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JANUARY, 1861. DOUGLASS' MONTHLY. 389 [[line across page]] [[newspaper style in 3 columns]] [[column 1]] THOSE PICTURES AGAIN. [[line]] President BUCHANAN, in his late Message, says:-—'In 1835, pictorial handbills and inflammatory appeals were circulated extensively throughout the South of a character to excite the passions of the slaves, and in the language of General Jackson, "to stimulate them to insurrection and produce all the horrors of a servile war."' This brings to our mind the way in which GERRIT SMITH answered this charge in his Review of Governor MARCE'Y [sic] Message of January, 1836. Mr. SMITH'S words were: 'But the pictures! the pictures! "You send pictures to the South," is the charge that is now raging against us, since that of promoting amalgamation has become stale and incredible. But the charge is quite as false and absurd as that of our being a society of match-makers. If Abolitionists make pictures illustrative of the horrors of slavery, they are not made for the South, but to wake up the dormant sensibilities of the North. Here such pictures instruct; and the bosom of the beholder alternately swells with indignation toward the tyrant, and melts with pity for his victim. But how unphilosophical to expect that the temper of the slave would lose its balance, by his looking at pictures of the sufferers under the lash! He would stand unmoved at the tame copies of scenes with which he had himself been sorely familiar. To bring up such pictures, to strengthen his recollections of the mangling of his flesh by the driver's whip, and to give him a livelier sense of his sufferings than he experienced in the sufferings themselves, is indeed to carry coals to New Castle. I would as soon think of calling a painter to sketch the agonies of the stake, that the martyr who was enduring them might draw from the picture a juster sense of his condition; or of supplying the traveller to Niagara Falls with some pencillings of that wonder, to deepen his impressions while standing before the original. No-—before the Abolitionists will spend their money in scattering their pictures over the South, they will have become as bad reasoners as their accusers. But let them tax the painter's art to the utmost for effect—-righteous and blessed effect-—at the North. Let them hang round our parlors and kitchens, and workshops, with the most vivid and affecting appeals which that art can produce, in behalf of bleeding and crushed humanity; and let objects be multiplied without limit, to remind us, that there are, and in our own country too, millions of our brother men, who are robbed of their bodies, and minds, and souls, and whose condition cries out for our pity and prayers, with an energy that it would seem even the sleep of death could hardly resist.' [[line]] A NEW WORK ON HAYTI.-—THAYER & ELDRIDGE, of Boston, have in press a [[italics]] Guide to Hayti [[/italics]], by JAMES REDPATH, published under the auspices of President GEFFRARD, which will embrace a history of that country, its Constitution unabridged, essays on its natural history, mineral wealth, people, resources, relig on, [sic] revenue, commerce, laws, &c. Also, all the official documents in relation to the great emigration scheme, which is now attracting so much attention from our colored classes, everywhere. No book has been published on Hayti in the United States for more than thirty years, nor in England for more than twelve years. A volume on Hayti, therefore, is much needed at this time. Two editions of the Guide will be published.-—Price Fifty Cents for the 'Emigration Edition,' and One Dollar for the 'Geffrard Edition,' including postage. [[/column 1]] [[column 2]] LETTER FROM A. H. FRANCIS [[line]] PORTLAND, Oregon, Nov.5, 1860. MR. FREDERICK DOUGLASS: ESTEEMED FRIEND:-—It has been some time, my friend, since I have taken my pen to say a few words to you. Think not that I have forgotten you. I have followed you through the varied scenes of importance among which you have been the actor. I have felt most deeply for your welfare, never doubting for a moment that God and the right was with you. Your important trip to Europe, the attack made upon you from those you ought to have expected better things, and your return to your native, slave-cursed land, I have been with you throughout the whole journey. I welcome you to your post. Never was there a time that you were more needed than the present. Those dark days of twenty years ago, when first we met and were giving battle to the dark spirit of slavery, now begin to shadow forth a prospective future, the dawn of that brighter era then predicted. The battle thus far has been desperate; yet right must triumph. Yesterday was election. The battle was strongly contested. For the first time, the city of Portland, the stronghold of Democracy, was fairly routed. The general opinion is that Lincoln will carry the State. It is also thought that California will go for Lincoln. My private opinion is to the contrary. I shall be glad to see Lincoln elected. If there is not in the Republican party all that we might wish, still it would be a great achievement. I have recently arrived from Victoria, where I have, together with Mrs.F., been passing a few weeks. Victoria, Vancouver's Island, and British Columbia, must, aside from San Francisco, become the most important point on the Pacific coast. Already in the past two years her importance has been felt to an extent outstripping all other points between San Francisco and the intermediate ports north, including Crescent City, California, Portland, Oregon, Olympia, and other cities