Frederick Douglass Margaret Denman Cropper, May 27, 1859
Rochester[,] N.Y. 27 May 1859.
HON: Mrs E. CROPPER.
DEAR MADAM:
I have just received, from my kind friend, Mrs Crofts,1 Julia Griffiths Crofts. of Huddersfield,2Located in West Yorkshire in north-central England, Huddersfield sits on the Colne River. In the mid-nineteenth century, the area was known for its production of cotton and woolen textiles. The town also manufactured machinery and other metal products. Cohen, , 2:1326.
the sum of ten pounds, which she received, as a donation in aid of the
publication of my anti slavery papers, from the Liverpool Anti slavery So-
ciety3The Liverpool Anti-Slavery Society, or the Liverpool Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, was established in 1822 by James Cropper, a British Quaker and merchant. Many of Cropper’s female relatives were also involved in the antislavery movement, and played an active role in the development of the Liverpool Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Association in 1827. Margaret Denman Cropper, James Cropper’s daughter-in-law, served as president of the Liverpool Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Association in the 1850s. In the June 1859 edition of Douglass’ Monthly, Douglass acknowledged the monetary donation made by the Liverpool Anti-Slavery Society, which he mentions in this letter. DM, 1:89 (June 1859); David B. Davis, “James Cropper and the British Anti-Slavery Movement, 1821-1823,” JNH, 45:251 (October 1960); idem, “James Cropper and the British Anti-Slavery Movement, 1823-1833,” JNH, 46:154 (April 1961); Brian Howman, “Abolition in Liverpool," in Liverpool and Transatlantic Slavery, ed. David Richardson, Suzanne Schwarz, and Anthony Tibbles (Liverpool, Eng., 2007), 277. of which you are president. The help thus rendered me is most grate-
fully appreciated—and I beg that you will accept my warmest thanks for
it, on my own account and in behalf of the cause of the american slaves—
whose servant I am. You will Do me a kindness by making my thankful-
ness known to the members of the Liverpool society.
The anti slavery cause is, certainly, going forward steadily in the U.S.
Its progress, however, is not to be determined by the number or the ac-
tivity of special antislavery organizations. The number and efficiency of
these are not so great now as ten years ago—when agents were supported
and sent out into all parts of the Country to lecture upon the evils of slav-
ery, and the duty of emancipation. There is much of this work yet to be
done—and much of it being done—but the pen and press are doing more
than formerly. Books, letters, and pamphlets—newspapers, and tracts are
more abundant—and our work of leavening the public mind is being done
more silently—than in the days of meetings and mobs. If less is done by
organizations—more is done by individuals. Besides, the subject has got
before societies and Churches from which it was formerly excluded—and
is undergoing discussion in them, such as it used only to get in special anti
slavery meetings. Slavery is such an enormity that it cannot bear the light
of discussion. If we can only keep it before the people—The people will,
sooner or later, learn to abhor it and seek its abolition. The fact that I have
been a slave—and am a Colored man—and have devoted twenty years to
the service of the cause of Emancipation—has done much to incline the
people to read what I write and listen to what I have to say on the subject
of slavery. I am often called upon to address public meetings—to draw
up resolution—and write petitions, in reference to the rights and wrongs
of my people. The more independently I can perform these services—of
course, the more efficiently I can do so. The assistance I receive from
abroad has, therefore, a —it facilitates my movements—and
renders it unnecessary when I wish to labor in this or that place, to look
around for the means by which I am to go and come. It gives me influence
with my people, since they are not, immediately, called upon to give of
their penury to support me in what I do for them. My paper publish[ed]
weekly—is not a source of pecuniary advantage—but a means of spread-
ing antislavery sentiments before the public—What therefore the Liver-
pool Antislavery Society does for the support of it—the society does for
the spread of Antislavery truth among the people of this country. I have
but this morning sent off a brother fugitive slave from my house to Can-
ada4Frederick Douglass rarely mentioned his participation in the Underground Railroad publicly. The most recent reference to a fugitive slave in Rochester preceding the date of this letter is recorded in the April 1859 edition of Douglass’ Monthly: “A fugitive slave arrived in this city last week by way of the Underground Railroad, and after recruiting a day, was sent on his way to Canada. He was from Richmond, Va., where he held the post of bookkeeper in a large establishment.” DM, 1:64 (April 1859).—the land of safety. I would have gladly retained here but the
(slave hunters) were known to be on his track—and it was thought best
that he be sent on immediately. I was talking yesterday with Miss Porter5Maria G. Porter, president of the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society in 1859.
the treasurer of our Ladies society here—about the condition of the fugi-
tives in Canada—when she very thoughfu[lly] Suggested that much suf-
fering might be saved the poor destitute fugitives—if with the clothes and
little money we are able to give—we could also furnish them—with an
axe—a spade or hoe—so that they could go to work at onc[e] many could
get work if they had implements to work with. We decided to purchase a
quantity of tools—and make every man who comes—a present of one or
more as he might need. Again allow me to thank you, and the Liverpool
Anti Slavery society—for the material aid you are rendering me in my
efforts to free and elevate my people—
I am, Dear Mrs Cropper, Yours in the cause of []humanit[y]
FREDERICK DOUGLASS—
ALS: British Abolition Movement Papers, ViU.