299 Madison Avenue
Baltimore April 6th

Mr. Frederick Douglas

Dear Sir
Your kind favor
was duly received, and
forwarded to Messrs Houghton
Osgood & Co, on whom I hope
it may have an encouraging
effect. I am very much
obliged to, you for your
prompt reply!

Should you be coming
to Baltimore, it would
give me pleasure to view
you the table, on which
Banneker made all his
calculations, and also his
volume of manuscript
almanacs and two other
books, which he owned.
I think you will find

[*2764*]that I have done justice
to the memory of Banneker
I was brought up to feel
the utmost reverence for
the genius of this extraordinary
man.

It will hardly do for the
whites, at this late day,
to attempt to gain any
reflected luster from
Banneker's mixed blood.
There was no trace of
mixed race in his appearance.
All who knew him
conceded that such a measure
of superior gift as he inherited
was derived from his grandfather,
who was an African
prince - a very thoughtful
man - as much dignity of
character, whose wife
was an English peasant
of very [odinary] ordinary
mind. I have this


trace of white blood will
not lessen your interest in
the memory of this remarkable
sage. Having studied the
subject so much and having 
heard so much talk about
Banneker, all my days, I
really feel as though I had
seen him. It interests me 
much that you will lecture
on such a most interesting
subject. Should you be
likely to call upon me, I
will be glad of a card
the day previous advising 
me of your purpose, so
that I may be at home

With much respect

I am yours
very sincerely
Anne T. Kirk






United States Senate Chamber,
Washington , 87

Hon. Fredk. Douglass
Esteemed Sir,

While in the Capital, yesterday and immediately after the adjournment of the Senate, I happened to drop in upon a group of men gathered in the “Supreme Court Room” who were excitedly discussing the probability of your confirmation. Believing, from what I was told that, the “true inwardness” of the opposition came from a source you may not be advised of, I have thought it my duty to apprise you thereof. The facts gleaned were these viz: that the seeming disapproval of your confirmation as exhibited at the meeting of the 
Republican Central Committee was instigated by “Langston,” for “Ordways” interest who in return was to promote “Langstons” claim for the Superintendency of the Insane Asylum; that Profs. Langston felt the injustice done by the President when he (Langston) was declared to be, “not the leading colored man of the country,[”] and which fact Mr. Douglass would be compelled to acknowledge as being contrary the result of that and subsequent meetings so determining. I do not know how this information may be of service to you, but, I thought possibly it might point to the source of this 


“delay element,” and if so will discover a bad man’s tricks. It may be well to state that the spokesman of the party alluded to was a member of the “committee” and he told me that he attended the meeting well acquainted with its purposes, as since developed. Further, that the “Bar” was to be incited at “Langstons” insistence.

With distinguished regard I am
Yours Respectfully

I have been unable as yet to make a place
for you - as there has not been one single
vacancy - and I have not yet been able to
fill one third of the positive [pu???ed] promises
I had made to Senators and Members before your
application was filed. You will understand that
I must fulfil my own promises as nearly in
the order they were made in possible - but it
is taking more time then I expected. Now I
am contemplating putting on a new night force,
and think I shall be able to do it some time next
week and I have now no doubt I shall do it,
in which case I can then fine for a place. You
can call again on Tuesday next after 10 A.M.
Mr. Krands