William J. Watkins to Frederick Douglass, March 18, 1854
LETTER FROM WM. J. WATKINS.
BUFFALO, March 18, 1854.
Frederick Douglass, Esq: Dear Sir:—arrived in this city on Wednesday afternoon, in due time, with ANTI-NEBRASKA written on my brow. Through the instrumentality of Messr. P. Harris, and George Weir, Jr., arrangments had been made for
me to lecture in the Court House, on the subject of American slavery. After having
satisfied the inner man, I proceeed thither, in company with Mr. Harris, and found the hall crowded to its upmost capacity. It was expected that Frederick Douglass would lecture,, and that I would make .
But, of course, as you could not be found, I
was under the necessity of lecturing and
making a few remarks. Now, it will not do,
Sir, for me or anyone else to go into a city
and expect to supply the vacuum which your
absence makes visible. Your name has
power in it such as no other name possesses.
By the by, I observe in the Buffalo papers of
this morning, that F. Douglas is about to
petition the Legislature to have his name
changed. This is a hoax altogether. But
if you should do so, I shall petition the same
Legislature to have mine changed, and shall
thenceforward assume the name of Frederick Douglass. The of this name
will, doubtless, secure me "houses crowded
to suffocation."
But to the lecture. I endeavored to give
the people a lecture suited to the times. The
Nebraska bill furnished me a theme. Indeed, an anti-slavery lecture, at this crisis,
without in it, is like the play
of Hamlet, with the character of Hamlet
left out. The people were wrought up to
the highest pitch of enthusiam. This Nebraska bill has opened the eyes, and the ears,
and the mouths, and the hearts of the
masses. The fearful aggressions of the slave
power, are as palpable as the noon day sun.
Its cupidity is insatiable. An area of 485,000 square miles, only cools for the time being the ardor of its ferocity; it does not
satisfy its thirst for blood. Tomorrow,
", MORE BLOOD,". must come from
some quarter. The North is now conscious
of the fact, that its safety lies only in aggression upon the South. She must resolve
that freedom shall go South, before slavery
shall go North. And she must ACT upon the
resolution. This seems to be the sentiment
of the Northern community. Those who
are obsequious supplicants for Presidential
favors, (sleek, fat , like sleek fat , are at a premium just now.) of course,
form exceptions to the general rule.
At the close of my lecture, it was thought
by the friends that another lecture in the
same place would not be unprofitable—And we, therefore, proposed to hold another
meeting on the following evening. We had
an excellent audience, one deeply interested, if we an judge from the undivided attention paid to the remarks of the speaker.
At the close of the meeting, I presented the
claims of the paper, and my appeal was
very satisfactorily responded to. Mr George
Weir, Jr., improved the opportunity by reading a most thrilling account of the Milwaukee
rescue. The recital of the incidents connected with this glorious rescue, electrified
the audience. The interest in our meetings
that suicidal inertness so eminently conducive to our present weakness. But there
are in Buffalo some honorable exceptions,
enough, perhaps, to save the city-- such as
Weir, and Whitfield, and Harris, and
Qualles, . Their influence
is felt in the community. Would that oth-
ers would follow their example.
Finding our people so cold and dead, we
embraced the opportunity of speaking to
them upon a subject somewhat different
from that form which we intended to address them. We spoke to them upon . Mr George De
Baptist, of Detroit, principal stockholder in
the underground railroad, made a most effective speech at the conclusion of our remarks. If they did not as well as hear
his remarks, then are they past recovery.
We hold another meeting on Monday evening in this city, in the Baptist Church, and
shall proceed to Lockport, where we expect
to hold meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. On our way to Rochester, we
shall stop in Brockport, and probably deliver
a lecture in that village.
I am enjoying the hospitality of Mr Pey-
ton Harris, who is, emphatically, a in
the anti-slavery vineyard. The old gentleman is just recovering from the effect of a
very severe paralytic stroke, but notwithstanding his debility, has taken a very active part in our meetings. Mrs. Harris has
been confined to her room nearly all the
winter; but the fact that she endures her
sufferings with the Christian resignation, may
be discerned in the placid expression of her
countenance.
I cannot close this letter without informing you of my indebtedness to Mr. George
Weir, Jr., for the "aid and comfort," of
which I have, at his generous hands, been
the recipient. He has acted nobly. He is
in the most cheerful mood imaginable.—Mrs. Weir has recently presented him with
an heir, in whom his express image can be
distinctly seen. We hope he will follow
the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor.
A host of Buffalonians desire to be remembered to Miss Griffiths and yourself.
Yours, for the right,
WM. J. WATKINS.