J[ohn] R[awson J[ohnson] to Frederick Douglass, October 29, 1855

THE MEETING OF THE DESCENDANTS AND RELATIVES OF GEN. ISRAEL PUTNAM

Friend Douglass:—It is to be presumed that my "private letter" to you personally, (Oct. 18th,) found a place in your paper of the 26th, by the mistake of your printers, during your absence. That letter contains nothing which I regret being made in public, except a passing allusion to a mutual acquaintance of ours. As every discerning person will naturally see, that was a pleasantry designed only for your reading.

We did not meet at Boston. On the 25th, I was with the descendants of Gen. Putnam, and witnessed their celebration and family greetings. The assembly was well worth seeing. They came together, I was informed, from nine States. The public meeting was in the Congregational house of worship. Rev. Charles Payson Grosvenor, of Rehoboth, Mass., read the 89th Psalm, and offered prayer.

That noble anti-slavery Democrat, Hon. Ex-Governor Cleveland, of Hampton, Conn., made a brief speech, appropriately introducing the Rev. Leonard Grosvenor, of Illinois, a genuine great-grand-son of Gen. Putnam. In him is the same vine. Brother Grosvenor gave us a condensed and spirited historical Address—one worth laying up. It will be published soon.—Mr. G. warmly asserted that Mr. Bancroft, the historian has done great injustice to the memory of Gen. Putnam, especially on the question of his position in the battle of Bunker Hill.

Mr. Bancroft will be expected, in his forthcoming history, to retract some of the sayings which escaped his lips in a lecture which he delivered

in New York City some years since, or he must make up his mind to withstand a most resolute and searching review from the descendants of "Old Put."

It may be well for all students of history to keep an eye on this controversy. The great-grand-children of Gen. Putnam are deeply anxious that the historic page shall submit to coming generation the honorable record that their heroic ancestor was in the Bunker Hill battle, and was at the head of "the insolent rebels,"—The time will come, when multitudes of American youth will rejoice to demonstrate, that their great-great-grand-parents assisted to rescue "JERRY." If they can confidently assert that a remote ancestor of theirs so much as clapped his hands, and shouted, "Go it, Jerry!" there will be a manifest glory in that.

The Legislature of Connecticut have resolved that the State shall raise three thousand dollars to erect a monument at the grave of Putnam, provided as much shall be raised by individual subscriptions. Is it good economy to spend so large a sum for that object? By some, my question may be deemed quite unpatriotic.—But I am thinking of talent and genius, needing encouragement—of the landless, needing homes—of the disfranchised colored citizens of the State of Connecticut—and of the bleeding millions of the enslaved of our land. To recognize the political rights of her colored citizens, is the best monument for LIBERTY which the State of Connecticut can erect.

Yours, truly,

J. R. J.

PUTNAM, Conn., Oct. 29th, 1855.