J. Sella Martin to Frederick Douglass, March 29, 1869

J. SELLA MARTIN TO FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Washington, D.C. 29 March 1869.

418 FOURTEENTH STREET

MY DEAR MR DOUGLASS:

I was appointed, at a meeting of the share-holders of our Newspaper Enterprise, to make known to you the nature of their action.

It was unanimously resolved to invite you to take the Editorial Chair and I was chosen as Associate Editor, of the Newspaper about to be started.^{1In February and March 1869, Douglass joined his son Lewis, George T. Downing, and several other black leaders in sending out a circular calling for contributions to a proposed new weekly newspaper for African Americans to be published in Washington, D.C. Blacks in Washington supported this plan with pledges totaling $2,500. They proposed Douglass serve as editor in chief, the Presbyterian minister and experienced journalist J. Sella Martin as associate editor, and Lewis Douglass as chief compositor and print shop manager. Douglass declined the offered position and warned that the enterprise would require much more capital. Investors pushed ahead anyway and offered the editorship to Martin. Martin accepted on the condition that Douglass serve as the newspaper’s contributing editor. The New Era issued its first copy on 13 January 1870, and Douglass’s first article appeared two weeks later. Philip S. Foner, Frederick Douglass: A Biography (New York, 1969), 277–79; James H. Whyte, The Uncivil War: Washington during the Reconstruction, 1865–1878 (New York, 1958), 252–53; Washburn, African American Newspaper, 35; Roland Edgar Wolseley, The Black Press, U.S.A. (Ames, Iowa, 1971), 34–35.}

This action was based upon the twofold consideration that, as you had yourself justly said, the sentiment which is to rule this Nation for the next four years is to be manufactured in the North, and that as you was one of

the chief manufacturers we could not ask you to give up that field to reside permanently in this.

These considerations called for a resident Editor and your Correspondent was chosen, I doubt not, more because of his willingness than his ability to do what the position requires.

The salary of the Editors was not fixed because the chief business required about a week or ten days to ascertain how much help, from white friends and colored shareholders could be procured. I have no doubt, however, that this matter can be arranged to your satisfaction.

Your son, Mr Lewis Douglass, was chosen as Chief Compositor and manager of the proposed printing-room with a view not only of securing the advantage of his experience and talent but also because, if practicable, it is desired to have all the work done by colored people.

Our confidence in you and our esteem for you will serve as an excuse for the unbusiness practice of inviting you to assume the arduous duties and <the> heavy responsibilities of the Editorial Chair without having fixed the amount of remuneration we are prepared to give. And then too we think that the announcement that you will take the Editorial responsibilities may aid us in securing a sufficient foundation—fund to make the salary somewhat worthy of the genius and reputation of the Editor in Chief.

As to the business features I may say it is thought that five thousand dollars ($5000) will run the machinery smoothly for six months; and the confidence is, I think, as well founded as it is strong that by that time we will be able to open other channels of assistance and support. Twenty five hundred dollars ($2,500) is pledged and will be immediately forthcoming from colored people here; and I am credibly informed that this last appeal will bring us much more from the same class and from white friends.

If this be true, and Mr Geo. T Downing is now testing the truthfulness of this estimate, it seems likely we may start at an early date.

The chief feature of the Paper is to manifest our interest in Reconstruction and our grasp of its problems and it is hoped that a judicious system of agencies in the southern States and an [illegible] collection of facts vitally affecting the interest of the colored people in those States will bring us larger subscription lists, for a well conducted weekly paper.

If it were not at once presumptious and useless to urge one of your interest in our race and of your great ability and willingness to serve your people I would try to speak of this matter as it appears to me; but happily

both your patriotism and experience in Newspaper enterprises lead me to listen rather than to attempt to persuade.

Hoping to hear from you at once and with the mostly kindly remembrances to your family together with the most loving admiration for yourself

I am my dear Sir

Yours very truly

SELLA MARTIN

ALS: General Correspondence File, reel 2, frames 445R–47L, FD Papers, DLC.