HENRY O. WAGONER TO FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Denver, [Colo.] 28 Feb[ruar]y 1874.

DEAR DOUGLASS:

I received, last evening, at the dusk of my 58th birth-day,¹Wagoner was born on 27 February 1816 in Hagerstown, Maryland. Junger, “Thinking Men and Women,” 142–43. your happy and
genial letter of the 21st inst; and I am, as always, glad to get a letter from you.

The “thought,” which you have put in the form of a question, has,
indeed, often “struck me”; and I have been pained at the “want of the feeling,” you have referred to, “in our people.” Ay, the want of a proper pride
in their posterity.

I have, for many, many years believed that we could beget a better
race of men and women, by a judicious combination of the sexes, by the
union of the two as and , in the true sense of these generic terms:
a congeniality of natures and dispositions, having a decent and proper
affinity for each other. Such are the Conditions Essential to the production of a better progeny, a higher standard of intellectual and moral attainment, and an improved physical development. In confirmation of this
theory, the improved stock of to-day, as exhibited in our County and State
pairs—the beautiful symetry of form, is in altertation of the great law of
Evolution, and of conforming the harmonious conditions. At this moment
I am called away and must abruptly close—

I will add, however, that I wish my matters should so come around as
to allow me to accompany you to Europe²Undoubtedly, the older Wagoner was interested in visiting Henry Jr. at the U.S. embassy in Paris, but he and Douglass never made such a journey. Junger, “Thinking Men and Women,” 161.—What a pleasure that would
be to me.

Regards to all and best wishes for yourself

As ever and Always

H. O. WAGONER

ALS: General Correspondence File, reel 2, frames 724–25, FD Papers, DLC.