In proportion as his mind expanded under the more favourable
circumstances in which he was placed, he became anxious, not merely for
the redemption of his race from personal slavery, but for the moral
elevation of those among them who were free. Finding that habits of
intoxication were too prevalent amongst his coloured brethren, he, in
conjunction with others, commenced a temperance reformation in their
body. Such was the success of their efforts that in three years, in the
city of Buffalo alone, a society of upwards of 500 members was raised
out of a coloured population of 700. Of that society Mr. Brown was
thrice elected President.

The intellectual powers of our author, coupled with his intimate
acquaintance with the workings of the slave system, recommended him to
the Abolitionists as a man eminently qualified to arouse the attention
of the people of the Northern States to the great national sin of
America. In 1843 he was engaged as a lecturer by the Western New-York
Anti-Slavery Society. From 1844 to 1847 he laboured in the anti-slavery
cause in connection with the American Anti-Slavery Society, and from
that period up to the time of his departure for Europe, in 1849, he was
an agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. The records of those
societies furnish abundant evidence of the success of his labours. From
the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society he early received the following
testimony:--

"Since Mr. Brown became an agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery
Society, he has lectured in very many of the towns of this
Commonwealth, and won for himself general respect and approbation. He
combines true self-respect with true humility, and rare judiciousness
with great moral courage. Himself a fugitive slave, he can
experimentally describe the situation of those in bonds as bound with