[John S.] Rock to Frederick Douglass, April 5, 1858

BOSTON, April 5, 1858.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, Esq.—DEAR SIR :—We have has a mild winter, and the weather now is charming. Notwithstanding the hard times, we have had but little suffering, and I have heard some of our oldest citizens say that they have never known fewer persons to apply for aid than there have been the past winter. You know beggars are scarce here. Those who do ask aid are generally foreigners. It is, indeed, a rare thing to see a black beggar unless it is one of a few ecclesiastical beggars who scour the whole country to no good purpose.

I see that the Boston Post has been making you say that there is no such thing as equality between the white and black races; and the efforts of the Abolitionists to bring about such a result are scouted by you. I heard Mr. Caleb Cushing in a speech against some Kansas resolutions, quote the same as coming from you. And he was very careful to give you credit for being a remarkably clear-headed colored man.

Our Legislature closed one week ago, after a session of 81 days. The most important business done was the removal of Judge Loring, the passage of resolutions denouncing the Dred Scott decision, and re-affirming that the colored citizens of Massachusetts are citizens of the United States—and the knocking out of all the vitality of the Personal Liberty Law!

I shall leave for France in a few days. Our mutual friend 'Whiting' was mistaken in saying that I wish to raise means to go to England where he hoped that I would be successful. I do not go to England now, though I hope to visit there before I return home. My case is simply this, my health has been declining for the past two years; and I wish to consult the French surgeons, and spend some time in the hospitals for treatment. Some of my friends knowing the great outlay necessary for such an expedtion had a card inserted in our papers here, which, I regret to say, has been misunderstood by some of my friends abroad, who got the impression that I was reduced to the extremity of begging.

We have here a private dramatic club which is composed of some of our first among the colored people, who gave an exhibition a few days since at Chapman Hall. The parts of all were well performed, and some evinced natural talents of a high order. They give another exhibition on Wednesday evening, when an address will

be delivered by Mr. Nell, who is, I believe, one of its founders.

This will be my last on this side of the water.

I bid you adieu,

ROCK.

[Our Correspondent has our very best wishes for the speedy recovery of his health, a pleasant voyage and a safe return to the scence of his labors. we do not feel called upon to explain our views of human equality in our columns, against statements made either by the Boston Post, or by Hon. Caleb Cushing. We have spoken and written to but poor purpose if an friend of ours, at this late day needs from us, a denial of the sentiment attributed us by Mr. Cushing, or by any body else.—Ed. F. Douglass' Paper.]