H. M. to Frederick Douglass, June 1859

The laat of these warnings which have come to our notice, was in the Anti-Slavery Standard of June 25th. Although the Standard claims for its utterances that they are `without concealment,` it will be seen that the following from its foreign correspondent, is sufficiently obscure to rank with the first diplomatic papers of the times. It seems to us that the article might have been written in Boston, revised in England, and again retouched in Boston.

'May it be permitted to add that your friends here have another embarrassing question to deal with? It was always difficult to explain to inquirers the point to which controversy, wrangle, attaint of character reached among the Abolitionists, and to reason away the complaint that mutual distrust, accusation and denunciation took place wherever Abolitionists appeared; but your friends could honestly show, to all who would listen, that it was your first business, your inevitable duty and doom, to prove all persons, as well as all things, and purge away all that could weaken as well as defile your body. Till this was done, you who were the salt of your earth, could not keep your savor. It was the very condition of fitness for your work of staying corruption. The case, at the of of twenty years—or say ten or five— is wholly changed. You now lead public opinion, as is shown by the hyprocrisy of worldlings in professing abolitionism. How is is that some two or three of your heartiest comrades cannot see that a wider duty opens with your elevation of position? One would think you would all be glad to remit the charge of other folks' souls, when their condition is no longer your express [and] vital concern; yet we see the habit of accusation and vituperation perpetuated where the occasion has passed. It is for the Abolitionists now to lead, and for others to look to themselves as to how and when they follow.—Let them take care of that! It seems to us a deplorable mistake to turn back, or keep your faces reverted, and charge yourselves

with the responsibilities of persons and parties who have their own effort to make, and their own path to clear, to get up to you. Your time and temper are too precious now to be spent, as was necessary, in fighting with your neighbors, is order to obtain a footing for fighting slavery. The monster is before you now, face to face, and society is behind you, instead of crowded between you and it. Let those behind you be of what quality they may, your concern is with the monster, and not with them. If they help you from behind or come up to your side, well and good. If they cannot, so much the worse for them; but why lose your time and strength in scolding them or picking out their faults? Why waste precious hours, and jar a propitious harmony, by occupying yourselves with the weak parts of the imperfect, and the halting of novices? You will never be found fraternizing with hypocrites; and if you wait where you are till all who condemn slavery are proved to be of your quality, the world will be more disposed to question your quality and destination than it has ever been yet. You know whom I mean; and they will know it; the two or three sincere and zealous workers who deserve all honor for former work, but who have not lately given evidence of the enlightenment, modesty, justice and moderation which your improved position demands. Will they not either defer to the sense of the proved leaders of the cause of undertake a department where they can do their own work in their own way? It is certain that they are doing more harm by impeachments which the world sees to be groundless than they can compensate for by any manifestations of virtues so misplaced as to look like faults of great gravity. It is a grave responsibility to impair or disturb your force while in full march on the open battle-field. Such is the view of your and their friends: and I do not apologize for communicating it. We desire to understand each other, in order to co-operate.

'Yours, &c.,

H.M.'