TO THE LIBERTY PARTY.

Your National Committee have called you to assemble the first day of next month at Buffalo.

There is, now, a little cholera in that city; and, as it may increase ere that time, many persons will not attend the Convention, who, otherwise, would attend it.

In these circumstances, and as we have not time to consult the other members of the Committee, we feel ourselves justified in assuming the responsibility of changing the place of the Convention. We, therefore, appoint the Convention to be held in Canastota, in the State of New York. The time for holding it will be, as before, Wednesday, the first day of September.

The party, styled the "Free Democracy," have, it is true, at their late Convention, in Pittsburgh, made very encouraging advances towards the position of our party. Thus, however, makes it none the less but all the more important, that the Convention at Canastota be a large one. In the present state of things, we need the collected wisdom of many to assist us in determining our future cause.

JOHN THOMASThomas, John

John Thomas (1814–92), an abolitionist and newspaper editor from Syracuse, New York, merged his Liberty Party Paper with Douglass’s North Star in June 1851. Thomas’s paper, which he published in Syracuse from 1849 to 1851, was rapidly failing despite the financial backing of Gerrit Smith. The new paper created from the merger was Frederick Douglass’ Paper, the name indicating which editor would be in control of the venture. Thomas agreed to accept a subordinate position as assistant editor and remained in Syracuse to conduct those duties. Thomas later became widely known for his participation in the Jerry Rescue, the rescue of the fugitive slave William “Jerry” McHenry in Syracuse on 1 October 1851. NS, 12 June 1851; Detroit Plaindealer, 15 April 1892; Harlow, Gerrit Smith, 187–88, 380.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS

August 16th, 1852.