The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-10-14
A TRIP TO THE NORTHWEST.

n
The Pittsburgh Convention-IS AsPeets-lts
Influence on the North weSt-PrOspeetS Of the
Campaign, Se.
IcoNcLUDEDl
BALTIMORE, Oct 1, 1852.
! To the Editor of the National Era:
! From Cleveland | proceeded to Detroit, in
one of the elegant steamers running in connec
ton with the Michigan Central and Northern
Indiana Railroad route, under the command of
! Captain Pearce. There | had a delightful
meeting with the colored people, made up in
large proportion of fugitive slaves whom
found there openly taking care of themselves
under the lead of such men as Henry Bib, whe
publishes the Voice Of the Fugitire, in Windsor,
Canada, Just across the Detroit river Mr.. Cor
don of Detroit and other noble-spirited men of
color whose names | cannot now remember
From Detroit diverged on trip to Canada
on the pleasant little steamer Ploughboy, run
ming up Detroit river, and across to the beauti
full little lake st. Clair, and then up the Thames
river to Chatham village which is some seventy
miles distant from Detroit: and from there to
what is known as Kings Settlement OF
this portion of my travel ] do not propose to
speak now but to devote special letter to it,
at more leisurely future day, with your per-
mission
returned to Detroit. and addressed a large
and spirited ratification meeting there. Leav-
ing the Free Democracy in good spirits i'll
Gen. Casss city, where the Hunker Demo-
Gratis were flat enough, on account of the sacri-
,, fee in the Baltimore slaughter-house of their
millionaire fellow-ctizen, took up my line of
travel, and the delightful Central Railroad car
ried me rapidly and safely to the /" Prairie
city"
| spent number of days at Chicago, put
altogether-for made it the centre from which
| made several delightful runs by the Central
and Southern boats by turn, to the Lake cities
of Wisconsin, and by the Galena and Chicago
| Union Railroad as far as the romantic and
thriving village of Rockford, the present ter
minus of the railtrack and diverging both
| from lake and railroad into the prairie country
as far as Belot, Wisconsin, where spoke for
! Hale and Julian, and to other more rural
points, back of Kenosha and Racine, where the
| enthusiastic county conventions noticed in the
Era were held and where | was glad suffer
ed myself to be taken from my route to say
hearty word for that whole souled man, Charles
Durkee, and to hear him nominated the third
time by grateful people, who seem to apprc-
cate his rare worth. And here | take occasion
pile, without leave of the wirewOrkers," ex-
pect to hear of his triumphant election for
third term in the councils where such rare
men are much needed as you well know.
also met the people at Kenosha and Racine,
speaking at the latter fourishing place to
| large and spirited meeting of the Free Democ-
racy, whose doctrines have some advocates
there, whose uniform kindness | shall long re-
| l. h. -,
ming meeting in the Court House, composed of
| the members of the various churches, on the
obstacles to religious progress in the South.
| The mention of court house in connection
with such theme will sound shocking enough
to those accustomed to the sort of court houses
we have in Southern villages, and the altogeth-
or different use they are put to, for the most
part. SO it did to me, confess and | took
occasion to say 80 before saw the court room,
and learned how differently the inhabitants
viewed and used it. lnow do not feel as though
| had been excluded from the churches for
| discovered that it Is not only customary for
lectures on religious topics but even regular
sermons, to be delivered in their neat and COM
modious "court house
At Milwaukee found the Wisconsin State
Free Democratic Convention in session. and u
large and enthusiastic body it was, ably pre-
sided over by Byron Kibourn, Esq, with be-
coming dignity 1t gave the plainest ndca-
tons that in that State there are men of the most
reliable sort, especially those in the more rural
districts. At this Convention, Samuel Lewis,
of Ohio made two speeches, one in the after
noon and the other at night, both of great abil-
| ity and efficiency, a. is his habit. Mr.. Van
| Amrnge, who is now in our movement hearth
| ly, with the hope of his new allies that he will
carry his National Reform co-labOrers with
him, was present but did not make any speech
es MIR. Lewis was also the principal speaker
at the rural meetings Just noticed NJ incidcn-
tally attended by me. His visit to Wisconsin
was not only acceptable but evidently highly
useful
Before leaving this State whose wonderful
progress is glorious illustration Of the superb
ority of free labor over slave labor, of which
had heard much, and of which expected much
in the way of Anti, Slavery progress, from the
fact that its people were capable of apprec-
ating and sustaining so natural n man as their
own Durkee, want to notify you not to he
surprised if it should east its vote for Hale and
Julian. Everything looks favorable for that
contamination 80 devoutly to be wished A lit
tie extra exertion by her English speakers, with
one or two German lecturers, to reach the ears
Of the blind worshppers Of the mere name of
" Democracy would give her the glorious dis
tinction of taking the lead of the army of Free
dom. Let the Free Sellers there see to the
high and peculiar responsibility of their posi-
ton! Their brethren elsewhere expect them
to do their whole duty
spoke twice in Chicago, at Free Soil meet
ings appointed for Mr. Lewis, and once to a
meeting appointed for me by the colorcd peo-
pie, who are not very numerous, but thrifty,
and respected by their felow-citizen, generally
J found many kind friends among whom graf
ltude for special kindnesses shown leads me to
name James H Collins, E,q. the Free Demo
cratic Congressional candidate of that district
DIR. Charles V. Dyer, and ZGbina Eastman of
the Western CHi=en, paper which was glad
to find looking up" again BY the way. the
Cusen has received an important alliance in
the DAILY Times, conducted 10y Mr. CASTOR.
new, spirited, Free Soil paper from which
much OF the CHi:enS matter is made upr to
advantage.
At Rockford. and also mt st. Charles, ILL
nois, attended County Conventions. and spoke
to the masses, whom | found sympathetic and
ready for the good work | also spoke on the
religious aspects OF slavery, or the slavery AS
pect OF religion, more correctly speaking, at
Lysander, some sixteen miles northwest OF
Rocktord-another effort suited to the Sab
bath. Depend upon it, we shall hear good
account from Northern Illinois in November
The whole region is ripe for a revolution
should not be surprised if Free Democrat
were returned to Congress from the Rockford
first district, 10 woiully disgraced whilom by
/ Col. Baker, ana also from the Chicago district
MIR. Collins is an able, noble-spiritcd man. with
, tnhn Wapt, N