April 6 Tuesday – In Hartford Sam wrote one line to Charles Webster asking if he’d seen “that furniture man” for Livy about a sofa [MTP]. The sofa was purchased from Mr. Burghardt, at 389 Bowery in New York [MTNJ 3: 227n2]. Note: No matter of business or personal task was too small to delegate to Webster. A double-bind often arose due to Sam’s conflicting orders, which would change with his mood or outlook or worry — don’t bother him with details; fully account what was going on.

Sam also wrote to his brother (not extant), as shown by Orion’s Apr. 11 reply [MTP].

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a correspondence card to Sam, referring a Miss Larned, who wrote children’s stories. She asked Sam to help the woman get “an opening into some magazine or paper for the young.” Sam’s notebook: “See Gilder about Miss Larned” [MTNJ 3:235&n27]. Note: Gilder was Richard Watson Gilder, editor of the Century.

Thomas A. Davis, pastor of the Kirkwood Street African M.E. Church of Dover, Delaware wrote to Sam, enclosing an article about the church in the Boston Advocate. Davis pled for the “race …just released from bondage and situated different from Colored Men in the North” [MTP]. Note: Sam sent a check as evidenced by Davis’ Apr. 8 telegram.