Franklin's Reply..... 170

John C. Calhoun's Letter to Me 175

" " " Communication in Banner of Light 176

Franklin Sends Me to the White House 181

Franklin Wishes Me to Mingle with Congressmen 186-8

Johnson's Trial —Bribery in Senate 189

Franklin Gives Diversity of Mediumship 195

Franklin Directs Me to the Medium at Waterford 196

My Letter to Senator Trumbull 197

Johnson's Impeachment — Senate Vote 199

Franklin's Reason for Change of Visit to Letter 200

I. T. Hopper's Second Letter 201

Franklin Directs Me to Write Gen. Grant 203

How I am Used in This Work 209

Farnsworth, the Medium, Brought to Chicago 213

Franklin's Conditions of Control 214

Lincoln's Third Letter 21?

Washington's Letter 220

Franklin Surveys the Past 221

Franklin's Closing Paper 226

The Argument 230

THE AUTHORS EARLY HISTORY.

Chapter I

I was born in the town of Barnard, in the state of Vermont, December 8th, 1796. My parents were farmers, and in very moderate circumstances. I was the fifth child and third son in a family of ten. The country was new, mountainous and cold. It required the constant and severe labor of each of the family, from their earliest ability to labor, and the most rigid economy in the whole family to maintain itself, and supply only the actual needs of each person.

Appropriate labor was furnished and imposed upon each child, as he became able to do something.

In those early days there was no manufacture of cotton goods, or clothing of any kind, in this country, except what was done in families. Each family of farmers manufactured clothing for itself from flax and fleece raised by themselves. There was no commerce of any amount then and there;

it was all that the people could do to support themselves and improve their farms.

The opportunities for education were very limited, although education was highly appreciatod by the inhabitants. The towns were districted, and schools kept, more or less, in each district. In the district I lived in, there was a school kept by a female, three months in summer, and by a male, three months in winter, usually.

Living remote from school, I had a poor chance to attend, but finally, being a good scholar, obtained what was termed a fair common-school education; attending school only when I could be spared from farm work.

As the family grew up, one after another, each in turn, had to go out to work. As our farm did not furnish work for all the family, — nor did it ftirnish support for it, — we had to dispose of our labor as best we could, to supply home deficiencies.

In those days, people never talked about making money or getting rich, as now-a-days. The only concern then, was how to live, — how to support, educate, and bring up their growing families. People only bought what they could pay for by exchange of commodities, and they paid for what they bought. There was scarcely money enough in the country to pay the taxes. There was a good reason for it. The people raised nothing to sell of much moment,

In my sixteenth year, I was hired out by my father to John Foster, for six months, to work on a farm, at ten dollars per month, for which my father was to have money enough to pay his taxes, and the rest in young cattle — these were called "neat stock." At that age I did a man's work with other men in the field. The next year being 1813, I was in my seventeenth year. I enlisted in the one year's service, in the army. This was in the war with Great Britain, in 1812. Government paid a bounty of sixteen dollars, on enlistment, and eight dollars per month wages, and furnished the following rations : one pound of bread or flour, one pound of beef or fourteen ounces of pork, half a gill of vinegar and a gill of whisky; I think I have this correct. I was selected by an officer to wait on him, so I had no hard military service to perform ; indeed, I was in the country with my officer, on recruiting service some three or four months. I saved and returned to my father all my wages drawn from government, and returned home again to work on the farm as formerly.

My mother died when I was in my twelfth year of age. My father soon married again, and had an increase of family, promising to be somewhat numerous.

Home became not as agreeable as I could wish, and I sought of my father my time, to allow me to go from home and get my education. My ambition was to be a lawyer, when I was a. out sixteen years old. He thought that he would give me my time after a year or two, but the time had never come when he could spare me.

In my nineteenth year, by his advice and consent, I left home for the West, with one Zadoc Thompson, a young friend, both bound for Central New York, intending to take schools, having learned that there was great want of, and high wages paid to teachers.

We started on foot. Each had his clothes tied up in a home-made linen handkerchief, and provisions enough to last a few days. This was in September, 1815.

We traveled, on foot, together, to what was then called Salt Point, being now the first ward of Syracuse. The land where the body of Syracuse now is, was then a cedar swamp, too soft for an animal to pass safely in the summer time.

Here, being offered twenty-five dollars per month to work on a boat on Onondaga Lake and Seneca River, I accepted it, leaving my friend Thompson to go into the country alone. This price for work seemed enormous, having recently worked for ten dollars. It tempted me to abandon the idea of being a school teacher for the present time. I continued to work on the boat until it froze in, and was stopped by ice. I then hired out to tend a salt manufactory. My work was called "boiling salt." The manufactory was called "a block of kettles."

