Frederick Douglass Richard D. Webb, December 20, 1845
Vitoria Hotel. Belfast—20th. Dec—1845.
My Dear Friend. I am again safely in old Ireland after a weeks absence to attend the Aneversary meeting of the Bermingham temperence Society. I was just about to give you some account of it when your note reached me this morning—so you see our minds ran in one channel for once at least—if they never did before and if they never do again. I do not know that I can answer your request better than by giving you somthing in the form of a journal, Well. I arrived at Bermingham on monday the 15th. the day before the meeting—I went according to your direction to no, 1—monument lane, I found—Miss Boultbee—a very neat, prim, and proper looking person—I was received politely if not cordially by her, Her father was not in—he was attending an anticorn law meeting in town Miss Boultbee said her father would be in soon This was very encourageing—I was there about a half an hour—when in came the old gentleman—He took by the hand—(I felt his heart in it. He made me welcome. I felt happy in his house and this feeling continued to the end. Arriving near night—and our house being about a mile out of Town—I made myself content for the
night—without calling upon the committee which had sent for me and to whom I had come,—After talking with friend Boultbee about the antislavery cause, and the friends in America—(he never met persons he loved better than his Americans friends who attended the world's conventions He mentioned their several names with an ease and an entirest which told me they were often in his mind) I went to Bed, slept soundly till morning.—About nine o.clk accompanied by Mr. Boultbee, I called on The Rev. John Angel James D. D. to whom I had a letter of introduction I spent ten or fifteen minuets with him, I found him not only cold toward me—but absolutely supicious of me, He wished to know if I came recommended—and if I belonged to the Garrison party in America Whither I was a member of any Church—and if any to what Church. I told him I was not a member of any Church—and that I belonged to the Garrison party—and that I had credentials—He said significantly—I understand. the different antislavery parties in the united States, I sold him one of my Books—He gave me three shillings and sixpence for it,—and we parted I have not seen him since. Friend Boultbee and I then went to the office of Joseph Sturge—the man of men whom I wished to see, We met him
He appeard coucious—even—amounting to coldness—He seemed to have a heavey thought in his mind—he was evedently depressed in spirit. Our conversation ended with an invitation of me to dine with him the next day—Freind Boultbee and I for he was with me through all, next set out to see Mr Cadbury. He recieved me kindly was rather afraid I would not come—acting on his fears he had left my name off the bill announcing the evening meeting—On talking with him, I found he felt the meeting to be a very important one—and himself measurably responsible for its success—or failure. We soon parted, I left with the impression—he doubted my ability to enterest the audience,—We next called upon—Mr Nash—His face was covered with smiles—real good hearty smiles—though up to his arms, in work upon his Stoves—he droped all—and recieved us warmly—and beside invited us to dine with him that day. This we agreed to do—and at the appointed hour we were seated at, the table with Miss. Lucy and her Brother, We had a good dinner and spent a pleasant afternoon—with Miss Lucy—who is a good little person—talks freely and always on the side humanity. I took tea in the evening with John Cadbury—and from
thence proceeded with him to the Town Hall the place of meeting,—It is a splended building—of tremendious demensions—said to whole—7,000 people. I soon began to think it a serious matter to speak to such a meeting in such a place—The meeting was large though the hall was not full. The Rev. Dr. Marsh was in the Chair—The meeting went on swimingly—It was very edifying. I thought I perceived strong evidence that the committee did not intend to let me speak—they acted for a long time as though I were not there—and as though they had not invited me. Six or seven speeches had been made—The interst of the meeting was on the decline—we had been together nearly three hours—a strong current set toward the door—at this moment the committee—as if waked by—a clap from the sky—turned to me, and asked me to second a resolution—I rose—was recognized by the President—proceeded—a few minutes and the current turned toward the door—was turned toward the platform—I spoke 25 minutes amid cheers and sat down amid loud cries of go, on.
I dined the next Day with Joseph Sturge met a number of the Sturge family there They are [Renewing] folks—I fell in love with Mr. Sturge, and had a good time I left Bermingham on thurday and arrived here yesterday. We are all up and doing—and the cause goes bravely on—Father Boultbee—is a fine old man, he cried like a child when I left. God bless him in his declining years