Three Months in Philadelphia during the Winter of 1849.

First Letter.

Frederick Douglass:—In the month of December, I passed into the State of Pennsylvania, and one the 14th of the same month attended a Convention being holden in Harrisburg, and composed of colored persons, for devising ways and means whereby they could [...] themselves the Executive Franchise, now denied to their large and growing population. Among the number of prominent persons present were Messrs Vashon of Pittsburg, Brown and Williams of Harrisburg, [...] of Westchester, Purvis of Byberry, BiasBias, James Joshua Gould

James Joshua Gould Bias (1807–60) was a physician and preacher living in Philadelphia. Born a slave in Maryland, he learned some medical knowledge while working with a physician there. When Bias obtained his freedom, he moved to Philadelphia, attending the Eclectic Medical School and graduating in 1852. He devoted much of his time before the Civil War tending to the medical and dental needs to fugitive slaves in Southeast Pennsylvania. Bias also was the pastor at the Bethel Church in Philadelphia. He played a leading role in the Colored Conventions movement, holding a number of positions. While Bias endorsed emigration, he rejected the policies of the American Colonization Society, rejecting its White leadership. “Our Philadelphia Letter,”(New York, N.Y.) Weekly Anglo-African, 7 July 1860; George F. Bragg, Jr., Men of Maryland (Baltimore: Church Advocate Press, 1925), 54–55; Michael Dickinson, “Dr. J. J. Gould Bias,” Colored Conventions Project, Coloredconventions.org. , Peck, Smith, Bowers, Weave, and Gibbs of Philadelphia. RemondRemond, Charles Lenox

Charles Lenox Remond (1810-73), the first black lecturer hired by any antislavery society, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, to the daughter of a black hero of the American Revolution and a former slave from Curaçao. In his youth, he learned about the horrors of slavery from his father and experienced the segregation and discrimination practiced by Northern whites. In the late 1820s and early 1830s, Remond read David Walker’s Appeal and became acquainted with William Lloyd Garrison, which led him to dedicate his life to abolitionism. Remond became active in reform movements at an early age. A member of the Colored Association of Massachusetts when it merged with the New England Anti-Slavery Society in 1833, he became an officer in the latter organization. He became an agent for the Liberator and joined the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society shortly thereafter. In 1838 he began lecturing for the American Anti-Slavery Society. Both his color and his ability made him a very popular speaker in both the United States and Great Britain, where he attended the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention as a delegate in 1840 in London. Remond was the sole black lecturer for antislavery societies until Frederick Douglass began speaking in 1842. For a time, Remond and Douglass worked the lecture circuit together. Douglass admired Remond, the more experienced speaker, and named a son for him. Remond traveled and lectured in the British Isles for some sixteen months. Upon his return, Remond was employed as a lecture agent by the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Through the 1840s, however, Remond remained a steadfast Garrisonian while Douglass began to favor political action to end slavery, and their friendship suffered. Their close association was troubled as a rift between Douglass and Garrison threatened, and in 1852 Remond announced his intention to cancel his subscription to Frederick Douglass' Paper in protest against Douglass's adoption of non-Garrisonian views of the U.S. Constitution. Their goals, however, remained the same, and like Douglass, Remond recruited black soldiers for the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. After the war, just before his death, Remond urged abolitionists to continue their fight by combatting the racial prejudice that persisted in both the North and South after the end of slavery. Illness curtailed his reform activities after the war. Les Wallace, "Charles Lenox Remond: The Lost Prince of Abolitionism," NHB, 40:696-701 (May-June 1977); William E. Ward, "Charles Lenox Remond: Black Abolitionist, 1838-1873" (Ph.D. diss., Clark University, 1977); FDP, 20 May 1852; New York Daily Times, 26 December 1873; NNE, 8 January 1874; Pease and Pease, They Who Would Be Free, 46; NCAB, 2:303; DAB, 15:499-500. of Massachusetts, with many others whose names have escaped my memory. The organization of the Convention was properly made; their rules particular and correct; their deliberation orderly and harmonious; the speeches able, spirited, eloquent and worthy the occasion. The Convention closed its session on the expiration of the third day. Among the items of important business transacted was the appointment of a Central Board to be [illegible] in Philadelphia. Among the officers and members are the names of Stephen Smith, Dr. Bias, J. C. Bowers, G. W. Goines, Robert Purvis, M. W. [illegible], J. Weare, A. D. and J. P. B[illegible] &c.

