Springfield, O. April 12" 1888 Hon. Frederick Douglass Washington D.C. Sir, At a regular meeting of the H.H. Garnett Club of this city I was appointed in a committee to ascertain from you if you could deliver an address in one of the opera houses of this city for the benefit of the club. Please let us know if you can deliver an address in the early part of June next, and what you would charge for coming to our city. Please let us hear form you at your earliest convenience. Respectfully yours, Marshal Jackson Chairman Committee #274 South Yellow Spring Street [*510*]Cedar Hill Anacostia, D.C. April 14. 1888. Dear Mrs. Putnam, You entirely misapprehended my relation to the late International Council of Women. I had no voice as to the should, or should not, of that body. I was only an invited guest and really had as much right to ask you to help me to a place as you had to ask me. As to Miss Holly I like to think of her & speak of her as I saw her years ago, in Buffalo, and as I often saw her afterwards - but of late years she has shown no disposition to recognize me, and I am willing to have done with people who for no [*449*] cause that I know of have done with me. The last time I saw her she scarcely paid me "the cold respect of a passing glance". See you, Mrs. Putnam, quite just when you complain that I did not speak of the labors in the cause of the slave performed by Miss Holly? Think[ing] of the many other excellent women who were not mentioned. Faithfully yours, FredK. Douglass [*copy*]Washington D.C., April 17th 1888 Hon. Frederick Douglass, Dear Sir, As I was not in the city yesterday I did not have the pleasure of hearing your address last evening at the South Babtist Church, but have done myself the honor of reading every word of it, as printed in this morning's National Republican. It is able and eloquent in all of it's parts - in its arraignment of the South just and manly; in its charge to the Republican party wise, couragious, timely; and in its plea for justice to the negro [*511*]sublimely heroic. I write, therefore, to thank you heartily for the service you have done the race in this effort and look forward for good results wherever the speech shall be read. May the same story be told in all the North and West by you during the next twelve Months, nay - until justice shall be done the Negro. Again I thank you. Yours Truly Walter H. Brooks Pastor 19th St. Bapt. Ch.Globe House Washington, D.C., April 17. 1888 Hon. Fredrick Douglass, Dear Sir: - Your speech of last evening published in the Republican of to day, I have read, and cannot resist the temptation of saying to you that this is the greatest political speech that I have read or heard in perhaps twenty years last past, and that it will douse the trembling fires of devotion to freedom and justice that in our boasts for poll achievements had nearly died out. But these fires are only smouldering, and it only need a leader of action and energy to rekindled these fires and make them glow again. But, alas! our leaders have extinguished their fires, and it wants to be rekindled by men who will never make apologies for devotion to freedom. There is now many a man who held slaves in former times who would join our ranks, and few of us have been [*515*]so steadfast to freedom that should object to even such, if he came resolved to do what is right in the future, and I would rather trust even such a man than one who was abolition in other days, but thinks their is nothing to work for now. Your speech should be printed broadcast through our land, and similar speech should be made in every school district in the country. The tongue and pen should stir [new?] [minds?]. You have won a brilliant victory, but more brilliant victories are before you, if you have perseverance and the energy push ahead. But it needs push, push, and then I tell you, the victories will come. Very Respectfully Geo. B EdmondsWashington DC April 17 1888 My Dear Mr Douglass — I have just read the Republican’s report of your thrilling and instructive address of yesterday. It is like one great sob of grief — one mighty outburst of righteous anger, from the race for which you spoke. It is a bitter humiliation to the Anglo-Saxon race that such things can be truly said of it. What will become of our nation if the brutality of race in the South continues to bear down upon God’s poor — He will not always endure it. An awful retribution must await the sins you describe. How vain was the hope that Liberty could be made to thrive in the Keeping of its [??den] enemies — that Pharoahs could be trusted to guide the Israelites [*516*]in the Wilderness. How base those in the North who slackened the reins of the law. But I will not lecture to you. I only wanted to express my admiration for your awakening words, and to tell you that my heart goes out with yours against the Wrong, and for the oppressed — Perhaps the Republican Party may be aroused, and once again set on the path which leads to the heights. But it must be under some fit leader of a new comrade — No Judas, Pilate, or even Peter, but one of the spirit of Paul. On the 29th of Oct 1860, Edward D. Baker, then Senator elect from Oregon, said in a speech at San Francisco: "We