Letter from Johnson Woodlin.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ESQ.:—In your pa-
per for April first, I observe the following,
over the signature of "M. R. Delany." He
asks the question, "Why in God's name don't
the leaders among our people make sugges-
tions, and consult the most competent among
their own brethren concerning our eleva-
tion?"

This is a proper question for Mr. "M. R.
D." to answer himself, because he is one of
those "leaders;" but, when "leaders" disa-
gree, division will result as a natural conse-
quence among the masses; and this appears
to be the legitimate fruit of all our efforts.—The fact is, the masses have lost confidence
in the "leaders." They see no evidence of
success in any direction; and in such a di-
lemma, one "leader" says to the other, "Why
in God's name don't the leaders among our
people make suggestions?" The truth is,
they have no "suggestions to make" that can
effect the "elevation" of the colored race
to equality and full citizenship in the United
States. All such efforts will, in the nature
of things, fail, and their oppression will in-
crease upon each failure.

Mr. M. R. D. says that "something must
be done." We are all aware of this; but
why does he not tell us what that "some-
thing" is? We have heard this song so long,
that we have no confidence in it; neither
have we any confidence in any scheme for the
"elevation" of our race in the United States,
because all such schemes will prove delusive.
However disagreeable this truth may be to
us, nevertheless, we can no longer conceal
ourselves from the fact. The term "eleva-
tion" seems to imply something more than
merely seeking protection under the govern-
ment of others. There is no government
that is so congenial to the wants, feelings, in-
terests, and capacity of a race of people as
that which grows out of the people them-
selves. Civil government is a principle in
human nature, and has its foundation in the
divine will, and is an existing matter of fact,
as much as the constitution of the human
body; and the laws which govern it are of no
human origin. This properly attended to
will bring us to the proper remedy for our
degraded position. The social relations of
our race must be governed, and the principles
of that government is within us, and only
needs an outward manifestation in the form
of a national political existence. No matter
on what continent that nationality be estab-
lished, this has been our view of the "ele-
vation" of our race in the United States for
the last twenty years. And every political
change that has taken place within that peri-
od of time, either state or national, has con-
firmed us in our position.

One word in relation to a "national coun-
cil," is, that the medium through which re-
forms in any age or country have been suc-
cessfully effected. Conventional arrange-
ments may, under certain considerations, be
successful; but the position of the colored
race in the United States, does not warrant
such arrangements. Our race must be in-
structed in matters pertaining to a radical
change; and this instruction no "national
council" or convention can confer. To act
without properly considering the circum-
stances in which we are placed, would be
perfect folly. A "national council" is not
the place for sober, calm, and dispassionate
reflection and consideration; and under all
peculiarities of the case, a reform cannot have
its origin in a "national council." In the
heart of excitement, and by a multiplicity of
words, "council" would be darkened, and
we should be left in more uncertainty than
ever.

JOHNSON WOODLIN.

PHILADELPHIA, April 17, 1853.