William Handy of Boston writes this letter to Reverend Thomas W. Higginson of Worcester, Massachusetts. Higginson was a supporter of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Handy wants to let Higginson know about a meeting in Boston to decide upon a plan of action. By this point, John Brown has been executed, and several of his followers have fled the country. Most of those supporters who remained in the United States want to resist the government; consequently, Handy emphasizes that at this meeting "none but fighters are eligible." Handy believes that it would not be wise to rely on the legal system to give Brown's supporters a fair trial. Handy also writes of a beautiful pistol that would soon be presented to Miss Sanborn "for her bravery in defending her brother." He also mentions that Franklin Sanborn has been arrested in Concord for some misdemeanor; he is unsure of the details.