are a city set on a hill. Our light cannot be hid. As for me, I dare not, I will not be false to freedom. Where the feet of my youth were planted, there, by freedom, my feet shall stand. I will walk beneath her banner. I will glory in her strength. I have watched her in history, struck down on an hundred chosen fields of battle. I have seen her friends fly from her; her foes gather around her. I have seen her bound to the stake; I have seen them give her ashes to the winds. But when they seemed to exult, I have seen her again meet them face to face, resplendent in complete steel, brandishing in her right hand a flaming sword, red with insufferable light. I take courage. The people gather round her. The Genius of America will at last lead her sons to freedom.” [This was] This was the key note of Republicanism. 4 The Man unity to be followed must not only profess, but must honestly believe in giving the right of way to Universal Liberty. The poor railway corporation, banks and manufacturers must be protected in their right, but men must be place above thing's - Roscoe Conkling would be such a man - So would [Harlan] Justice Harlan - as you say - But what shall can the blindness which sees [only] only the need of increased dividends, while men decay? The black [me of] men hold the balance of power in new york, Connecticut, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and elsewhere in the North. They ought to compel the republican party to leave of shamming, and present an earnest front — Faithfully Your Friend Geo C Gorham Hon Frederick Douglass.Congratulations concerning speech of Apr. 1888.714 13th St Wash D.C. April 17th, 1888 Hon. Frederick [A] Douglass Dear Sir, I am rejoiced to read the words of truth spoken by you concerning the condition of Society in the South in your speech of yesterday. There can be no question that an organized, & so far successful combination has been made by the minority, to control either by fraud or force, the majority in the South. Sometimes I [*512*]despond, & wonder what punishment will be inflicted upon us as a nation, for the South committing, & the North permitting, such outrageous perversion of justice But "God Knows” & hoping that a better condition of affairs may soon dawn upon us, I remain with regards Yours respectfully Robert Reyburn M.D.Department of the Interior Bureau of Pensions. Washington, D.C. April 17th, 1888 Hon. Frederick Douglass, - Dear Sir.: Allow me a humble negro citizen of Massachusetts, to offer to you my congratulations for the noble and manly words spoken last evening in behalf of my race. I have read many of your speeches, but the one referred to above is to me one of your best. I am, as all negroes ought to be, a republican, and heartily agree with you, that we have had enough of sentiment, but now want a standard bearer with back bone enough to see that the negro is protected in his rights. I am Very respectfully Hamilton S. SmithWebster Law Building My Dear Mr. Douglass, Allow me to congratulate you upon your effort of last evening. You were Fred Douglass himself, and handled your excellent oration in a most masterly manner. I am glad that the two orations (Yours and Langston's) appear in the same paper. Yours is the truth and is full of law and logic. His is neither one thing nor the other, and is composed of a little bit of scripture, and a great deal of Langston. Your effort of last evening will silence, forever, those who attempt to rise, by trying to pull you down, and the cry of "Young men to the front" will be considered by all as premature. When you are [*514*]dead and not until then need any other man expect to lead our race. You told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. My only wish is that you may be spared to us for many years to come. I am Yours truly Emanuel Washington D.C. April 17th, '88.House of Representatives U.S., Washington, D.C., April 17, 1888. Hon Fredk. Douglass Dear Sir This morning I read your speech of last Evening you spoke sorrryfull facts — and such things must be stopped if this free nation is to live — I am now and have been framing or endeavoring to frame a Bill that will reach the uttermost parts of our Land in potection of both white and colored men and women - in the labor-field for remember our white people in a great measure are under the juggernaut wheal as bad a your Colored people Ry yours J B White [*513*]April 18. 1888 Dear Sir My friends Mr & Mrs Russell Scott are paying a short visit to the States. When I say that his father was a very earnest & able fellow worker with my Aunt Mary Carpenter (I well [*518*]know your veneration for her) in the early days of the Reformatory movement, I think that you will be inclined, for her sake, to do what you can to render their stay in Washington agreable . . Mr Scott's brother edits the ManchesterGuardian – one of our most important provincial journals. The whole family, I think, are Unitarians. Believe me, Faithfully Yrs Wm Lant Carpenter. Frederick Douglas Esq WashingtonWashington D.C. Apl 18-88 Hon. Frederick Douglass, - Dear Sir I had the pleasure of listening to your very excellent speech on Monday night and to say that I was pleased with the masterly manner in which