Lulu to Frederick Douglass, February 21, 1857

DOING IN NEW YORK CITY.

MR. EDITOR:—As your th,) wNew York Correspondent is in the habit of writing letters about every thing else than "doings in New York City," I make bold to address you a word on that subject.

Week before last on Monday night there was a Suffrage meeting, held in Spring Street Hall, at which a petition, &c., were adopted, calling on the Legislature to extend the Franchise to colored citizens. A further effort was postponed in consequence of a great religious revival which absorbs the attention of colored ministers and people.

Last night the ladies Legal Rights Association celebrated the Second Anniversary of the decision of Judge Rockwell in favor of the right of colored citizens to ride in the city cars. Several speeches were made by Mr. P. S. Porter and Professor C. L. Reason, and others; there was a cpaital supper, resplendent beauty, hoops, &c.,— Five city paper reporters were present and they seemed to enjoy themselves mightily, especially at supper time, and promenading time, when they "went in" for equal rights, without distinction of color.

Night before last, (Feb. 19th,) was celebrated the birth days of two of our leaders of beauty and fashion. It was a [illegible] masque.

"High and far, the lamps shone o'er Fair women and brave men!"

These lines may not be in poetic order, but the music, and the dancing, and the supper were.— It was one of those delightful reunions where one forgets numbers in the buoyant enjoyment, fun and merriment. My gallant F. A. B. was a highlander; I, a lowland lassie. Mr. C. N. M., a jerky young gentleman, personated a richly dressed cavalier. Mr. G. T. D., of Providence, as a tall, raw-boned Yankee, defied scrutiny until the unmasking. His brother, Mr. P. W. D, in full regalia, as a Knight of Memphis; his lady as Namcokee. The brilliant Mrs. W. W. was up to the life Madam Pompadour, and waltzed magnificently with the tall Mr. T., as Dandy Grinalde. The puzzle of the evening was Dr. J. J. C., as a pursy old Commodore; his own wife (one of the fair ladies Hostesses) failed to recognize him. Every one present set him down positively as your fat, pleasant looking, but ill-natured Correspondent, Communipaw—Even Mrs. C., who appeared as a stately Spanish dame, fell in with the mistake.— The Professor, for one laying aside his x [illegible] y, dc, appeared as a full-grown bear. Mr. T. D. was exceedingly lively as Jack Strop, and his other half, Mr. J. R., did the honors for Robert Macaire.

There were quite a number of Quakersses. The stately Miss. B., with a beautiful tricolor, represented the Fille du regiment; she contested the palm with Mrs. W. W., as the best and most expensively dressed among the ladies. Mr. and Mrs. V., of Philadelphia, (the latter in half costume,) were indispensable additions to the gaiety of the hour.

I would mention other names, but that superb Dendon Trouflee, by the unrivalled Gassin, haunts my imagination—and such solid comforts are worthy of serious reflection—to the exclusion of the mere tinsel and jewelry of that night.

So your question, "What are our friends in New York doing?" is, I hope, answered. We hold meetings; we struggle for rights; we masquerade in; and in our spare moments, we contemplate with, I trust, befitting awe, the august services which some of our rural brethren are rendering the Franchise cause; and, in order that you may labor in that direction, with the less anxiety as to the future, we beg to say that we will take teh tail end of the procession with celebrates the victory. In the mean time, it does seem to our benighted understandings, that the Bill on the Suffrage, now before the Legislature, looks very much like the old property qualification clause of the Constitution; perhaps your vision is clearer—please explain.

With deep respect, yours,

LULU

NEW YORK, Feb. 21st, 1857.