on Peugent Sound, Washington Territory. Already busy strife and dissatisfaction has arisen between the two nations. It is no use for [[italics]] Uncle Sam to worry, [[/italics]] for John Bull has already a force in the beautiful bay of Esquimalt, three miles from Victoria. Some of his best men-of-war and gun boats are there, that would blow satisfaction into Uncle Sam in double quick time. The great difficulty seems to be: the English are holding out the hand of kindness and protection to the colored people. The Yankee and the Americanized foreigner are taking it in high [[italics]] dudgeon [[italics]], to think they are for once compelled to yield to their prejudices, or leave the country. The last election in Victoria was most beautifully controlled by the colored people putting in and throwing out at pleasure—-our old friends Lester and Gibbs taking the lead. I have almost become a British subject, and if I live long enough, think I will. Victoria contains about three thousand inhabitants. Two and a half years ago there were only fifty. Beautiful buildings are now being erected in large numbers, and all is thrift. This state of things must continue. The mines are growing richer and richer as their resources become more and more developed. Large quantities of fine farming lands have been found, and the country is fast filling up. To be brief, I have [[/column 2]] [[column 3]] never seen a more beautiful place for a city than Victoria. The harbor is rock bound, standing at an elevation of about fifty feet on the street fronting the water, and gradually running back on the first half mile of about two hundred feet, overlooking the whole bay as far as Esquimalt. Large vessels cannot enter the harbor at the city, on account of some large boulders obstructing the passage. An appropriation has already been made of some $40,000 to free the channel. In relation to colorphobia, I must close by saying that there is a grand future for the colored man in the British possessions on the north Pacific. Yours, &c., A. H. FRANCIS. [[line]] ACKNOWLEDGMENTS [[line]] DONATIONS IN AID OF DOUGLASS' MONTHLY. Proceeds of Mrs. John Robberds' Annual Bazaar in Liverpool............................. 20 0 0 Liverpool Anti-Slavery Society.............. 10 0 0 Wakefield " " .............. 5 0 0 Dalkeith " " .............. 4 0 0 Coventry " " .............. 2 10 0 Mansfield " " .............. 1 14 4 Berwick-on-Tweed " .............. 4 0 0 Friends at Thick Hollins, Meltham, &c....... 4 7 0 From Mrs. Richardson, through Sam'l Rhoades 5 0 0 " Mrs. Wm. Webb, " Lewis Tappan.. 10 0 0 Mrs. R. L. Carpenter, Halifax............... 1 0 0 Mrs. Ralph, " ............... 2 0 0 Mrs.W. Brown, Bridgwater.................... 1 0 0 SUBSCRIPTIONS. Mrs. R. V. Yates, Liverpool................. 5 0 Mrs. J. Robberds, " ................. 5 0 Miss. Holland, Leeds........................ 5 0 Mr. Walker, " ........................ 5 0 Mr. Cooper, Bramley......................... 10 0 Miss Ame Droz, Sheffield.................... 5 0 Mr. Sully, Bridgwater................... 5 0 Mr. Thompson, " ................... 5 0 Mr. F. Thompson, " ................... 5 0 Miss Little, Carlisle....................... 5 0 Mrs. Humble, Idle, near Bradford............ 5 0 Mrs. Prescott, Halifax...................... 5 0 Miss S, R, Ralph, " ...................... 5 0 Rev, R. L. Carpenter, Halifax................ 5 0 Rev. M.C. Frankland, Chowbent................ 5 0 J. Cliff, Esq., Wortley...................... 5 0 Mr. Mitchell, " ...................... 5 0 Mr. Richards, " ...................... 5 0 Miss Davis, Evesham.......................... 5 0 Herbert Thomas, Esq., Bristol................ 5 0 Rev. C. Hawkes, Kendal....................... 10 0 Subscriptions for monthly from Mrs. Crofts... 2 8 8 IN AID OF FUGITIVE SLAVES. Mrs. F J. Thompson, Bridgwater............... 10 0 RECEIVED BY MR. LOGUEN, SYRACUSE. Wakefield L. A. S. Society................... 5 0 0 Coventry " " ................... 2 0 0 [[line]] —-John Thomas, the colored man who was kidnapped at New York last month, was recently sold at Richmond, Va., for $700, to a trader. —-One hundred and sixty-six negroes, belonging to the estate of Samuel Townsend, were recently sold at Huntsville, Ala.-—the average price being $823 14 apiece. -—A negro man and woman is advertised for sale by the Sheriff of Otoe Co, Nebraska Territory. The Legislature has prohibited slavery, but its acts are nullified by the Federal Judiciary. -—Hundreds of families are removing from the South to the North at present, on account of the fear of an insurrection among the slaves, and the perils that environ the States that threaten secession. Tarring and feathering Northern men seem to be the chief amusement, with the occasional hanging of persons who dared to vote for Lincoln, as has been done in two instances. —-An attempt was recently made in Indiana, at Timbuctoo, to kidnap and carry into slavery an entire family of colored persons, but the villains were outwitted. —-Stephen Brewer, of Cortlandville, N.Y., has finally been excommunicated from the Presbyterian Church of that town. Mr. B.'s offence was in hearing addresses on several Sundays from such anti-slavery men as Wendell Philips, Emerson, Garrison, Curtis, and others. -—The value of slaves who have escaped from Bourbon and Fayette counties, Ky., during the month of November, is estimated at $15,000. -—The slave bark Cora, recently captured on the coast of Africa with 705 slaves on board, arrived at New York last week. Two other captured slavers-—one with 619, and the other with 800 slaves on board-—were recently bro't into the port of Norfolk. [[/column 3]]
