James Gregg to Frederick Douglass, April 5, 1860

WM. J. WATKINS IN PHILADELPHIA, N. Y.

PHILADELPHIA, N. Y., April 5.

MR. EDITOR:—Justice to the cause of freedom, and its able advocates, Wm. J. Watkins, demands a few words from me. His two meetings in this place were decided hits. The first called out a Democratic lawyer, who read several newspaper quotations of Mr. W.'s speeches, (which wholly misrepresented him,) and asked several questions, all introduced at the beginning of his meeting, thus intending to damage his popularity. This aroused Mr. Watkins' powers, and we were served with a rich feast of thought, law, history, rhetoric, oratory and wit. At every turn the speaker did himself and the cause of freedom great service. A large majority of the audience expressed their appreciation and approval in the most enthusiastic manner. The lawyer and his backers saw that they had waked up the wrong man. Democracy (in name) was thoroughly exposed and put to route. Douglass's 'Popular Sovereignty' (a covert for matchless falsehoods and hypocrisy) was held up to deserved contempt. The lawyer evidently learned that there was one curly head who understood enough to jerk the kinks out of that most of all crooked, snarled and kinked-up fraternity, Democratic lawyers.

The second meeting gave clear evidence of the depth of interest manifested in the first. The house was filled, notwithstanding the bad roads. The lecture was on Equal Suffrage.—To those who have listened to this lecture, nothing need be said to disclose its merits.—We wish to hear him again, and so far as we have learned, this is the feeling in every place where he has been in this section.

JAMES GREGG.