you treated your subject, and deeply impressed by the earnestness that characterized its delivery will but imperfectly express my appreciation of your effort on that occasion. Your description of the condition of the Negro of the south was as vivid and complete as words could paint so black a fiction. While you were enumerating the acts of injustice to which he is subjected and the inhumanity of which he is the victim [*519*]I was forced to exclaim with Macbeth when informed of the slaughter of his family by Macduff "And does heaven look on and will not take their part?" It seems wholly inconsistent with the civilization of this age that such a condition of things should exist. The American people ought to be ashamed to declare to the world that this is the land of the free and the home of the brave, when seven millions of her most loyal citizens are systematically deprived of all the blessings of citizenship. This government has failed to extend to us the protection which we have a right to expect. My idea of a good government has always been - loyalty to the government and obedience to its laws on the part of the citizen and the protection of the citizen in all of his vested rights on the part of the government. If this is a correct idea of what constitutes a good government then we have none in thiscountry. The treatment that the negro of this country receives at the hands of his government makes it impossible for him to be patriotic and at the same time maintain his self respect. Patriotism should find its best pabulum in which it should germinate and reach its fullest development in the fostering care of the government, whose broad aegis protects its citizens in the full enjoyment of all his rights. Doubtless you saw many things during your recent visit to the South which more than confirmed everything that you have read about the unhappy condition of our people there. The inveterate prejudice against the negro inthis country has a tendency to blight his best hopes and to chill the noblest aspirations of his nature. It shows its self every where and in everything. The logic of events teaches that this condition of things cannot last always because it is unjust, but up to this time it does not seem to have lost any of its vitality. With you I believe that if the loyal millions of this country only knew the real condition of things that they would effect a change. Braver, stronger, truer words were never uttered than these spoken by you. Though you have pleaded for your people for fifty years, no tongue can be more potent for them still than yours. I thank you from my heart for your last speech. I pray that you may spared to us for many years to come Yours very truly J.W. Curtis 1711–8th St N.W.Holley School Lottsburgh, Va April 19th, 1888 My dear Mr. Douglass, I did not mean to 'complain' of you, but of myself. That I did not ask you to recall on the appropriate occasion, the Buffalo incident; - nor did I intend the slightest reflection on you, for any omission, - or dream of such a thing! But I did believe it would have been a pleasure to you, to notice Miss Holley's early [* 120 *]consecrated labors for the slave if you had been asked and specially reminded. My letter was prompted wholly by self reproach - which, your reply makes the keener and how sorry I am! The coolness with which Miss H - met you, I know, must have been caused by the unjust aspersion she had suffered crudely from, in regard to me; & that she knew had affected your feeling & judgement toward her. I tried to tell you once in a letter - it was all wrong. Let me entreat you now in all the sincerity of my soul, to believe, that never could that sweet hymn of Mr. Gaskell's sung at Wendell Phillips' funeral, be more truly applied than to Miss Holley's 20 years of heroic, devoted striving thro' persecution, hardships, hunger, and toil. "to lift up those, that once were bowed low" - here in Virginia "All that makes for human good "freedom, righteousness & truth, "these the objects of her youth, "unto age, she has pursued.nobody can really doubt, or misunderstand, her brave loyalty as a benefactor of the colored race, here worthy the homage of all good a great souls! That gracious Buffalo act, is a type of her life long true service - a reminiscence that ought not to die - By all the rare tenderness, and the refinement of deep, pure gratitude, of which you are possessed, I implore you to write it out. It will stand in the Great Judgement for her, & for you - a fact to be treasured in the Universe. Gratefully Caroline F. PutnamConfidential City of Cambridge Mass April 21th 1888 Hon. Fredrick Douglass Washington. D.C Dear Sir:- Your recent speech in Washington, of which have seen only an extract, seems to contain the vital inspiration of the old party in which we successfully fought for national autonomy and human rights and I thank you for it. The party that gave suffrage to the colored man must protect him in the exercise of that right, or forfeit the support of patriotic and just men. Will you be kind enough to sketch and mail to me a brief resolution expressing your views upon that subject for presentation to the committee on resolutions of the Republican State Convention to be held in Boston on the 25th instant. By so doing you will greatly oblige a fellow worker. Your faithful friend, Edw. W. Hincks Member of Committee on Resolution, Republican State Convention. 