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Judah Ely letter to the students of the Collegiate Institution, 1824 March 1

Ely, Judah

Judah Ely letter to the students and alumni of the Amherst Collegiate Institution in which Ely writes regarding the death of Zephaniah Swift Moore and suggests an annual essay contest with a monetary reward, in Moore's honor. Ely writes that he had sent Moore a letter and three dollars for the purchase of a prize to go to an essay winner and that he had suggested to essay subject should be "the evil arising from an intemperate use of distilled liquors in the U. States and the best means of preventing them." He explains his plans for the essay contest he had proposed further, and proposes a new plan for a prize essay contest to honor Moore, called the "Moore Prize Essay" for which a "Moore fund" could be raised. He suggests two possible subjects, one relating to the importance of Christianity to national prosperity and happiness and the other regarding the evils of slavery and best means of removing them. Ely then writes regarding his own opinions on each subject, discussing current topics such as a decreasing reference to God in government and the aims of the American Colonization Society. He also states that he is enclosing ten dollars to go towards the Moore fund. The letter is addressed to the alumni of Amherst Collegiate Institution though the salutation of the letter states it is to the students of the Institution.