For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

LETTER FROM HIRAM WILSON.

ST. CATHARINES, C. W., July 10th, 1856.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ESQ.: DEAR SIR:—I take the liberty to address to you, and through
you to the numerous readers of your excellent
paper, a few lines, for the alone purpose of in
forming them as to the true position of things
in this place and vicinity. We have in St.
Catharines, and its immediate neighborhood, an
interesting portion of the colored population of
the Province. There is much of industry, energy and enterprise among them, and yet there is
room for improvement. Strangers are frequent
ly coming over from Slavery to increase the
number of the free, and at the same time to
bear their testimony against that iniquitous
system which John Wesley very properly pronounced "the sum of all villainies." It would
doubtless interest many on your side of the
transmutation waters of Niagara, to have detailed accounts of them in respect to their ad
ventures, perils, conflicts and sufferings at the
South, and on their way to Canada; also of
their jubilant experience of the dawn of Freedom, under the resistless fiat of the Almighty,
and the mild and benignant sway of Queen Victoria's sceptre. In their deliverance from cruel
thraldom, how admirably is the Divine word of
promise verified: "For the oppression of the
poor and the sighing of the needy now will I
arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety
from him that puffeth at him." We have frequent opportunities to minister comfort and
consolation to these self-emancipated strangers,
which we improve with a good relish. St.
Catharines has become a very important halting
place for them as they enter "the promised
land." During 1855, we were called upon by no less than 120, who were promptly cared for,
and assisted so far as our means would allow.
The present year thus far has also witnessed a
large influx of this class. The Underground
Railroad appears to be in good working order.
It has upon its track no very serious obstruc
tion by day, and propitious smiles of Heaven
attend the nightly trains. May God speed the
time when "every yoke shall be broken and
the oppressed go free."

I will now give you a short chapter on a
different theme. It is a part of my business
here to do good to the sailors on the Welland
Canal. This Canal is a stupendous artery of
commerce, connecting Lake Ontario and the St.
Lawrence with the great inland seas of the
North West, and is rapidly increasing in inter
est and importance. During the last month,
642 vessels passed St. Catharines, where a care
ful record of them is kept. This number being
37 more than were locked through during the
corresponding month of last year, marks a con
siderable increase. At this rate the agregate of
lockages for the season—say seven months—
would be 4,494. The number of lockages for

1855 was 3,800. Of the 642 that passed through in June, 59 were propellers, and 40 were brigs, the balance mostly schooners varying from 200 to 400 tons measurement. Allowing the officers and crew of each vessel to average 10 persons, then you have a view of 6,420 transient individuals, passing in the brief period of
one month. To these we might add a considerable number of lock-tenders, and quite a multitude of men and lads upon the tow path, who drive the teams—the vessels, all except propellers, being towed by horses. We might increase the list of transient ones still more, by adding the emigrants who are frequently found on the propellers, seeking homes in the West.

There is perhaps no place on the American
continent, where the facilities for doing good to
sailors is greater than on this Canal. Were the
Divine Redeemer again on earth, seeking the
good of the sea faring, how would he delight to
walk up and down this Canal, preaching repentance and proclaiming the great salvation to
the moving throng. As the vessels are generally detained more or less at the locks, which
are kept closed on the Sabbath, the sailors
have leisure for reading and for brief conversations, hence we furnish them, so far as
in our power, with Religious, Peace, Temperance and Anti-Slavery Tracts. It is our aim to
do all we can to enlighten and favorably influence this large and important class.

Our manner is to make frequent walks of usefulness along this part of the Canal, between
Port Dalhousie, on Lake Ontario, and the mountain height of Thorold, with plentiful sup
plies of the silent messengers, of light and peace
and love, for distribution, and to speak words of
kindness about Jesus and the great salvation, as
proffered through his mediation and merits, and
to hold meetings occasionally on board of vessels. We frequently meet with colored persons,
in this department of our missionary labors, who
find employment on vessels. Ours is a purely benevolent, unsectarian, enterprise which com
mends itself to intelligent Christians, of every
name. There is an imperious demand for the
erection of a Bethel about half way between
this place and Thorold, at an eligible point of
great interest near the crossing of the Great
Western Railroad. To facilitate and encourage
the work, land proprietors have freely offered to
grant land to build upon. This will, doubtless,
ere long be undertaken as a union effort of
Christians.

Having our loins begirt with truth, our lamp
trimmed and burning and our feet shod with the
preparation of the Gospel of peace, we stand
ready to do all that can be done in each department of philanthropy above noticed. In

the prosecution of this work, our means of sup
port are not so ample as to exempt us from
working hard with our hands nearly half of
the time, and frequently by moon and star light.
I have to say in conclusion that we have not
the privilege of laboring in the Lord's vineyard
as servants of servants, without being subject
to gross misrepresentation and the vilest of calumny, from certain colored persons in Canada,
who, of all others, should be grateful to God and
to self sacrificing benefactors.

Truly and faithfully yours,

HIRAM WILSON.