Hanley Staffordshire,
July 16^th 1866.

My dear Friend Frederick,

Could you
realize the number of times
I have mentally written to
you since receiving your last
letter, three weeks ago, you would
never think I had forgotten
you - Glad, truly glad as I
was to hear again from you,
I felt puzzled how it could
be that you had been looking
for a letter from me since I
knew I was the last to write -
and now I think I have
found out how it is, my
dear friend - one of our
ministers sailed for Canada
early in spring, & by him I
sent a number of letters to
friends - a long one to you
included - I greatly fear
you have never received it
& thus will not know of my
having answered your previous

communication. We all
rejoice when we behold your
hand writing, I can assure
you & come whenever you may
to England, shall give you
the warmest of welcomes.

I feel grieved that it has been
next to impossible for me
to write earlier now again but,
dear Frederick do you remember
in those old times saying
to me, "trust me, trust
me" - so now, this I say to you -
no change in outward circumstances
or surroundings:-
no distance, no time will ever
lessen my friendship - it ever
remains the same - & will I
trust continue on - on - through
the eternal ages - in that
state, where partings are unknown.
May that God, who
has preserved you so long
from the malice of your enemies,
still protect you & bless
your labors. May you make
Him your stay & your confidence.

We have had a trying &
wearying season at home of
late. My good Aunt has
been confined to bed since
the first week of March with
a complication of trying disorders,
needing the most
close attendance - again &
again we have thought she
could not linger another
day - but her constitution is
so strong naturally that
she rallies, just when we
have given her up. Poor dear
Lizzie is a first class nurse -
her powers have been so much
taxed that she has been quite
over done - & is now away from
home for rest & change, staying
at the Ramsdens in
Halifax - a family you will
remember, I am sure. The
Doctor's annual Conference
was held in Birmingham in
June, & while he was there I
visited some of my old friends
in Warwickshire. Among
others I spent an afternoon
with your old friends the
Cashes at [C?entry] - Both dear
Mrs Cas[?] her husband,

have within the last two or
three years met with accidents,
& walk on crutches! The former
is as sweet & loving as ever - &
Marianne, the only daughter
unmarried is far nicer &
pleasanter than she used
to be. They sent many kind
messages to their dear friend,
Frederick Douglass. Eleanor
now Mrs Stone has had very
bad health for some years &
is entirely grey -- While in
Nottingham I met Madame
Rutkai, Bossuth's only remaining
sister, whom I met in
New York, 13 years ago; you may
remember, perhaps that Bossuth's
3 sisters were introduced to me
by Mrs Wallace of Syracuse?
I introduced them to the
neices of dear Gerrit Smith
& they are now intimate
friends of this lady. What
curious meetings & partings
we sometimes have, in this
world, & this was one, - Then,
some time ago, I met (near
Stratford on Avon) with a neice
of your Irish friends, the Neales

of Belfast: - I had a long
letter from our old friend
Wilhelmina Webb of Dublin
today - I quite expected to see
them in Hanley, this July, for
a short time - I mean she &
her sister Maria; but they
were not able to come - There
are so many agents over for
the freed people - I fear it
will be over done - I mark
all you say about the Fenians
& read that portion of your
letter to several gentlemen,
who deemed your remarks
perfectly true & just. As
for my dear colored friends
& their cause my heart completely
sickens when I think
of past disappointment of
their hopes. What can we
say or do - but work & wait
& pray! think, dear friend
what a many year the children
of Israel were permitted
to remain in bondage - but
they were never forgotten by
the Most High. He brought
them out at length, in His

own time, & with a high hand,
we must have patience, as
well as faith. & if you & I
live not here below to see full justice
done to the wronged races of
mankind still it will be
done - & I feel assured we
shall rejoice in a higher sphere,
& there realize that God's ways
must be the best ways -
Dear Friend Frederick, I know
how hard it all seems now. You
know how deeply I sympathize
with you in all your work for
your oppressed brothers & sisters
but pray for faith in God,
& then "act - act in the living
present". Oh! that we could
converse, eye to eye, on these
matters. I do not wonder at
a few words of despondency in
your last, but I grieve for
you & with you. You do not
mention Rosa nor her baby.
I trust the little girl[s] thrives
& grows healthy. Remember
me kindly to Mrs. Douglass &
Rose & all the boys. Oh! how

I mourn that Lewis is stopped
in his interesting school teaching -
it is indeed trying in
every way, & so hard to bear.
On many accounts that little
school possessed much interest
in my eyes - it seemed
so nice for [Lewis?] to carry on
years after [what?] you had
commenced so long ago - viz.
the important work of education
among the Maryland
people. I rec'd a most
[beautiful?] letter from [an?] old
[friend?] Mrs [McC?] [?]
some weeks ago in reply to one
of sympathy which I sent her.
She says they have not seen
you for a long time, & bade
me tell you that her husband
loved you to the last. How
awfully dear Doctor Smith seems
to have suffered at last! -
Thus "friend after friend departs."
May we be found ready, my
dear f^d - Doctor C. joins me
& the children in very kind
love to you. Warm sympathy
& best wishes. Do not let

it be long before you write to
me & rest assured it is
as ever a pleasure to reply.
God bless & guard you.
As always your faithful &
affectionate friend,

Julia G. Crofts

Remember me to all my old friends who recollect me with interest or regard.