Among the objects proposed by the Convention, were the starting of a Campaign Paper to continue during the sitting of the Legislature; the circulation of petitions for signatures and presentation to the same body; the appointment and sustaining of one or more Lecturing Agents, the raising of a fund of $5000, in the State, for the present year, and in furtherance of the object and wishes of the Convention the printing of 10,000 copies on pamphlet form, of the proceedings of the convention just held, with an address to the citizens of that State on the same subject: and from observation I regret to add, that scarcely one of the above objects was carried fully into effect, but did almost immediately die on their birth, and the only resolves partially prosecuted, were the printing of a part of the proceedings in pamphlets, and the [illegible] and forwarding of a few petitions, and these even, did not go to their place of destination until action was had upon the subject by the joint Committee in the Legislature, and that action attributable almost entirely to the efforts and petitions of their white friends who anticipated them very considerably so far as time was concerned. A Convention was called in the course of the [...] and held in Philadelphia for the City and County, ostensibly to promote and give effect to the deliberations of the one held in Harrisburg, but really resulted in demonstrating their carelessness, indifference, and [...] of appreciation of the Elective Franchise, and their envy, jealousy, estrangement, obstinacy, and opposition to each other. Church members and ministers would not [...] because some prominent men and [...] of the cause, were opposed to pro-slavery churches and ministers; others because, some of the speakers were opposed [...] Societies, their Tomfooleries and extravagances; thirdly, and lastly, another portion were so morally fastidious, that they could not co-operate in obtaining their political rights, because some of the officers of the Convention were in their opinion of doubtful moral character; hence the city convention, like the Harrisburg resolutions, proved a splendid failure. Whereas, in the judgment of many, had the several committees acted with spirit, harmony and efficiency, the paper started and sent on its noble mission; agents appointed and properly sustained and encouraged—thereby making them bold and truthful, eloquent and effective state, county, city, town, and village and district meetings held; hundreds instead of a handful of petitions forwarded to the Legislature signed by thousands of colored persons; and in a word a regular political "hue and cry" kept up. In all human probability a great change in the public mind would have been effected favorable to their prayer.

Yours truly,

ObserverStill, James N.

James N. Still (1815–?) of Brooklyn, New York, combined reform activities with a career as a self-employed tailor and clothing retailer. Still won praise from Douglass for being a leading supporter of Frederick Douglass’ Paper and probably penned articles under the pseudonym “Observer.” Though not well educated, Still gained some reputation as an intellectual. An active proponent of black rights, Still argued that the way to obtain social equality with whites was through wealth, since he believed wealth led to empowerment. Still received scorn for this belief, most ardently from “Communipaw,” another Frederick Douglass’ Paper correspondent, James McCune Smith. Still also aided fugitive slaves to freedom through New York City via the Underground Railroad. In 1856, after he moved to Shrewsbury, New Jersey, the commissioners of the National Emigration Convention, led by Martin R. Delany, named Still an editor of a projected scholarly journal Afric-American Quarterly Repository. FDP, 15 January, 11 March, 17 December 1852, 6 May, 10 June 1853, 11 January 1855; William H. Smith, Smith’s Brooklyn City Directory for 1854 and 1855: Being a General Directory of the Inhabitants and a Street and Avenue Guide (Brooklyn, N.Y., 1854), 461; Miller, Search for a Black Nationality, 166; Ullman, Martin R. Delany, 182. .

Salem, June 9, 1849.