Letter from Thomas G. Battey.

Friend Douglass:—Under a keen sense of the injustice and inhumanity of that law which has driven thousands of colored people from their peaceful homes in the North to seek an asylum in a foreign land, casts an insult upon the rights of freemen and which [under?] the galling chain of oppression still more tightly upon those who still remain in servitude under the cruel task masters of the South, I take my pen to address one whose face I never saw. But yet it is not particularly upon the suffering condition of the southern oppressed that I take up my pen at this time, for although their sufferings may be beyond all compare—beyond the power of words to express; yet there are those whose condition seems to demand our sympathy at the present time, if possible, even more than that of the slave. I allude to the refugees in Canada. There are, at the present time, nearly forty thousand of those outcasts of society now within the limits of Canada West, without friends, without clothing, without food and without homes. Their numbers preclude the very hope of obtaining employment at a reasonable compensation. They are, therefore in a most deplorable condition. And since Americans have inflicted this wrong upon an injured people, it seems to devolve particularly upon Americans to apply the remedy. It is true that donations of clothing, provisions, &c., have been handed out to them, but yet this is insufficient, for unless they possess some way of obtaining relief by their own exertions the hand of charity will fail to supply them with the necessaries of life. To become in any way capable of supporting themselves in comfort, they must become owners of the soil upon

which they live. But they have no resources by which they can become the owners of the soil, the manner of their going into that land shows it impossible for many of them to carry anything with them with which they can purchase homes or even a subsistence.

The object of these few lines is to ask assistance in this concern. The friends of the oppressed have met near this place, and have adopted a set of resolutions which they desire to have published. What they have particularly in view is, to endeavor to secure the action of influential friends of humanity throughout the State of New York and form a State society similar to the one formed in Michigan for the purchase of land in Canada West, that the poor, the destitute and the oppressed colored people may have a home where they may dwell in peace and security, to which they can flee, and where the oppressor dare not come. Please to give the proceedings herewith forwarded an insertion in thy paper, and if thou shalt deem it proper to write to some influential men who will be likely to assist in this work, we who have commenced here alone as it were, would esteem it a great favor. It might be of service to the Corresponding Committee to have a copy of the paper in which the proceedings are published, and if thou wilt furnish each of the committee with a copy, I will pay the expense when made known.

I remain truly thy friend,

Thos. C. BatteyBattey, Thomas C.

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Collins, 30th 10th mo., 1851.