The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-10-01
OUR MIDDLETowN LETTER,
MIppLEro Sent liz 1sso

o0AG4OWN LEIIER.
MIDDLETowN, Sept, 16, 1859.
DEAR ANGLo:-En route to this place on
the l4th inst, from New Haven, l stopped
in Meriden, where the Yankees manufac.
ture such great variety of notions as.
pecially buttons and other tailors' metallic
trimmings, suspender trimmings, harness
and trunk trimmings, and tin and britannia
ware. / found but three colored persons
in the place, although it contains over four
thousand inhabitants, and consequently had
to avail myself of the miserable, prejudice.
tainted accommodations of one-legged,
ffth-rate tavern, the landlord of which
bears the reputation of being, together
with his whole family, good anti-slavery'
friends; but his business is principally TO
board the hands who work in some of the
shops, and Mr. r. (the landlord) dare not
treat black person otherwise than as fol.
lows: When | first stepped into the sit.
ting room, his son told me that the house
was full, and could not have single
room, and in moment or two Mr.. R., Sr.
appeared, and confirmed what his son had
said; but being total stranger, and find.
ing myself, near the close of the day, I'm.
provided with accommodations for the
night, deemed it advisable to procure the
best CO I'll from them, and then leave tbe
place as soon as possible. He also told
me that / should eat with his family, but
when his family did eat, he forgot (2) to
call me- Hurrah for Meriden anti-slavery
principles in a-(hotel p Let SO much suf
fee for Mr.. RS hotel, near ssthe railroad
track, Meriden, Conn.
| was informed that there were TIRES
colored BARRIERS in the place, but became
acquainted with but one-Mr. Jehreys.
Formerly Meridian was celebrated as The
fountain head of pere anti-slayery princi.
pies; but now they feel too poor to do
much in that way.
Bidding adieu to Meriden on the after.
noon of the 18th, | arrived, through Berlin,
at Middletown half-hour before sunset,
but was again unsuccessful in finding
place to stay with my colored friends.
The members of the colored Methods
Church here held a festival last evening
which seemed to be well patronized BY
both colors; yet truth demands that
should SAY the general conduct of the lad
and young men was not as exemplary asa
stranger would like to have seen, and add
another item of testimony in opposition to
the holding of these evening entertain.
ments, as conducted by the colored people
in many places. The chief attraction Of
the evening was band of musicauers'
who made some of the most execrable
noises, squeaks, and other kindred class.
cal" creations, that violin, bass, and gut
tar in the hands of bunglers must pro
duce
In making a brief visit to the college
here, l became acquainted with two color
ed students. One is a native of Liberia,
and a son of Rev. Bishop Burns, WHO'S nov
in Africa
Middletown is quite beautiful place
and is known as town of considerable
wealth, but is not good location seeming
ly for our people, as my experience proves
that where enterprise has full scope, end
where it is fostered and cherished by mel
of wealth, there the colored man thrires
and expands the most; and, as Middleton
does not do much in the manufacturing
line, so the colored people seem to do but
little towards selfimprovement The larg
est manufacturing establishment here ID
Messrs. j. & B. Douglass patent pump
foundry and shops. SKINNER.