I continued until late in April, the following spring, when I collected my earnings and returned on foot to my father's, the distance being two hundred and forty miles. I walked it in six days. What I earned, I carried to my father. I worked during the summer on my father's farm, and in the fall, I took my wardrobe as before, and went again to Salt Point, on foot, walking all of the way in six days. I worked there again through the winter, returning in the spring with my earnings to my father, and working at home that summer, as formerly. This made four times that I traveled over that road, performing the journey of two-hundred and forty miles in six days each time (except the first), carrying my cloahing and a supply of provisions.

This fall, 1817, being 21 years old, and, according to the Puritanic usuage of New England, served out my time fully with my parents, I started as a free man for the West, determined to be a rich man before I died. A neighbor of ours going West with an extra horse, allowed me to ride him, which I thought a great favor. I arrived again at Salt Point, with only a shilling in my pocket, which I kept for more than thirty years as a charm.

Having worked out my minority, I felt right in leaving, although my father urged me hard to remain and take the property, the charge of the family, and support the parents. The young family had become numerous already, with the possibility of further increase. I felt that I had been faithful and just to them, in serving my full minority. Now, I was free to act for myself, and it was my right to leave that old home, and just to myself to pursue my own chosen way. So with the blessings of the family, and their prayers for me, and mutual good wishes and farewells, we parted.

Safely at Salt Point, I felt my new condition: A free man. Myself, my labor and my earnings were all my own.

The one great idea of becoming rich inspired me to effort, and to overcome all obstacles. I went to work with a will, and the following winter I tended a salt-block alone, — it being two men'? work. My first aim was to acquire three hundred dollars. This would take me to a level with some other young men of the place.

Salt Point was remarkable then for fever and ague, and its severity. My very hard work, and the coming of warm weather, in the spring and early summer, brought on this disease with great virulence. I had, however, accumulated my cherished sum of three hundred dollars.

About this time I received a letter from my father, stating that an old debt, which he had owed from my childhood, was pressing him, and that (if possible) I must send him two hundred dollars ; as, unless I did so, he might lose his farm.

I heeded the call, and sent him the sum. It was a hard trial. Parental care and affection, on one side, and my own interest, the love of the first money, I ever had the privilege of calling my own, the severe and hard labor it had cost me, and no expectation that I would ever receive it back on the other, balanced in my mind for a few hours. When I decided and sent the money, I felt relieved and happy. Soon afterwards I returned home with my fever and ague. I started on horseback, the common way of traveling then, and the day after, my chills, and the fever following, lasted eighteen hours, during which I could not sit up. I succeeded, however, in reaching my old home, having the ague every alternate day, on the way. Healthy air and kind attention soon restored me to health.

Returning to Salt Point in the fall, I again went to salt-boiling for the winter, taking my pay in salt. The usual pay was every fifth bushel, for boiling, or tending a salt-block. By severe labor and great economy, I saved and packed one hundred and twenty-two barrels of salt, by the first of May, which I owned. There was, by the laws of New York, a duty of five shillings per barrel on salt, which must be paid before it could be removed from the works. It was the duty of the superintendent of the salt springs to visit all the works and examine the salt, once or twice a week. By these visits, Dr. Kirkpatrick had often seen me, my work and my salt. I had no money to pay the duty on my salt, nor friend to assist me in shipping it abroad. I could not sell it at the works for cash without great sacrifice. What shall

I do? was the thought. I considered Dr. Kirkpatrick a gentleman. He had seen me all winter in that servile employment, and, of course, had no respect for me. He was made liable for the duty on all the salt inspected. To trust me was to become liable for the amount to the State. I was young, looking like a boy. Pondering all these things over, I concluded to rally courage, put on a good face, and ask the superintendent to trust me for the duty which was about seventy-five dollars, until I could take my salt to Canada, sell it, and return. I did so. He asked me how long I thought I would be gone. I replied, not over six weeks. Without another word, or the scratch of a pen from me, he wrote an order to Mr. Mead, inspector, to inspect and brand for me one hundred and twenty-two barrels of salt. He did so. The next day I had my salt loaded in a boat for Oswego, on the way to Canada. The mode of transit then was by boat twenty-four miles to Oswego Falls, freight, two shillings per barrel, a portage of one mile costing one shilling ; in small boats to Oswego, twelve miles, two shillings, making five shillings freight to Oswego ; thence, by vessel, to Little York, Canada (now Toronto), where I sold it, costing by schooner, one dollar per barrel, and half a dollar duty in Canada. I received pay in American half dollars, at which I was delighted. I returned in less than six weeks. The first thing I did was to take this shining silver to Dr. Kirkpatrick, and pay him the sum due. This was tne proudest act of my life especially when I learned from him that it was my hard labor and good behavior that he had seen of me in the salt works, that gave him the confidence to trust me, while he had denied several merchants and other business men of the place.

