The Calow Weld papers contain five letters, spanning January 9, 1836-June 3, 1837. Schoolteacher Calow Weld wrote all of the letters to a friend, Philo Bund, debating several important issues of the day. In his letter of January 9, 1836, Weld described the classes he taught, and expressed a wish that the common schools be elevated to greater "eminence" and that teachers receive more respect. In other letters, he discussed slavery, which he considered a "national and moral evil," some possible scenarios of emancipation (March 12, 1836), and his belief that Congress had the power to abolish slavery (May 21, 1836). In his final two letters, Weld explained his opposition to foreign immigration, which he believed would "impair the tranquility of community" (July 30, 1836). On June 3, 1837, he elaborated on his position on immigration, arguing that the variety of cultures and languages in the world disproved the notion that people "were destined to live as one great and social family."
