Samuel Ringgold Ward to Frederick Douglass, February 12, 1852
LETTERS FROM CANADA.—NO. III.
Frederick Douglass:
Dear Sir:—Some time has elapsed since I wrote my second letter. During the time, I have talked and traveled considerably. I have read also, your interesting paper, containing some very valuable articles from your metropolitan correspondents, and from others. I was very much pleased with Professor Allen's strictures upon the action of the New York Committee of Thirteen. Kossuth certainly knows little and cares less about the black people of this continent, and it seems to me to be wanting in self-respect for our people to run after such a man. Besides, we must do more for ourselves, before we can expect the self-liberators of the old world to pay much attention to our notices of them. Gentlemen who voted for the slave-catching tool of despotism, Millard Fillmore, and for W. Hunt, who has the hardihood to deny that blacks can live in the same community with whites without becoming extinct, a statement lived down every day in Canada, have yet to learn how to become consistent voters in their own cause, ere they can do much to aid other men to become successful fighters in theirs. The non-slavery church relations of too many of the committee of thirteen, are very much in the way of their doing a great deal for the oppressed, who are much nearer to them than Hungary.
But what are we to hope for, from the greatmass of professed philanthropists who visit the United States from Europe? How many of them have paid any attention to our cause, while in Yankeedom? Jenny Lind, you know, proved herself one of the most heartless misanthropes that ever traveled through slavedom and received the blood-stained gold of woman whippers. Frederika Bremer boldly apologised for the slave system to your very face, in your own parlor.—And, just so have almost all of those Europeans who have been made lions and lionesses
in your very hospitable country. Kossuth meddled not with the English method of treating or maltreating Ireland, and with a consistency worthy of himself, he meddles not with the American method of enslaving Americans. An aristocrat, a former owner of a princely fortune, a man of high office, civil and military, at home, and the guest of the aristocracy wherever he goes, (except in Turkey,) he is not expected to show feelings in common with the poor of any country or color. To thrust ourselves upon the attentions of such a man, and to expect aught from him, were positively absurd. Such is my humble opinion. I shall be much mistaken if the Ex-Governor of Hungary do not show himself quite capable of leaving the United States without the utterance of a single syllable against the Haynauism of America, the slavery thereof.
The extravagant notions of Mr. Thomas, I do not wonder at, knowing so well as I do that gentleman's habit of over estimating everything that at all strikes him favorably. But I do wonder how even John Thomas, could call Kossuth the greatest man of the age, or how he could suppose Kossuth to be finishing up the anti-slavery work of the age; or how Mr. Thomas could reckon upon any anti-slavery influence whatever, especially in New York as from the visit of the Great Hungarian, Beside Gerrit Smith, Kossuth is but a child, a pigmy. The noblest ideas of the latter, were long since avowed and were insisted on by the former. International rights, free trade, the applications of the fundamental principles of christianity to our civil and international relations, pray to whom are these new ideas, who has read the writings or heard the words of the Man of Peterboro? When Kossuth shall have learned to apply his principles to social life, and live at home, as Smith does, the great doctrines
of human equality, then will he get even the name of the imitator, or disciple, or coadjutor of the greatest man of the age, but not till then. Still, I repeat I do not wonder at Mr. Thomas' extravagance in this matter, for it is so like him.
Mr. Loguen makes out a most deplorable cause for the black people at St. Catharines. Brother Loguen is on the ground and can see for himself. But I do hope, that the condition of our people in that town is not so bad as he represents. I begin to doubt the great majority of representations of our people here, which make us out to be a pack of paupers. Surely, those who come here immediately from slavery are destitute, at first, left there are those who relieve them just so soon as they know of their circumstances.—I find it so here, and a committee of ladies of the first circles are doing their utmost for their relief. No one is allowed to suffer twenty-four hours. The same is true in Hamilton, and Brantford. In the latter places there are no organizations for the relief of destitute fugitives as there is here, but benevolent individuals promptly relieve the suffering. I was surprised to see in Mr. Loguen's letter that such are the effects of slavery, as shown in the black people of St.
