[John S.] Rock to Frederick Douglass, April 19, 1856

FROM OUR BOSTON CORRESPONDENT.

Where are the Minutes of the National Convention—Philo, Communipaw, and ourself—The Legislature refuses to charter the proposed Colored Military Company—Prejudice against color—Colored persons proscribed in Boston—The "Atlas," and "Telegraph"—Principles of the Republican Party—Dr. Rock's Lecture before the Members of the Legislature—An act to punish loafers—A call for Cosmopolite and Ethiop.

BOSTON, April 19, 1856.

A typographical mistake made me say "Philo," instead of Phila, in a recent communication, of which, "Philo" seems to take advantage of, as an excuse to complain, about what "everybody, and his wife," has been complaining of for a long time. Friend "Philo" will please understand, that I sent the Minutes to Mr. Duterte (who was one of the secretaries) for examination, correction, and approval, and to be handed by him to the publishing committee. The secretaries had been severely censured for the non-appearance of the Minutes—and unjustly so, I think; for there was a publishing committee appointed, the material aid was placed in their hands, six months ago—and I am not surprised that those who contributed should wonder why they have not been published. There is nothing unkind in this, and I hope, the publishing committee will please take our remarks as friendly, and at the same time, give us some light on the subject. I doubt very much whether the war of words, now going on between "Communipaw" and "Philo," will settle their difficulty. A mosquito fight, is, no doubt, in prospect, and I look, with great anxiety, to know whether the black-Smith, will be knocked Down in to "pie," with the "rolling pin," or not. The battle is between "sweet meats," and "calomel and jollup." The result is one which epicureans, as well as reformers in medicine, look with much interest. I think, when the fight does come off, the result should be published in little Fred. Douglass' Paper, alias, "The Weekly Sun," which he, (little Fred.,) informs us, has a circulation larger than all the rest of the papers in the country united!

The Senate has refused to accept the memorial from (five) colored citizens, praying for a charter for a colored military company. I thought that the military company was not only "split in two," but "dead as a nit." A year ago, I expressed my opinion of the merits of the claim, and I was then informed, that it was not a colored military company, but a military company, making no distinctions on account of color. I was then, happy to say, that I had been misinformed. This time, I have heard the matter discussed, so far as it went, and I know, that it was the understanding, both in the House and in the Senate, that the petitioners were not only colored, but, that they asked for a charter for a colored company, and as such, it was opposed. I know all the petitioners, and for them I entertain the highest respect. I believe they were governed by the best motives, and considered that they have a perfect right to do as they have done. Perhaps they had. I know it is generally understood that men have a right to do as they please about their own business; and this is true in some cases, but, it is not a universal truth.—Men have a right to do as they please about their own business, only, when it does not interfere, or affect the interest or rights of others.—The impression abroad, is, that the mass of the colored people have petitioned for a military company. This is a mistake; the petitioners "all told," as read by the clerk, in the House, do not number over a half-dozen. I think the movement is a mistaken one, and that they (the petitioners) will find it so, and regret that they have done any thing to keep up those invidious distinctions, which we have labored so long and so assiduously to remove.

The committee to whom the Personal Liberty Law was referred, have presented three reports, a majority report, recommending a repeal of several of its sections, one for its entire repeal, and one recommending that the judges of the supreme court be requested to express their opinion on it, as it now stands. I shall keep you posted up, as to results.

The Telegraph says, that two colored girls

have been refused accommodations in a Court Street saloon! We will inform the Telegraph that this is a thing of frequent occurrence, in that saloon, and in an eating saloon in Wilson's Lane. All our theatres, and places of amusement, except the museum, proscribe colored persons! Even in good old Anti-Slavery Worcester, Tucker & Bonney refused to give me my dinner, when I went up to the Republican Mass Convention last autumn. The Telegraph "does not begin to know" one half of the insults and advantages under which we labor; and yet if we do not succeed, in spite of them, our friends are often ready to "back down," and say "he might have done better." Give us, at least one kind word, "once in a while," and always your patronage, when you can well do so. We have but two avowedly Anti-Slavery dailies in this city, the "Atlas," an able aristo-cratic paper, recently gone into the Republican movement, and if it wills is capable of doing much good. For my own part, I grow more and more disgusted with party politics every day; and I am inclined to believe if the Republican party keeps on "whittling away" its principles, for the sake of "availibility," it will take a stronger journal than the "Atlas" to support it. The other paper, the Telegraph, is emphatically "the people's paper;" a paper, meeting, or at least aiming to meet, the wants of the age. It is not so very particular to have every sentence so euphonious as to please the most fastidious, nor is it particularly careful to please anybody. It aims not to deal in ideas alone, but in facts; not to pander to mammon, but to defend the oppressed.—In a word, they aim not to say that which is rich and ravishing, but that which is right. It is far in advance of all our dailies, and, I would say to your fifty thousand readers, if they wish to take a Boston newspaper, and get all the news, the "Weekly Telegraph" is published for the low price of two dollars a year—and I shall be most happy to know, that the friends of freedom are rallying around their standard bearers. I know the publishers of the Telegraph, and it is but faint praise, when I say that Messrs. Williams, Morse, Baldwin, and Robinson, are all gentlemen, and true to the cause of freedom. I suppose that you, Mr. Reader, are a subscriber to this paper. If you are not, subscribe for it at once, while your fingers are in your pockets. You have no idea what encouragement a single subscriber gives to a struggling sheet like this.

A large audience assembled to hear Dr. Rock lecture on "the Unity of the Races," before the members of the Legislature in the State House, a few evenings since.

A bill was passed to be enacted in the Senate to-day concerning "idle and disorderly persons," in which it recognizes all those young men who have no occupation, and who "hang around" drinking houses, and billiard saloons, as "idle and disorderly persons," and to be dealt with accordingly. I hope it will be some good, for there is much need of such a law.

"Communipaw," "Philo," and "S," have had their "flare up." Where is "Cosmopolite," and "Ethiop?" The last named gentleman we have tried to reach by public and private correspondence, and all to no avail. "Ethiop," "Ethiop," where art thou?

ROCK.