John W. Sullivan to Frederick Douglass, April 16, 1859

"PRAYER FOR THE OPPRESSED."

$100 OFFERED FOR THE BEST PRIZE TRACT.

BOSTON, April 16, 1859.

FRIEND DOUGLASS:—In the New York Independent of Feb. 3d, 1859, there appeared the following Call, viz:

MESSERS. EDITORS: The subscriber is authorized to say, that a friend, not wishing his name should be publicly known, offers $100 to the person who will write the best tract on the duty and importance of praying for the abolition of slavery and oppression, especially in our own country, particularly adapted to interest new converts before their minds become embarrassed with political and party strife. The tract is to be entitled "Prayer for the Oppressed." The offerer nominates and requests the gentlemen named below to act as a committee of award, to wit:

Rev. Elnathan Davis, Fitchburg, Mass.

Rev. George Truck, of the same place,

John W. Sullivan, Boston, Mass.

Charles Wilder, Esq, " "

Rev. E.N. Nevins, Chelsea, Mass.

The tract should not exceed 200 pages of a common size tract when printed, and should be sent to the committee of award in season to be examined and the prize one transmitted to the Publication Committee of the A.T.S., Boston, by the 1st of June next.

Signed,

NOAH EMERSON, For the offerer of the Prize.

HOLLIS, N.H., Jan. 21, 1859.

Now I am ignorant who the offerer of this prize may be, or of how he ventured to use my name without consulting me, but shall be very thankful if his offer shall bring out a tract worthy of the grand object, and shall be greatly gratified if you, or some one else of your color, shall be the one to win the prize. It ought certainly to be so, for you, better than any white person, know how to understand the necessity and duty of prayer for the abolition of slavery and oppression. I desire very much that the tract should be so able, Christ-like, and convincing, that none of any race will dare to gainsay its teachings, and that it will serve to consume and completely

annihilate the spirit of conservatism, that fears to call upon God to remove slavery and oppression, but it should check revivals, bring discord into the churches, and interfere with the rights of our Southern brethren, and jeopardize the Union!! With good wishes for your success,

I remain truly your friend,

JOHN W. SULLIVAN.