I found by this that men of sense respected lab- V)r, and what I had foolishly supposed the superintendent looked upon contemptuously, was the great merit that gave me credit.

CHAPTER II. The Author's Business History

Having now fairly entered upon my commercial life, I continued once or twice a year to ship salt to Canada and the Western States.

The second winter after being of age, at Salt Point, I spent in a lawyer's office, studying law reports, the principles of law, and attending courts to gain legal information. It was the most profitable winter of my early life. That study prepared me to do my business writings, and fitted me to understand the legal bearings of commercial action.

There were no harbors on the lakes; no lighthouses, nor a steamer. The Western country was just beginning to be settled. There were but few, probably not a score of vessels navigated from Montreal to Chicago, and these were small sail craft.

I continued making, buying and shipping salt. My first shipment, to what was then called the Upper Lakes ; the lakes West of Niagara Falls.

The transit I have described, to Oswego, thence by vessel to Lewiston; portage of seven miles to Schlosher, thence in boats to Black Rock.

There was no harbor at Buffalo. Vessels loading at Black Rock, were towed by oxen up the Rapids into Lake Erie. My salt was for Cleveland, Ohio, and having all of my means invested in it, I went along to sell it. The freight on this lot of salt was three dollars and a quarter per barrel — now about thirty cents. This was early in the spring of 1819.

The commissioners appointed by our government to establish the boundary between the United States and Canada, after the close of the war oi 1812, were on the same vessel my salt was shipped on.

The vessel sailed directly to Detroit. I then shipped my salt and myself back to Cleveland in a small vessel called the Hannah, Capt. Belden- There was no harbor at Cleveland ; no warehouse, and but a small village.

I remained some two months at Cleveland, endeavoring to sell my salt for money, but there was none to be had. Finally, I traded for a drove of cattle, driven from the South to sell. There was no money to buy them. I drove them to Salt Point, but there was no one who had money, to buy.

I grazed them in Salina reservation, until they were well fatted in November.

There was then no market, no butcher, no packer. I had to be my own. I sold the meat again, for salt; converted the hides into cash, and the tallow into candles, and peddled them at five pounds for a dollar.

I extended my business ; purchased six hundred acres of woodland near the works ; married, built a house on theland, and lived on it two years.

The year previous to this, I invited Dean Richmond (an orphan without a home, and cousin of mine), to come to my house and live. I urged him to give up his roving habits, live in my family, run the salt works, in which I would give him an interest. He did so, and he did well. I was then in mercantile business with a Mr. Barnes, and at my suggestion, Dean bought him out.

When the Erie canal was first opened, I bought a boat and horse, employed a boy to drive him while I steered, and took into Rochester the first load of salt ever taken thence by canal.

Syracuse had now grown into an active little city. Dean Richmond had grown by his application to business, integrity, and perseverance, a solid prosperous business man, with twenty thousand dollars. His talent as a boy, and as a man, was of high order. I had never borrowed a dollar, I had never asked assistance, had no friend to aid me, nor did any one, except the kind Dr. Kirkpatrick.

I was worth twenty thousand dollars before my name ever went inside of a bank for a loan.

In 1830, Mr. W. Williams, wholesale merchant in New York, sought a mercantile partnership with me, and took the interest of Dean Richmond. Our firm was " Richmond & Williams."

The new firm did a large business, selling goods, manufacturing and shipping salt.

In the early spring of 1832, I had occasion to go to Ohio, on business, without a thought of purchasing or moving West. Night overtook me at a country tavern in Perry, Ohio, a few miles from Fairport, the name of the little village and harbor of Grand River, thirty miles east of Cleveland. The common bar-room contained all the guests, and the liquor of the house. Besides myself, there were several persons from Fairport, one of whom told the others that it was intended to purchase ninety acres of land on the river, opposite Fairport village, and lay out a new town.

Without inquiry, I learned by their conversation the quantity of land, its location, and that Judge King, of Warren, Ohio, some forty miles distant was the agent.

My business called me directly to Warren. I resolved to see Judge King, and make inquiry, thinking there might be an obj ect in purchasing. At barren, I called on him in the morning. I found that he had late the evening before, arrived from a long absence at Washington. A large number of letters had accumulated in his absence. He was indisposed to talk until he had read his letters. Then I made inquiry about the land, asked for its refusal until I could go and see it. He could not grant this ; on his table were three letters, asking his terms for this land, — that he must answer these letters, with terms of sale, but if I wanted it, and would decide then, I could have it.

I had not seen the land, was traveling on business, had no thought of buying property in the West, when I left home, — "I said to him, I have only money with me sufficient for my current expenses, — am a merchant in Syracuse, N. Y.

If you will accept my check on Onondaga Co. Bank, I will take it, and you may make out the title."