Catharines, as to make a man "wish to leave the world:" such, indeed, as he would not "attempt to depict." A sorry set, indeed, must our people in St. Catharines be, according to that letter of Loguen's; but I cannot but suspect that this picture is overdrawn. Indeed, it were a pity to have Brother Loguen labor for naught, day and night, and Sunday to boot; but he has the satisfaction of knowing that his family need not suffer from want though they must keenly feel his absence. I would be glad to have him exchange his valuable property in Syracuse and elsewhere for real estate in Canada, and then, if his account of the refugees in St. Catharines be correct, it would be far easier for him to labor among them, gratis. I must say that I do not deem it safe for him to return to the United States, at present, and the Jury at Albany may find him guilty. Then he must suffer fines and penalties, which could be avoided, by his remaining here. What possible good it can do for a man to place himself so in jeopardy, I know not. But he will judge for himself.
A most magnificent Promenade Concert came off here on the evening of the 8th inst., the proceeds of which were for the relief of destitute fugitive from slavery. The great St. Lawrence Hall was filled. The Band of 71st Regiment and some of the best vocal performers in the province contributed to the entertainment of the evening. Thomas Henning, Esq., and Rev. Dr. Willis were the chief speakers. The proceeds were some $220.
I have attended two social gatherings of the colored elite since I wrote your last.—Very much was I pleased with what I saw of our people. We are here socially inferior to no colored community in the United States. In dress, manners, and all that sort of thing, our young ladies and gentlemen would do
credit to any class of our community. In one thing we are sadly behind the times, as morally deficient. I mean in Temperance. Wine-bibbing is fashionable, so fashionable that ladies who profess religion, minister's wives included, drink without blushing. Indeed, to drink, is the rule; to abstain, the exception.
The anti-slavery committee, have established a school for the instruction of colored adults, in this city, and I am happy to say that it is well attended. No charge is made for tuition, the pupils finding their own fuel, lights and stationary. A blessing indeed, is this school to our people. But would you believe it? When a notice was sent to the African Methodist Episcopal, or Bethel church informing our people of this school, Taylor, the preacher would not suffer it to be read! He treated in the same manner a notice of the Promenade Concert, whose proceeds are devoted to the destitute fugitives! So this miserable old man appointed pastor of the Bethel church here plays the part of a despicable pro-slavery pope. Some of his parasites made quite a bluster about my former remarks concerning Taylor. But no one of them had the manliness to say a word to me about it. I presume they will make a noise about this paragraph. But no matter. They are beginning to be understood and despised according to their own chosen pro-slavery, 'ignorance-loving character.—People of real worth are leaving that congregation, and attending the preaching of Elder Derby, a man of truth and progress - a man of God—as different a man from Taylor, as day-light is from darkness. Some good brethren like brother Francis, brother Holmes, and brother Brown look with deep disapprobation upon the ranting, ravings, and abominable pro-slaveryisms of Taylor. Our duty towards such, is to treat them according to their real character.
I shall give you some account of several anti-slavery meetings in my next. I shall write more frequently, in future.
P.S.—I agree with Wendell Phillips, and yourself, exactly, about Kossuth. Mr. Thomas' white-washing of the great Magyar does not, after all, make him anything else than a political adventurer, with axes to grind, regardless of the woes of down-trodden Americans. The despots of Europe will hurl this in his face, when he goes back, and most richly does he deserve the bitterest taunts of the worst enemies of liberty in the old world. What a pity it will be, that he can reply "I had the approval and defense of one of the editors of the only organ of the Liberty Party, the most radical abolition party, in the American Union!" Such an apology may very justly bring American Liberty Partyism into desrepute on the other side of the Atlantic. Much the better way, in my jugment is to hold European and American Apostles of liberty as alike hypocritical unless they can see and feel the force of the application of the doctrine of inalienable human rights to others than those immediately connected with themselves.