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For Frederick Douglass' Paper.
FROM OUR NEW HAVEN CORRESPONDENT.
NEW HAVEN, Oct. 10th, 1855.
F. DOUGLASS, ESQ.: DEAR SIR:—In continuing our notices of the signs fo the times, as they appear in this part of the field of vision, we begin by saying that the concert of the LUCA FAMILY was completely successful; Brewster's Hall, the most popular in this city, being filled to its utmost capacity, with the very elite of the city. This was gratifying to all who desire the improvement and elevation of the colored people. In this change of public feeling, in this manifestation of the removal of prejudice, we recognize the good fruit of the labors of our Anti-Slavery friends, and among them, none are to be appreciated more highly than the Lecture of WENDELL PHILLIPS, ESQ.k, of Boston. In his most eloquent and able Lecture last spring, he rebuked clearly and explicitly, prejudice against a man simply on the account of the color of his skin. No person would ever dream from hearing the most of those styled Reform lectures or Anti-Slavery lectures, that there is in this land of boasted freedom, any such class of persons, as the nominally free; and very little is ever said of the moral, mental, or of the intellectual condition of the slaves, while the social condition of both, is wholly ignored. The New Haven County Horticultural Fair has just closed its annual meeting, and we are gratified to note the fact, that the second prize for the best squashes was given to Mr. M. LYMAN, a colored farmer of this city. Let this fact stimulate others to "go and do likewise." Mr. Lyman has taken prizes at these annual Fairs several times, we beleive. In relation to the remarks, which wer made in a former communication concerning Lectures in this city, it should ahve been stated that the "Young Men's Library Association" have made arrangements for a course of Lectures, which are the fourth course to be delivered here this season. We hope the "New Haven Union Literary Society" will have a course, and if it cannot have distinguished speakers from abroad, the "ETHIOPS," and the "COMMUNIPAWS," whose literary zeal and classic ability are abundantly shown in the interesting columns of Frederick Douglass' Paper—then let the dignified LATHROP, the versatile ATHONY, the studious GREEN, the accomplished BASSETT, the gracefull LACY, the polished CREED, the brilliant P. F. ROGERS, and the able A. L. ROGERS —but why enumerate the SCOTTS, the CASSELLS the LIVINGSTONS, and the HANDCOCKS, and others, who from the rich store house of their acquirements, are able to interest and instruct the public mind, and mould the public sentiment to virtue and truth? Come, gentlemen, thrown open the doors of your Society, and lay your varied offerings of intellectual wealth upon the Altar "of public, and mutual improvement." The vote on the proposed amendment to our State Convention has been taken and carried, so that from this time all electors will have to be able to read any section of any Law, or any Article of the Constitution. Reasonable as this requirement is, and notwithstanding the severe storm, which prevailed on the day of election, more than TEN THOUSAND freemen of old Connecticut voted "No," declaring that in their opinion, that a "white" man is qualified for all the duties and responsibilities of the elective franchise, if he is unable to read the names on his ballot! Eight years ago SIXTEEN THOUSAND voters of this State declared that the word "white" should not be stricken from the Constitution, which, had it been done, would have admitted to the rights of citizenship a few hundred men, among whom but few, if any, could be found unable to read. The color of the skin, if serious, solmen moment, the darkness and ignorance of the mind, and the degradation of the morals are of no consequence. So in Connecticut, so in the estimate of the New York Tribune; for it boldly and unblushingly asserts in the face of all the civilized world, that the "Blacks, as a class, are indolent, improvident, servile, and licentious," but that they, the "Blacks ought to enjoy the right of Suffrage just as the Whites do!" Fight for the right, notwithstanding, "as a class, they are indolent, improvident, servile, and licentious!"— What Philosophical guardians of the purity of the ballot-box, the interest of civil Liberty. When it was known that the amendment was carried in the State, the chief Democratic paper of this city discoursed as follows: "It is an abominable idea that a man should be classed with criminals and deprived of his rights as a citizen, because he cannot read!" And yet, the Register, in relation to striking out the word "white" from the Constitution, threw its influence against a proposition so just and reasonable.
A. G. B.
