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Elizabeth Keckley, Behind the Scenes (n. 4. 1868)

"POTTSVILE, Oct. 29, 1867.

"MY DEAR MRS. KECKLEY: - You know the drift
of my views concerning the subscription for Mrs.
Lincoln. Yet I wish to place them more dis-
tinctly before you, so that, if you have occasion to
refer to me in connection with the matter, you
can do so with accuracy and certainty.

"It is due Mrs. Lincoln that she should be in-
demnified, as far as money can do so, for the loss
of her beloved husband. Honor, gratitude, and
a manly sympathy, all say yes to this. I am will-
ing to go farther than this, and say that Mrs.
Lincoln herself should be the judge of the amount
which shall be deemed sufficient, believing that
she would not transcend reasonable limits.
The obligation resting on the nation at large is
great and increasing, but especially does it be-
come colored men to recognize that obligation.
It was the hand of Abraham Lincoln that broke
the fetters of our enslaved people, and let them
out of the house of bondage. When he was slain,
our great benefactor fell, and left his wife and
children to the care of those for whom he gave up
all. Shame on the man or woman, who, under such
circumstances, would grudge a few paltry dollars,
to smooth the pathway of such a widow! All
this, and more, I feel and believe. But such is
the conditon of this question, owing to party
feeling, and personal animosities now mixed up
with it, that we are complled to consider these
in the effort we are making to obtaun subscrip-
tions.

"Now, about the meeting in Copper Institute;
I hold that that meeting should only be held in
concert with other movements. It is bad general-
ship to put into the field only a fraction of your
army when you have no mean to prevent their
being cut to pieces. It is gallant to go forth sin-
gle-handed, but is it wise? I want to see some-
thing more than the spiteful Herald behind me
when I step forward in this case at the Cooper In-
stitute. Let Mr. Brady out with his circulars, with
his list of commanding names, let the Herald and
Tribune give a united blast upon their bugles, let
the city be placarded, and the doors of Cooper
Institute be flung wide open, and the people,
without regard to party, come up to the discharge
of this national duty.

"Don't let the cause be made ridiculous by fail-
ure at the onset. Mr. Garnet and I could bear
any mortification of this kind; but the cause
could not. And our cause must not be damaged
by any such generalship, which would place us
in the van unsupported.

"I shall be at home by Saturday; please write
me and let me know how matters are proceed-
ing. Show this letter to Messrs. Brady and
Garnet.

"I am, dear madam,
"Very truly yours,
"Frederick Douglass"