Ethiop (William J. Wilson) to Frederick Douglass, December 1, 1851
From Our Brooklyn Correspondent.
Mr. Editor:—Some years since, it was my good fortune to emerge from an obscure corner of one of the Middle States, and enter the great city of New York. My impressions of that time, are yet as vivid as ever. "New York, as then," I may yet give to the public; but my object, at this time, is merely to give "NEW YORK as NOW." that is, MEN and THINGS in NEW YORK, as I understand them, and be assured, I intend to use my own eyes and ears, and arrive at my own conclusions.
My first bow to you, Mr. EDITOR; my first bow to you, gentle public; and if I at first appear a little awkward, have a hope that, with habit and endeavor, it will wear off.
And now, good gentle folks,
Ethiop's again among ye, taking notes.
New York is a great city. When I say New York, I of course include its environs.—New York, proper, may be considered the body, of which the adjacent towns around it are the limbs, or members thereof. Brooklyn, from its quietness, serenity, morality and intellectuality, may be regarded the head.—"Beautiful city of Temples!" Dr. Cox once said (do not startle at the name) that Brooklyn was so rich that she could afford, yearly, to build splendid temples for the worship of God; and yet so poor, that she could not afford one THEATRE." I may further add, that in point of ability, she is better represented, especially in the pulpit, than any other city in America. Each denomination, as by consent, having selected the ablest of their Divines. With such men as Beecher, Storrs, Cox, Welsh, Vinton, Farley, Thayer, and Peers, what city in pulpit ability, can compare with Brooklyn? I have fixed my lodging here, and hence shall write you from this place. We had, as with you, Thanksgiving here, and of course, (saving the servants of the wealthy, who staid at home to cook good dinners,) every body went to Church, and I, among others, stopped in for a few moments, to hear DR. COX. He was, as I entered, just in the act of boosting up, on all sides, though at such hazard, the "UNION;" and after having, as he thought, it tolerably well propped, pronounced it the best under HEAVEN!!! "Best for the black man; best for the red man; best for the white man; the good man; the bad man;" and in order to give strength to the idea, added, "that the amount of good produced to the blacks, in their transition from Africa to this country, making them thereby what they now are, was incalculable; and that they ought to be thankful for it." After this, I took my hat and left.
Such is about a fair sample of most of the pulpit teaching in these quarters; and while we admit its ability, we fear it sadly lacks the high tone, so necessary for the demand of the times. But of this, more hereafter. The blacks here have immeasurably failed to keep pace with the whites in the accumulation of property, &c., yet I verily believe them to be in advance of those, of most other places in this respect, however quiet and obscure they may seemingly have been. It would, I doubt not, be quite curious, as well as valuable information, to exhibit the resources, business, and amount of property held here by the blacks, not only as a matter of reference, but as an incentive to others in more remote and newer towns.
Owing to my want of nicety, I perceive I have used the term BLACKS, to which I hope you will not object, though I fear the white association of New York city, composed of people of color, might, and that most seriously. By the way, I have a word to say, on some fitter occasion, of this remarkable association.
The Anti-Slavery Fair, is being held here with much success. Crowded houses nightly witness the happy decrease of that array of splendid apparel sent here some time since, from North Britain. White and colored persons mingle freely in all the doings of the FAIR, which is quite pleasant to see in these times. It has the whole weight of Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's influence, which is tremendous. Buying and selling; interspersed with music, and speaking is the order of the evening exercises. Among others, Dr. Beecher, and Dr. Pennington have spoken with much point and effect.
We have knelt for the last week in silent prayer for the safe arrival here of the great APOSTLE OF LIBERTY, KOSSUTH; and ere this reaches you, I doubt not, he will have landed amid the shouts and plaudits of the commonal[i]ty, and PIARIS of the more refined. Much anxiety is felt here, as to his sympathy for, and his opinions relative to the oppressed in this country. Enlarged minds, habituated to grapple with large ideas, of necessity, seldom stop to deal with lesser ones. His sympathy we certainly have, yet if, on examination, he finds us, by reason of our supineness, or aught else, unprepared to obtain, hold or enjoy freedom, I doubt his venture of any direct opinion, leaving the whole matter to time, curcumstances and progress.
———"Hereditary bondamen! know ye not
Who would be free, themselves must strike the
blow?"
And when once, and rightly begun, you will have not only the sympathy of KOSSUTH, but the civilized world, and if need be, their assistance in the bargain. More anon.
Yours truly, Ethiope
Brooklyn, L.I., Dec. 1st, 1851.