1056

12

Rebels wish to destroy this seed of loyalty? Let America stop and listen, let
her hear the voice of Ethiopia as she gently whispers Come and let us reason
together not when the tomtom is sounded to repel a foreign foe, not when floods
conflagrations and epidemic have devestated the land; not when Earth
quakes have destroyed millions of its inhabitants but in the calm of
the morn, when the golden song of the morning sun sparkles midst the true
drops of Heaven. When the sweet perfume of the White sky floats Heavenwards
and the lark and the wren sing their notes with that of the cricket, listen
then to the voice of Ethiopia as the she silently whispers, Come and let us reason
together. The first twenty billion rows of seats in Hell, which are as many times in
length as in number are today occupied by a coterie of gentlemen, whose
ingenuity for the development af diabolical meanness is not in comparison
with the dibolical meanness of the members of the Order or the American
Jackasses. I wish to state to Messrs Tilman, Vardamen, Williams, Smith
Dixon Blease. D. D. Walker the latest acquiescent to the waver of the Bloody
Shirt and all lesser lights that I have no apologies to make, nor pardons to
beg. I have written you this challenge free of all rancor and malice which is
so characterist of so many public men when they speak and write about the
Negro. There is phrase use or sentence work with in this challenge that any professor
or minister would be ashamed to utter from his pulpit or recite before
his class. You will notice that my terms of decorum towards you are as
diplomatic as what a gentleman can use towards one who is his
enemy and superiors, and if there eny thing that is disagreeable to you
in this letter, it is only the insinuation as to what will follow on the
debate. Drunk or sober, sane or insane Ulysses the Black say
that if there is a white man created above the normal in the image
of God, who has the moral courage to accept of this Challenge I dare
you to cross the Rubicon and pick up tht Bow that Ulysses has
laid upon its bank.

I am Your Worthy[?]
Henry Lawrence Underwood
Ulysses the Black

#2200 Symmes Rd
Cincinnati, O 2.6.14

3.18.13
6.7.13
9.15.13
Date letters was sent

83728