Julia Griffiths Crofts to Frederick Douglass, March 26, 1877

JULIA GRIFFITHS CROFTS TO FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Gateshead-on-Tyne, [Eng.]^{1This manufacturing community was located in northeastern England on the opposite bank of the Tyne River from Newcastle. Seltzer, Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer, 665.} 26 March [1877].

MY DEAR FRIEND

—This is the last letter you will receive from my hand from Denmark St—as, all being well, we move to St Neots next week— address— The Cross St Neots— Hants—^{2The Crofts moved from Newcastle to Cambridgeshire in 1879 after Henry Crofts retired. Their new address was Cross, St. Neots, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Janet Douglas, “A Cherished Friendship: Julia Griffiths Crofts and Frederick Douglass,” Slavery and Abolition, 33: 272 (May 2012).}

It has of late years become the fashion to curtail the shires of our Counties: Huntingdonshire is the Co: but it is rarely written—you will inquire that I am very busy now, with moving in prospect—but I feel that I must send my dear old friend a word of congratulation upon his new appointment—of which I only definitely heard last Saty morning—your welcome letter greeted me on my return from that same evening—dear friend Fredk you know how warmly & truly I congratulate you. I am most anxious to know what your duties will be or rather are—for I suppose they will have [illegible] in this?—so, if in the press of business you only can send me a dozen lines, prithee send them—will the appointment keep you fixed at Washington?—I suppose there will be no lecturing now?—I do hope it will prove remunerative? Tell me all particulars—I will know how much I want to know then—Is the President a fine man? at any rate he has the discernment to appreciate true nobility—This is 1877—and 30 years ago this March (1847) we had our anti Slavery (Lndn.) service^{3Douglass first met the Griffiths sisters at the farewell reception given for him in London on 30 March 1847. The meeting was a great success, with hundreds of people flocking to the London Tavern to hear Douglass speak. The English parliamentarian and abolitionist George Thompson introduced Douglass, and several of the friends that Douglass had made traveled down to London to say farewell, including the author William Howitt and the Bristol-based abolitionist John Estlin. Joseph Sturge, a member of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, also spoke. Douglass’s speech was published in a pamphlet in London. Douglass Papers, ser. 1, 2: 19–52; Fought, Women, 93–94.} & Eliza^{4Eliza Griffiths Dick.} pinned that white carnation in your coat? and the haughty brother Frederick “never rested till he knocked off the beautiful white flower

leaving only the green leaves on”—Can it be 30 years ago this coming 29th March? and then, 28 years ago this 29th March—/49—the “Sarah Sands”^{5Griffiths and her sister Eliza sailed on the S.S. Sarah Sands from Liverpool and reached New York on 2 May 1849. The ship, which was built in 1846, sailed between Liverpool and New York until 1850, when it sailed between San Francisco and Panama City for over a year. The ship was eventually used by the British government to move troops from Britain to the Crimea and then to India after the Indian Mutiny of 1857. The ship was wrecked twelve years later in the Indian Ocean. Glanville J. Davies, “The Wreck of the S.S. Sarah Sands,” Mariner’s Miller, 61: 61–71 (January 1975); “Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild (passenger manifest),” immigrantships.net.} bore us across the wide Atlantic; And you, if God spares your valuable life will “cross over” again to see us—I fear not this summer but if the next November our St Neots house as yr head quarters—you can spend four St Neots a stop (over) in London—& see our “new, great Metropolis”—which you scarcely saw last time—& I am sure, you will feel quite at home with my household—which is an extremely pleasant one—Their very nice governess move with me—& Mattie Crofts^{6Martha “Mattie” Nichol Crofts.} joins me—& I hope God will bless us—& then all will be well—Dont fail to send me a few lines soon—Be careful of yourself—do not run any risks—the Southern tyrants will not relish the appointment—Remember me very kindly to Mrs Douglass,^{7Anna Murray Douglass.} Rose,^{8Rosetta Sprague Douglass.} & the sons—if they bear me in memory—and praying that God may bless you abundantly, I am, forever & ever, your faithful and affectionate old friend,

JULIA G. CROFT

[P.S.] Sh[oul]d the doctor^{9Henry O. Crofts.} knew I was writing he send you his best regards—

ALS: General Correspondence File, reel 3, frames 77R–79L, FD Papers, DLC.