LETTER FROM WM. JOHNSON.

FRIEND DOUGLASS:—I turn aside a moment, on my return from the State Convention, held on the 13th, 14th, 15th of the present month, at Alton, the minutes of which you will receive in due time, to inform you of the manners of the citizens of Alton toward us. When we arrived at Alton, we found the colored citizens divided as to the propriety of the Convention, or worse, totally apathetic. We went to work, mended up the broken places the best we could, and finally got the active men of the place to take hold of the plough, and promise not to look back whilst a right remained to be secured.

So we have consolation of knowing that the Convention has been the means of arousing our colored friends from their hopeless condition, and made them willing to go forward in the work of self-elevation—entertain hopes that energy and perseverance, will effect the removal of the "Black Laws" of the State of Illinois.

The Convention was held in the Colored Baptist Church—the congregation being willing, and treating the members of the Convention with great kindness. We found our brother, R. J. Robinson, in good health, and deeply interested in the laudable objects of the Convention. This man Robinson possesses a noble heart, full of patriotism and benevolence. He has been, and will continue, we hope, useful in his day and generation. We found also, in the person of H. Douglass King, a devoted friend of the cause. He made several speeches during the session of the Convention, all good and pointed. Friend Ovilton, whose first name escapes me, and J. H. Johnson, of Madison Co., are good and useful men. They have never, until now, been fully enlisted in the great movement for freedom, and I regard their accession as of great importance to our department of labot. There were others from that part of the State deserving mention—for they did their duty, and did it well. A. W. Jackson, of Jacksonville, was also there; would to God all men were like Jackson! our rights would not be long in abeyance. For industry, integrity and frugality, he is hard to beat.

We held two evening meetings, at each of which H. Ford Douglass held forth on the innate and irredeemable wickedness of slavery; his remarks were well received by the whites.—We are proud of Mr. Douglass, as a speaker. Mr. Douglass was introduced by John Jones, Esq., of Chicago, who presided at the meetings;

and altho' the spot was within a stone's throw off where Lovejoy was martyred, yet none were found to gainsay the scorching utterances of Mr. Douglass on the subject of slavery; on the contrary, the beaming features of the audience, their hearty applause, showed their hearty approbation of his sentiments. On the whole, we had a glorious time, and Alton has done much to redeem his past history, written as it is in blood. Hereafter, no one will be murdered in her streets for advocating Free Speech and Free Press.

Enclosed you will find $8, being the amount of A. W. Jackson's subscription, paying arrears, and one year in advance—also, $10 toward the "Thousand Dollar Fund," for which credit me. WM. JOHNSON.

CHICAGO, Nov. 19th, 1856.