William P. Green to Frederick Douglass, January 17, 1854
LETTER FROM WM. P. GREEN.
—
WARSAW, N. Y., Jan. 1853.
DEAR FRIEND DOUGLASS:— You are respect-
fully required to entertain the following
communication; I think it necessary under
the circumstances of the case.
I have entered upon my 60th year, and
have been for the last 16 years, or nearly,
trying to promote the anti-slavery cause. I
never opposed it. For nearly one year past
I have been engaged in establishing reform-
atory libraries. The following is the plan
upon which I now practice in every place
where I go for the purpose:
I furnish with each library an Alphabet
book, with the names and caption on one
side, and a full catalogue of the books fur-
nished, with the number and price of each,
and number all the documents on the title
page—in short, I do all that is necessary for
practical purposes, and deliver the whole to
the person designated for the libraraian with-
out delay, after the subscription is obtained.
The caption reads as follows:
We, the citizens of ———, male and fe-
male, do pay fifty cents each for a reforma-
tory library.
The books are to be returned to the libra-
rian within two weeks from the time they
are drawn, as near as practicable, or paid
for at the marked price.
Since about the first of August, 1853, I
have, with the assistance of my wife, can-
vassed five towns in Genesee Co., and have
obtained 712 subscribers. I thought proper
to commence this county in sleighing time.
I have furnished a library at Attica—Dr.
Dorrance is librarian. He is a noble speci-
men of humanity. I then came to this place
on the 3d of this month—put up at the
Temperance House—commenced my work
with the landlord's name—called on the Hon.
Seth M. Gates, with as many books as I
could well carry in my show-box. After a
close examination of the whole matter, he
subscribed and paid fifty cents. I proceded
canvassing the village, and called on the Rev.
Z. Eddy, who also took a share and paid for
the same. On his observing the likeness of
the Rev. Antoinette L. Brown, in the Auto-
graphs for Freedom, (which book also he
requested me to exclude from the library,)
he asked me if Women's Rights would be ad-
vocated by anything put into the library—
saying that the whole Woman movement
was anti-Christian, and wished me to erase
his name from the subscription book, and re-
fund his money. To which I objected, say-
ing it was evident he had appreciated at
least fifty cents value in what he had seen of
the despository, and that was all that was
necessary. He was not responsible for any
thing found in it that was not Orthodox in
his opinion. He objected, saying that he
would be responsible for anything poison
found therein, and still demanded his name
and fifty cents. As I was about leaving his
house, he put on his overcoat and passed out
with me, saying he would take care of me;
that he would follow me, &c. I said to him,
I am ready for you, bub; I have seen such
creatures as you before. He then passed
down the street with me a little ways, and, as I
suppose, went to Seth M. Gates; for I soon
met Gates in the street, who enquired what
the matter was? I told him. He said there
were imposters about; that I appeared like
one; that I should not be allowed to im-
pose Gerrit Smithism, &c., upon this com-
munity; that he (Gates) was well known;
that he would advertise me, &c. I then part-
ed with him and went to the Temperance
House. Eddy soon appeared, and said to all
that I was an imposter. Last Thursday, I
read an Editorial article in the Wyoming
County Mirror concerning me—to which I
made no reply. I then thought proper to
publish my catalogue of books, attested by
two as good men as the county affords.
Mr. Z. Eddy is now the minister of the
same church which formerly employed the
noble Samuel R. Ward. How great the con-
trast! I think proper to say that the bitter-
est opposition which I have had to encounter
in my business, has ever been from members
in the clerical caste; and to add in this
place another article over the signature of
"J. J. Gridlay," in the Northern Christian
Advocate of April 20th, 1853. Gridley is a
Methodist minister of the Northern Church,
and professes to be an abolitionist, and the
man with whom I left the library, paid for
by the poeple in the vicinity where he then
resided. These two slanderous articles are
the only ones published which have come
under my observation since I have been in
the business. I think comment on my part
to be unnecessary. The case is, I think, too
plain to be misapprehended by all true
friends of Truth and Justice.
WM. P. GREEN.