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Samuel [J.] May to Frederick Douglass, February 11, 1854

1

To the Editor of Frederick Douglass' Paper:

I embrace the opportunity afforded me,
by the transmission of the preceding state-
ments, to say, that, some weeks since, I saw
in your paper, (of Dec. 23d,) the following
paragraph: "None of the parcels sent to
Rochester, from England, by way of Boston,
have yet come to hand, although rumors
have reached us of their being in Boston."

As this paragraph distinctly implies the
detention of the parcels in Boston, and does
great injustice to those here, through whose
hands the parcels in question came, you will
doubtless be willing to insert in your paper,
the following correction, and will much
oblige me by doing so.

It was the 15th or 16th of December,
that the boxes were first opened, which con-
tained the goods sent by British friends for
the Bazaar in this city. Those boxes con-
tained five or six small sized parcels directed
to Frederick Douglass, Rochester. I was re-
quested to take charge of the tranmission
of those parcels as I had done on several
previous years. At that same time, I learn-
ed that Mr. Douglass was in Boston, and I
immediately sent information to him that
these parcels had arrived, and would be de-
livered to him at any time on application at
Horticultural Hall. For this purpose, the
parcels were placed in the care of Mr. Cur-
tis, of the Horticultural Sales-rooms. I as-
certained that Mr. Douglass, being in Boston,
received this information. I was much sur-
prised, a week later or thereabouts, to learn
that the parcels had not been called for, and
remained in Mr. Curtis's counting-room. I
then gathered them together, and transmit-
ted them to Rochester.

Under these circumstances, I read the
paragraph above quoted from Frederick
Douglass' Paper
, with a little surprise.—How it is that positive information, that the
parcels were in Boston, and ready for deliv-
ery to Mr. Douglass, could be converted into
rumors reaching Rochester, and be so pub-
lished for circulation among the readers of
F. D's. paper at home, and the donors of
those parcels abroad, is more than I will un-
dertake to explain.

The sole reason of my not sending the
Rochester parcels immediately, by Express,
as I had done each year, for many years be-
fore, was, that I supposed Mr. Douglass,
being in Boston, would prefer to take the
parcels himself, and thus save to all con-
cerned, any further trouble and expense.
The several parcels when put together,
made a bundle of only about a cubic foot.
After having taken some pains for a series
of years, to get goods, designed for the Roch-
ester Bazaar, through the Boston Custom
House, and to forward them, without calling
upon Mr. Douglass or his friends, for one
dollar's re-payment of duties or other charg-
es, and without receiving even so much as
thanks for the service, it appears somewhat
unjust to meet now with the paragraph I
have above quoted. I do not wish to rest,
in the estimate of any of your English read-
ers, under the imputation contained in your
paragraph, and will therefore, as before
said, feel obliged to you, for inserting this
explanation.

I am, yours, &c.,

SAMUEL MAY, JR.

BOSTON, Feb. 11th, 1854.

Creator

May, Samuel J.

Date

1854-02-11

Description

Samuel [J.] May to Frederick Douglass. PLSr: Frederick DouglassP, 17 February 1854. Defends reasons for delay in parcels sent from Britain to Boston for the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Bazaar.

Publisher

This document was calendared in the published volume and has not been published in full before.

Collection

Frederick Douglass' Paper

Type

Letters

Publication Status

Unpublished

Source

Frederick Douglass' Paper