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Hanley, May 19th
My dear friend,
Your letter of 20th April was most welcome, having been anxiously looked for some days, to know, amidst all the horrors, that you were safe at home, far from Washington the scene of the assassination; was a relief—I can give you but a faint idea of the intense excitement that followed the first reception of the dreadful tidings that good worthy President Lincoln had been the victim of a vile assassin—All classes & all parties vehemently deprecated the deed—of course the "Southern sympathizers" were anxious to declare their belief that all "began & ended with two or three enthusiasts," but some of us took an entirely different view of the matter & the last tidings tend to confirm that view. I have always believed Jef. Davis & party at the bottom of the plot—& I trust he may be caught—What a mercy it is that Gov. Seward & son are recovering—at first that seemed incredible—I should very much like to send my old friend Mr. Seward a few lines of congratulations—The lengthy extract I made from your last letter, my dear friend has been sent by me to the "Leeds Mercury" & "Wesleyan Times" & was widely circulated in both journals—I forward you a "Mercury" by this mail—Any public news you send me is copied & sent off promptly to "the Mercury" & is always published the day after they get it by the Messrs Baines, to whom I send it with a letter I then send for copies of that note & circulate them among my friends—The Carpenters said their extracts to "the Inquirer" be—& thus various classes & orders are reached—Pray give up all Baltimore schemes, my dear old friend, or they will kill you, depend upon it—Intense hatred reigns in the breasts of the Southerners, & it will not pass away for generations to come—No colored man (& few white men) in the North has done more to point out the villainy of the slave system & thus you are a marked man; & must be one—You find plenty of work to do in the vast North; pray limit yr mission to that section, & remember the warning of your old friend—My last little note would cross your letter on the sea. We shall look anxiously for further news—pray write again as soon as you can in reply to this—I, herewith, send you a checque for ₤12—which will I trust prove acceptable—"The Birmingham Negroes' Friend" Society—₤5—00 Aberdeen Ladies Asso—5—00 Liverpool ditto—5—00 (Your private accounts should tell you that ₤17 have been at diverse times, deducted towards the piano—& now the three pounds deducted make ₤20—) You are to use the donations sent by these friends to further your work in behalf of your people. If you could enclose me in your next letter, one general short note I would send it to the three places, & it would doubtless, bring forth fruit in due time— While I held the ₤5. Birmingham checque the bank there failed: so I had 2) to send it back & wait results—The good Quakers changed it for another——Several large banks have failed lately, & enormous losses are the consequence—Many wealthy folks have lost their all——I told you in one of my last letters of my visit to Halifax & Leeds in March? I spent three pleasant days with your old friend now Mrs. Smithson (S. A. Morris of old times.) I met her mother, good Mrs. Morris there—She & her daughter charged me to give you their very kind love I then Mother besought me to pray you to send her your likeness—She means a photo: please do this: The one you sent me is capital. I must also ask you for two autographs. I am besought for them, & I do not like to cut your signatures off my letters—so, please remember— & send me two autographs——
I feel cheered by what you say of "baby"—tell Rose I should like her photograph & baby's together—I am so glad it forms a source of interest to Grandmama as well as to Grandpa!! Give my love to both Mrs D. & Rose—Will all the sons & son in law come home now—I wonder?—Are the troops to be disbanded at once?—Tell me all you can, I pray you—& be assured my interest is just as keen & great as ever in all that concerns my dear colored friends—Tell Mrs Douglass I would give a great deal to see her & Rose nursing baby, & to have a good cup of tea with her & a nice "Maryland biscuit"—By the way, I asked Rose to send me the receipt for said biscuits of which I have a very pleasant recollection. If I ever pay another visit to America, my dear old friend, I hope we shall find you still "on the hill", & see the grand children playing
beneath the peach trees—Dr C. writes in very kind love to you & best wishes for your safety & prosperity—No man would give you a heartier shake of the hand than he were you again to come to England—nor a warmer welcome beneath his roof—be assured of this—& all our friends would do all possible to make you happy. Jane is now a handsome fine looking girl of 15. Matty is growing up tall & thin & untiringly active in mind & body—Poor Lizzie is away for her health—visiting our kind friends the [Rawsdens?] in Halifax—We hope she will return better—The Doctor goes to Conference the 1st June (all being well) & I to London a day or two after to visit my old friend "Cassius Amelia" included—I hope to visit our friend, Mrs Carpenter at the Crystal Palace, 7th June—
The Doctor's throat & chest have troubled him all winter & spring—& he has not been out of medical care since last October—the incessant demands for him in all weathers, combined with the long, dreary winter we have had have tried him much—We hope much from a warm summer—address to Hanley, as usual when you write please—my stay in London will not be long—If you please remember me to all enquiring friends—Do tell me about the Rochester folks, or bid Rose do so—Hers was a capital letter for news—Give my love to all the boys poor fellows: they will have much to tell when they get home! I am thankful they are all safe—God bless you, my very dear friend, believe me, as ever, your faithful & affec'ate friend,
Julia G. Crofts
Julia G. Crofts
