Elmira Politics Effects on a Historical Cause: Anti-Slavery

            Before this blog post assignment, I had never really looked into the history of politics surrounding the city of Elmira.  According to Joyce M. Tice who created the website Tri-Counties Genealogy and History, Elmira was had a very strong anti-slavery sentiment, was home to several abolitionists, and also was part of the Underground Railroad.  Funding for anti-slavery movements was largely popular in Chemung County, particularly the city of Elmira.  I honestly had no idea about any of this.  I think that in history, Elmira became a very close-knit community because they bridged and bonded over anti-slavery sentiments.  Politics can either unite people or tear them apart, but I believe in this case the politics brought the city of Elmira together.

            Tice also mentioned the founder of Elmira College, Simeon Benjamin, financially backed the anti-slavery movement in the Southern Tier.  He was the wealthiest man in the county at the time, and according to Tice he put his money towards a good cause.  Many other wealthy men like Benjamin also helped in the cause to either promote anti-slavery or actively help slaves.  Some men would warn slaves that pro-slavery individuals knew their whereabouts, helping them flee to places such as Canada.  Others would give funds to slaves to go and make a life for themselves as well as their families.  The wealthy folk of Elmira actually did a lot for the anti-slavery cause, most reports of good doings rather than bad.

            Reverend Henry Ward Beecher speaks about the New York Anti-Slavery society, which was a band of New Yorker’s who were in favor of anti-slavery and made strides to make their purpose a reality.  Beecher states that New York states believes that all men were born equal and should remain equal, and that he wished to counter the South on this issue.  From his lecture, I took that he believes that their dreams will only become a reality if they stick together and fight for a common cause despite their backgrounds.  This to me sounded a lot like bridging and bonding because people from different or similar backgrounds are coming together to fight for a common cause or something they all care about.  Beecher also speaks on behalf of the churches in New York saying how they arouse whereas Southern churches subdue, causing Southerners to care less about a cause.  Especially in New York, Beecher makes the statement that in the North communities are structured around first, family and second the township and because of this New York is extremely adamant in the anti-slavery movement.

            To make sense of this, I would have to say that politics had a huge influence in Elmira as well as New York state as a whole.  Politically in history, Elmira played a huge role in important anti-slavery movements, such as the Underground Railroad.  From this point in history to the present, I believe that the sense of community there once was has sadly diminished.  There is no political cause that everyone largely cares about, therefor limited bridging and bonding occurs.  People are strangers and do not care for the well-being of their townspeople to the extent they once did.  However, I believe if a cause were to come into their lives that they largely cared about, politics would bring back the sense of community once again.

References:

Address by Rev Henry,Ward Beecher. (1855, Jan 17). ANTI-SLAVERY LECTURES. New York Daily Times (1851-1857). Retrieved from http://ezproxy.elmira.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/95884047?accountid=10728

http://www.joycetice.com/undergrou/ckfeb04.htm