Clifton. Canada¹ [Oct?] 27, 1859 

My dear friend:
     I am sincerely thankful to you for your [two?] kind notes. They
seemed like good news from a far country. Your face here w^d.
be quite a benediction, but I cannot urge you to come. I am stopping
at a low Dutch Tavern, the very opposite of your taste +
that of my own. I bear it for the moment as the best I can do,
for to change boarding place would be to make [enemies?] and
I happen to be quite sufficiently blest with these already. No:
My friend Amy, you must not urge me to remain on this
side the water. It will take many months to blow this heavy Cloud
from my sky_ and I cannot consent to an inactive exile.
I am sorry not to have been able to send you a line by
Dear Henry W.. last night. Both Brothers have
shown themselves true and valued friends in my present
trouble. Had I gone down to Rochester with our mutual
friends, the other night, I should have walked into
a trap. Make my kindest regards to Dear Isaac
and your kind household.
         I am dear Amy,² very Truly
                         Your friend.
                                         Frederick Douglass
                                                                 over

Page 2

I have just received your
note sent me by Lewis
with one from Dear
Lucy N Coleman expressing
fears in regard to my
property. I am about convinced
that nothing is to be feared at
this point. It cannot be lost
unless I am convicted: I cannot
be convicted, if I am not tried, I
cannot be tried. unless I am
arrested; I cannot be arrested
unless caught; I cannot be
caught while I keep out of
the way, and just this thing
it is my purpose to do.

                        Again, Your Truly
                                    F.D.

¹ Douglass was in Clifton after fleeing the United States to avoid arrest after John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry. Douglass had advised Brown against the raid, but a letter from Douglass was found on Brown when he was arrested.

²Amy Kirby Post (1802-1889) was a Hicksite Quaker. She supported the antislavery, temperance, women's rights and spiritualism movements. She married Isaac Post in 1829. The Posts moved to Rochester in 1836, and were among the founders of the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society in 1842. (From Amy Post, Biographical Sketch.)