Mrs. L. Reddon to Frederick Douglass, December 5, 1857

Letter from Mrs. L. Reddon

Mr. Editor.—In looking over your paper of the 13th ult. I observed a communication over the signature of E. J. A. in which he makes a grave charge against me for abruptly objecting to Mrs. A. W. Adams taking a seat in the common saloon of the boat of which I am stewardess, and further states that finding my objections had no influence over her, I notified the Captain, who obeyed my orders, and the consequence was that the lady, not choosing to be proscribed, left the boat. E. J. A. then inquires whether such conduct should escape unrebuked in black any more than in white people.

Were it not that E. J. A. has assailed me in a two-fold sense as the proprietress of a boardinghouse, as well as the Stewardess of the boat above alluded to, I should treat the communication with the contempt it [merits] but I feel called upon to reply to the false charged [illegible] the satisfaction of my friends and in defense of my own character. Whether Mrs. Adams has made a misrepresentation to her husband or whether he has purposely endeavored to vilify me, I know not, but one thing is certain, and that is, he has digressed from the truth very widely.

The facts in the case are these:

When I saw Mrs. Adams seated in the ladies saloon I spoke to her in a tone of voice so low that I am confident no one heard me but herself. I told her the rules of the boat in regard to colored person, and I would have the writer of the communication to know that these rules were made neither by me nor the Captain, but by the Company owning the boat. Observing that the lady did not receive the information with a very kindly feeling, I left her to think the matte rover and act as best suited herself. A short time after, the Captain in passing the door of the saloon, saw the lady and came to me to know why I had not made her acquainted with the rules of the boat. I told him I had done so. He then went to her and I know nothing of the conversation they had. But was surprised to see the lady leave the boat.

I think it would be well for this physician of souls to heal himself, for persons who bear false witness against his neighbors should also be rebuked. It is setting a bad example before the world for watchmen on the walls of Zion to raise a false alarm. How much more befiting a Christian minister would it have been, if my Brother

conceived that he saw sin on my garments, to have come to me in the Spirit of his Divine Master and reproved me for my wrong doings, than to have sent his name to the world coupled with a false statement, for I think that a high standard for truth is as essential to the moral elevation of our people, as sitting in the saloon of a steamboat, and especially among the clergy.

I will leave the Stewards, saloon keepers, and Barbers spoken of to defends themselves.

There is however, one other circumstance to which I may allude. Soon after the occurrence above spoken of Mr. Adams being at a Public meeting held at Masonic Hall in this city, asked of the president permission to expose my conduct, but was denied on the ground that it was not the time for such a statement. I was not in the city at the time nor did I know that I had given offence to Mrs. A. After that abortive effort to injure my reputation, without my knowledge, he made a friendly visit to my family and said he would call again, which he has not yet seen proper to do.

L. REDDON.

Philadelphia, Dec. 5th. 1857.