522U.S. SENATE WASHINGTON April 21, 1888 My dear Sir: Be kind enough to send me a copy, if possible in pamphlet form, of your speech on emancipation day. I did not get a chance to read it fully and wish very much to preserve it. Very truly yours John Sherman Hon. Frederick DouglasApril 24th [* [1888] *] This has been kept waiting for an opportunity to act on what you may like to know - that when Mr. Felix Adler wished Miss Holley to speak to his congregation on Wendell Phillips - & she felt she could not, he asked her who would. - She instantly said, "Mr. Frederick Douglass" - and Mr. Adler asked "Has he a clean record"? to which she gave the instant glad response "yes - he has" as I told him you were in Boston, & he telegraphed you accordingly [*521*]Miss Holley always said "You should have given the Eulogy in Boston dear Mr. Douglass, - on Mr. Phillips. - Three times I have known of her emptying her slender purse - in generous out pouring of her larger heart - full of sympathy admiration & interest, & gratitude for you - In Oberlin, when you spoke in the chapel, & she had but three dollars in the world - she put it all in the collection! - She was paying her board by teaching, sewing, & tending Prof. (now Pres't), Fairchild's baby, at 4 cts an hour & charming the nursery. The last time was on your memorable visit here - when you spoke with such infinite tenderness, mingling pathos, & humor, with such exquisite justice to old 'master', & ex-slave - as as you, alone, can do to illuminate the text -"Rightly dividing the word," of Truth" - doing what you could to save, the finally, stolen, Freedman's school-house - Then Miss H.put in your hand - the "letter all" again, a hundred dollars, of which you handed her back fifty. But my obligation to her noble fidelity, - is a million times multiplied! & her magnanimity is beyond all parallel in my knowledge, - under the unjust imputations: which I vainly strove to dispose [?] Mrs. Martha Green of, as soon as I saw how sick & feeble Miss H. was, and my remorseful feeling stirred. Forgive me, if I seem importunate that so true & noble a woman be reinstated in your regard. C. F. P. -Cedar Hill. Anacostia, D.C. April 26. 1888. My dear Mr Arnold. I have no doubt of your loyalty to me, and I hope you have no doubt of my loyalty to you, or of my desire to comply with your requests, but I am sorry to say that my financial condition is such just now as to compel me to decline your proposal. I have just now had an unexpected demand made upon me for two thousand six hundred dollars. Some months ago Mr Sprague procured a loan from me of two thousand dollars on a house in process of erection - with the understanding that the money would be expected in finishing the house I trusted his word, only to find {448}in September, I beg you will not attempt any such thing. I know you are loyal and true. But every such demonstration is attended with expense of time strength and money - and you should not burden yourself with either I am dear [Mr A] George - yours truly always Frederick Douglass the house unfinished and a heavy lein of seven hundred dollars upon the premises - and in order to have my two $2000 I have now to raise two thousand six hundred [in order] dollars to complete the building. What makes the matter more painful is that Mr Sprague is my son in-law - and any exposure of his tricks and manners of doing business will hurt his wife and children - I hope therefore that you will say nothing about this - matter to any body - I[n] regard to the "honor you contemplate doing me Lewis can further explain-Cedar Hill. Anacostia, D.C. April 26. 1888. P. M. B Bolivar. Allegheny W. Pa. Dear Sir, Will you please inform me if there is in Bolivar a Mrs. Anna Moor and what her pecuniary circumstances are. if you are able to do so, and greatly oblige Yours Very Respectfully [*447*]April 27, 1888, Dear Sir Yours of 26,, to hand - I thank you for the kind words expressed No - not a word - regarding the matter. I return the letter. You can destroy it - or dispose of it as you may see proper Your friend Geo. M Arnold Mr DouglassNo Mold Work. No Flavors Used. R. Henri Herbert, Jobber to the Trade in Cuban Handmade Cigars, 214 Broad Street, Opposite Court House Factories: La Flor Cubana, No. 162 First Dist. of N.J. La Flor De Lebmann No. 1343 First List. of Pa. Personal & Confidential Trenton, N. J. April 28 1888 My Dear Mr. Douglass: I am this day in receipt of a telegram from Mr. Walter Phelps in which he assures me that he will be present at our dinner and respond to "Protection - essential to the Development and Maintenance of American industries" I am also assured by Mr Phelps and Senator Hobart that [*525*][*2/*] the Republican party in this state in Convention assembled will extend to Frederick Douglass the courtesies to which his eminent services in behalf of the party entitle him. Once more allow me to urge that you advise me at the earliest possible moment of the hour at which you leave Washington. Yours truly, R. Henri Herbert