Even though I've new spent several hours sitting with the pamphlets I feel like I haven't gotten very far. I have a pretty good process down though so I can chug through at a moderate rate. First I look at the information about the pamphlet if it's been cataloged--make sure the record is right. I then add some information to our spreadsheet--pages, number of copies, subject, condition. The last thing I do is search for a digital copy of the exact pamphlet we have. This tends to be the most time consuming part, but I have come across a fair number so I have my hopes up.
http://www.archive.org/details/aboutwar00huntez
This pamphlet "About the war: Plain words to plain people by a plain man" is one of my favorites so far. The title is witty, and there's an illustration so I'm excited by just that. What the "plain man" on the cover is saying to the boys in 1863 is very compelling. "'So long as you remain UNITED,' said the old man (pointing the attention of his boys to the bundle of sticks,) 'you are a match for all your enemies; but SEPARATE, and you are UNDONE." I think these words are convincing even now, especially since it is an election year. The pamphlet is attributed to Ezra Mundy Hunt, who I can only seem to find was a "physician, writer, humanitarian." I don't know anything more and I kind of am attracted to the anonymity. This pamphlet seems just as wise to me as I hope it was almost 150 years ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment