Lincoln, Neb. April 10th 1873

Frederick Douglass Esq

Dear Sir, I wrote you a long letter in February in regard to your going to Denver and other places in Colorado to Lecture, but received no answer from you.

When you lectured for me at Lincoln you partially promised to go to Denver with me and lecture for five nights for ^$500 and your expenses paid you also said if you went at all it would suit you best about the first of May to go upon the Strength of your promise (to go provided you were not sent off on a foreign mission by government &c) I immediately commenced correspondence with various library

associations, &c at different points in Colorado, and could have engaged you at about 8 different nights there. They are very anxious to have you come for two nights at Denver two nights at Central City two nights at Georgetown &c, all places that I have often been too and am well acquainted with. I have promised you at those places provided I can get you to come.

I wrote you I would give you $500 for five nights and pay all your expenses to Denver & return &c &c. I also told you I would pay you at least one half of the amount or more as soon as you reached Denver or before

you left home &c, I have never had one word from you in reply. I am very sorry about it as I held out pretty good assurances that you would come, they were anxious to have you come by the last of April if possible. I have written them now that it will be impossible for you to come for sometime yet, I do not want to make any deffinite arrangements with them> until I am perfectly sure you will go.

Please write me at once about the matter and consider the following proposition that I have made on the next Sheet, I am anxious you should go with me I will make it a pleasant and profitable trip to you, as I am well acquainted in that section of Country

I will give you $100 per night for eight nights and perhaps ten and will pay all your expenses to and from Denver & your expenses while there, so that you will realize $800 or $1000 clear of all expenses I will pay you any sum in advance you want be it $500 or less.

will you go so as to be in Denver by the last of May or the first of June allow me to fix the exact dates it will be impossible to make arrangements now before the first of June, that is a pleasant month to be in Colorado, and I think you would enjoy the trip very much.

Please write me at once fully on this matter, you need not be away from home over

two weeks if I have you for 8 nights. write to me at Lincoln Nebraska be sure to say positively whether you will go and at what time. I think the month of June would be the best time

I send you a little note clipped from one of my Denver letters offering you hospitality &c.

There will be no staging to do, and no heavy trip between lectures as all the different points to Lecture are within a few hours of each other by Rail

Yours Very Respt

H. J. Traver

Lincoln

Neb.