Hanley, Staffordshire
Feb^y 23^rd

My dear Friend Frederick/

Most welcome was your intensely interesting letter of January 4^th I can assure you—I speedily made lengthy extracts there from—& sent them to the "Leeds Mercury"—in which they were immediately published—& from which they have been extensively copied & widely circulated—up & down our land—What would I not have given to have been a silent witness of your meeting with "Sister Eliza"!! Indeed your whole visit to old Baltimore City must have been one of intense interest & excitement—You know how fully I sympathize with you in this as in all the stirring incidents, and affecting details of your wonderful life—May the God who has thus far preserved you amidst so many dangers still watch over you & permit you to see all your people free!!

Through my friend Mrs. E. Sturges—I hope we shall have that admirable address written by you & emanating from the colored convention published in the March number of the A. S. Reporter— I dont believe much in [illegible]; but I wrote to the Sturges—Edwin saw him—& they told me to send it—If he does not return me my only copy of the address & "proceedings," you must please send me another copy—I am so glad they made you President—it was only just, & proper to do so— Yes! You are quite right in assuming dear f^d that should you start that talked of paper in Baltimore I will strain every nerve to aid you in the effort—but prithee dont leave that dear old house on the bill!! I want to see the three generations there altogether!!!—& and to lead the other like to receive by the hand under the peach trees!!—Who can tell what may be—The Gerrit Smiths friendly & frequently refer to D^r C. & me going over to America some day—Who should you think is staying under our roof at this time? M^rs Brett of Toronto—She came over with her venerable father Rev: D^r Richardson—who has undertaken a mission to this country in connection with his church—they sailed from New York 4th Feby—landed in Liverpool & came direct here—D^r R— is off to London—M^rs B—will make Hanley head quarters & visit about independently of her father—Do you remember her?—a superior Christian lady—She brings me a missive from M^rs D^r Willis—They are coming over (D.O.) this summer—This present winter is with us unusually severe—& there is much illness & many

deaths—We are in much trouble just now; in consequence of the sudden & most unexpected death of a very excellent young man to whom our Lizzie was engaged to be married—They engagement was not of long standing: but one highly satisfactory to both families concerned—a Hanley gentleman 30 years of age—He was extremely well connected & very excellent in himself—only ill 38 hours—carbuncle, at the back of the neck, brought on congestion of the lungs—Poor Lizzie is in deep grief—I know she will have your sympathy

Of course you will know of the Carpenters' removal from Halifax? I hope that our old friend M^rs John Smithson (S. A. Morris) has succeeded M^rs C. as Secretary to the Halifax A. S. Asso: Last Tuesday's meeting there was to decide that point—Mrs Hargreaves wrote to me on the desirableness of uniting the two Halx Societies? I advised strongly against such a movement feeling assured
that should it take place, the friends would disappear in quite a different direction—

M^rs E. Sturge writes me that mention is made of Miller McKim coming over in aid of the contrabands—is this so?—please reply—I was asked what I thought of him? Like R. Pilsbury; I suppose he can be anything for the time being!!—I certainly shall not recommend him as a devoted friend of the Colored people!!—Several of our A. S. Committees are soon to meet—& I hope to send over some results soon—The Birg- Negroes' Friend Society has just remitted me a donation for you—in response to the Ex: I sent them from y^r

last letter—I hope to add to
it before sending it—All the
extracts—letters & papers you
send me I manage to select
from & circulate—& thus
much good is done—Write
soon again very dear friend;
& don't go too far south ( pray
you nor be allured away
into dangerous places—How
gloriously the cause of free
dom is advancing—there is
truly great cause for re
joicing in the recent doings
of Congress & of good honest
Abby—that much abused
man! How difficult must
his position have been through
out the struggle! The 23^rd
Jany 65 will be a signal
day in the history of America—

May your life be spared
my dear Frederick to see y^rs
heart's desire fulfilled—&
not a single slave left in
the States of America—

My letter has been much
intercepted & I must close
it earlier than I feign w^d
do—Ours is a busy life—in
Hanley—& our visiting is
endless—We seldom know
what a really quiet evening
is—the late hours try the
doctor much—& he has never
recovered from the effects of
his autumn illness—so much
bronchial tendency—which
by the way is here very pre
valent—cold has been in
tense for England—& so much
damp with it—

Please remember me very
kindly to M^rs D.—Rose—& all
the boys—& kiss dear little
baby Annie for me—I know
I should love it—is she like
that other dear little Annie
that was such a pretty little
baby sixteen years ago?—
How time flies; my dear
old friend—We are all

hurrying on—& one after
another disappears from among
us—May we strive to look
above the toil & turmoil of
this present state of being even
while engaged in its duties—
& then when "life's short day is
past," may we enter into that
eternal "rest that remaineth"
for all that love God—

God bless & preserve you, my
very dear friend—in Him
be your trust—all our circle
join me in kindest love, &
best wishes for you—I send
you an extract from a recent
letter of our good friend M^r
[Lundy?] which will show you
you are not forgotten here—&
will be warmly welcomed
whenever you come over again—
No one will welcome you more
heartily than D^r Crofts—on that I
can assure you!—Remember
me to all enquiring friends,
& believe me as always

Your faithful & affec^ate friend,

Julia G. Crofts.