
THE BOSTON HERALD, Boston, Mass., Dec. 6, 1886. My dear friend:
I have been thinking very often of you lately, and wishing that something might be
done to lighten life for you. The nation is deeply in your debt for the services you
rendered in the war, not to mention its deeper debt to you as a poet which will be
appreciated more and more as the years go on. Hon. Henry B. Lovering, the Member of
Congress from my district, 6th Massachusetts, and influential member of committee
on invalid pensions, tells me that you are fully entitled to a pension and that he
will be very glad to be
instrumental in securing it, as he has a high appreciation for you. He would not
like to do it, however, without consulting your wishes in the matter, and therefore
I write to ask if I may not tell him to go ahead. The act would be purely voluntary
on the part of Congress, and not in response to any petition from you.
Some of us, friends of yours here, are proposing to organize, on a broad and simple
basis, a Whitman Society, to promote an interest in and study of your works. I
believe it may accomplish much good. I have seen Kennedy
several times lately, and hope his work on you will secure a good publisher. Have
also seen Boyle O'Reilly, Bartlett, Arlo
Bates, Dr. Wesselhaeft and Mrs.
Fairchild, all staunch friends of yours. answer'd & sent on at once peremptorily declining,
& forbidding the pension application W W
Did you know that we have a town called Whitman in Massachusetts now. It was formerly South Abington, and its name was changed last winter. It is in the Old Colony, the part of the country where your first American ancestors lived. I do not know for whom it was named, but to many it will recall the most eminent member of the family.
In the December number of The Path, a magazine published in New York, is one of a series of articles on "Poetical Occultism." This one is devoted to some of your poems and is partly written by me, partly by my friend W. Q. Judge. I will have a copy sent you.
Faithfully yours Sylvester Baxter