Silas Shoecraft to Frederick Douglass, February 25, 1858

For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

MUNCEE, Feb. 25 1858.

MR. EDITORS:—I read every week with much interest your excellent paper, and feel like doing all I can, by procuring subscribers, to aid you in your noble enterprise, pleading as you do so powerfully by your tongue and pen, the cause of the down-trodden and oppressed. I very much regret that so few of our colored Brethren interest themselves as they should, in this important cause, so mutally with thier own and their childrens welfare. I am awake that it is the object of those in authority to keep us in ignorance, and that a large portion of our people cannot read; but there are those among us that can both read and write, and other have children that can read to them. I would then respectfully suggest, that there are many places where if some one of our people, that has intelligence and influence, would take it upon themselves, respectable clubs of subscribers might be procured, not only of colored, but of white men, who sympathize with us in our condition, and, who can estimate the amount of good that thus be accomplished?—Light and intelligence is what we greatly need. O that our brethren throughout the length and breath of the land might know that there is a press in the hands of a man, not only of like passions, but of like color with themselves, and that from it weekly issues a paper which is as a beacon light to our race, battling noble in the cause of freedom and humanity. Reading it there is a spark of humanity left, that has not been crushed out of the bosoms, it seems to me would cause them instinctively to exclaim, we are men! and will act the part of men among our fellows. I trust there will be some who read these lines, who will take it upon themselves in getting up a club as I have done, and in circulating your excellent paper among their colored brethren, I will say for the encouragement of others that I have by some exertion, raised a club of twenty seven in our village, and would say to others go and do likewise, by so doing they would not only benefit them, but also aid one that is deliberately laboring for the good of the race.

God bless you and those who are aiding you in this good work; and grant you abundant success.

SILAS SHOECRAFT.