Miami to Frederick Douglass, March 7, 1860

CINCINNATI LETTER

MR. EDITOR:—When I closed my last letter to you, I was talking about Levi Coffin, or 'Dear Uncle Levi,' as these who know him best love to call him. Levi is one of those noble-hearted creatures whom we find scattered among men in the proportion of one to a million, and who serve to teach us by example, that humanity is after all a grand and noble thing. His heart is of the wide open structure that finds a shelter and loving consideration for all living beings. Fugitives, male and female, adults and children, sick and well, and hundreds of them, have shared his hospitality, and gone from his roof to Canada and freedom. Books might be filled with his adventures in their behalf, and should one be written, all hearts would melt as they read of the kindness with which these who came to his roof sick; some even unto death, were cared for by him and his equally loveable wife. Lately, the tide of fugitives from the South has been greatly increased, by the color has changed. White men are now finding shelter under Levi's roof, fugitives for conscience sake. Shall we have a new Fugitive Act to meet their case? Under his roof Fee, Reed, and others of the Kentucky exiles, are sheltered. Among his boarders is a gentleman from Louisiana, who carries with him certificates from a number of planters on Red River, testifying to his great abilities as an overseer; avouching his capacity to produce a maximum number of bales or hogsheads, at a minimum expenditure of life and limb of the slaves under his charge. Coming to this State a few years since, commissioned to emancipate a number of persons, he was struck with wonder at the intelligence and refinement manifested by the colored people with whom he came in contact. Can it be possible that the people whom I work and flog as I would beasts, are capable of such

improvement? This question he asked himself here and at home, until the truth was forced upon his mind, that the slaves were human beings, and entitled, as such, to humane treatment. Still he was no abolitionist. The evils of slavery were what excited his disgust, not the institution itself. He joined church, employed a minister at his own expense to preach to the slaves under his charge, and did all in his power to mitigate the severities of their lot, but alas for fine theories, he soon found that slavery and its evils were inseparable. So throwing up his commission he came to Cincinnati, and like Saul of old, is found among the prophets.

I spoke in my letter of the divided state of the Anti-Slavery people of Cincinnati. A movement in the right direction has been made since then. An association, called the Hamilton County Anti-Slavery Society, has been formed. It includes among its members, a number of prominent philanthropists of the city and vicinity. They have commenced work by sending to the Legislature an able memorial, praying that United States Commissioners may be punished for exercising judicial functions. The argument is simple and convincing: The Constitution lodges judicial power in the hands of persons appointed by the President by and with, the advice and consent of the Senate, who receive a stated salary, and who hold their offices during good behavior. U.S. Commissioners meet none of these requirements; hence men sworn to uphold the Constitution, as our legislators are, are bound to prevent this illegal exercise of power.

I am glad to see Gerrit Smith so thoroughly restored, and I hope his suit against those Union-saving libelers may prove successful.—I want him to get some of the profits of that Southern trade their are crawling for. Your great man, I mean the great man of your State, has struck the key note of the Republican party for the coming campaign. Will he get the nomination? If all Republicans are striped the same way they are here, he will

not.—The party here would nominate the devil if they were sure of success under his leadership.

A lecture delivered here a few weeks since, and re-delivered by request, has thrown the colored community into a great ferment.—The problem which the Rochester Convention attempted, but did not solve, has been revolving in the brain of a gentleman of our city, formerly one of the editorial fraternity, now engaged in the Colored Public Schools, and suddenly he announced a lecture. It was delivered, applauded, and as I said before, re-delivered. The consequences are that an association has been formed for the establishment of a Combination Store, another to establish a workshop, and a building association is projected. A merchant from Iowa pledges his firm to purchase three thousand dollars worth of furniture from the Industrial Association annually. Others are making similar pledges. I hope they may succeed, and I am sure 'Communipaw' does. I will note their doings, and let you hear of them.

The Lyceum has beome The Institution with us. Every Tuesday night from one to three hundred persons assemble to hear the discussions, essays, lectures, and so forth, of the members of the Lyceum. Conspicuous among the members, I saw the last evening, the burly figure of the Rev. Tabbs Gross, or Senator Gross, as he is named by the etiquette of the Lyceum. Seated at his desk, and in an ample chair labeled with his name, he appears as the noblest Roman of them all. No very great effects have been observed to arise from their proceedings as yet, except an invariable shower which commences just as they disperse.

Whether the conjunction of so many brilliant intellects has anything to do with it, I will not say. Perhaps the weather man at Brooklyn Heights can account for the phenomenon.

Yours,

MIAMI.

CINCINNATI, March 7th, 1860.