HON. Wм. HENDERSON YOUNG,

President Afro-American League of Tennessee.

DEAR SIR: The undersigned, on behalf of the Publication Committee, beg leave to report that they have carefully compiled and caused to be published, the great anti-slavery speeches, orations and papers of public interest contained in this book.

We did this in pursuance of the plan adopted by the committee having in charge the preparation and publication of the "Souvenir," which the officers of the Afro-American League of Tennessee directed to be prepared and presented to Hon. James M. Ashley, of Ohio.

In discharging that agreeable duty, we have taken special care to collect such matter as we believed to be of historic interest to the public and especially to our race.

Our work has been a labor of love, and is herewith respectfully submitted.

Bejamin MArnett

Chairman.

NAMES OF COMMITTEE.

Bishop BENJAMIN W. ARNETT, Chairman, Wilberforce, O. Bishop BENJAMIN F. LEE, Waco, Texas.

Rev. CHARLES S. SMITH, Nashville, Tenn.

Pres't I. T. MONTGOMERY, Grand Bayou, Miss.

Bishop W. J. GAINES, Atlanta, Ga.

Rev. J. C. EMBRY, Philadelphia, Pa.

Rev. A. H. Ross, Cynthiana, Ky.

Prof. B. W. ARNETT, JR., Little Rock, Ark.

NASHVILLE, TENN., March 8, 1892.

HON. JAMES M. ASHLEY, Toledo, Ohio.

DEAR SIR: The American negro has, time and again, been charged with ingratitude toward his public benefactors and an incapacity to appreciate the public acts of the statesmen whose life-work has been directed toward securing him the full enjoyment of .American citizenship.

In view of these facts, and in view of the further fact that your life has been an incessant warfare against the invidious distinctions which have been embodied in the customs and fundamental law of the American people; but which, happily for all, have been expunged from the organic law of the land by the enactment of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States: we, the undersigned citizens and members of the Afro-American League of Middle Tennessee, have determined, on behalf of the Afro-American League of this country, to present to you some kind of testimonial, in recognition of your distinguished services to the cause of liberty, in the dark days of slavery and reconstruction.

To the end that the passing generation may take new hope for its progeny, in having recounted to it the triumphs which your unselfish devotion in behalf of human liberty aided in accomplishing; and that future generations may have in their homes and schools a perennial fountain of inspiration; and that other men with noble aspirations may be encouraged to urge on "the harvest of the golden year, when all men's good shall be each man's rule," we ask that you grant us the privilege of publishing, in book form of convenient size, the prophetic and now historic speeches made by you in the Congress of the United States against the crime of slavery, and to include with said speeches such