Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-05-28
SALEM, OHIO, FRIDAY, May %, 1917.

land especially, happy indications Of the pro-
grcsS OF American principles. A little while
ago England was cursed BY a Corn monopo-
Iy-by that giant monopoly which snatched
from the mouths Of the furnishing Poor the
bread which YOU sent from this land. The
COMMUNICATIVE people of England demand
ed ITS destruction, and they have triumphed /!
We have aided them, and they aid us, and
The mission Of the two nations, lIenceforth, is
10 Serre cnch other.
Sir, 1t is said that, when abroad. l misrep-
resented my country on this question. ! am
notaware Of any misrepreSentit ion. stated
facts and f,cls only. A gentleman Of your
own City, Rev. DR.. Cox, has taken %particu-
lar pains 10 siigmatize me as having intro
duced the subject of Slavery illegitindtely
into the Worlds Temperance Convention.-
But what was the factl went 10 that Con-
v%enti0n, not as a DELEGATED went into Ut by
the invitation Of a Committee of the Conven-
ton. | suppose most Of you know the cir
cumstances, but | wish to say one word in
relation to the spirit and the principle which
animated me at that meeting. ! went into it
at the invitation Of the Committee, and epoke,
not only at their urgent request, but by pub
lie announcement. | stood on the platform
on the evening referred TO, aud heard some
eight or ten Americans address the 1000 peo-
pie assembled in that vast Hall. | heard
them speak on the Temperance movement in
this land. ] heard them e~ulogize the Tenn
perance Societies in the highest terms, call
ing on England to follow their example (and
England may follow them with advantage to
herself;) but | heard no reference made to
the 100000 Of people in this country who
are denied the privilege, not only OF Tempe
rance, bat of all other Societies. I heard not
a word Of the American Slaves, who, if seven
OF them were found together at a Temperance
meeting or any other place, would be scourg-
ed and beaten by their cruel ~tyrants. Yes,
mlne-and-thiTty lashes is the penalty required
TO be inflicted by the law if any Of the Slaves
get together in a number exceeding seven,
Tor any purpose, however peaceable or lauda-
BILE. And while these American gentleman
were extending their hands to me, and say
ing, How do you do, Mr.. Douglass | am
most happy 10 meet you here &C., &c.. |
knew that, in America, they would not have
touched Inc with a pair of tongs. | felt,
therefore, that that was the place and the
time to call 10 remembrance the 1900, 600 of
Slaves, whom ] aspired to represent on that
occasion. | did so, not maliciously, but with
a desire, only, TO subserve the best interests
of my race. ! besought the American Dele
az ~ Nv ia ~ iAS INcIOilAtC W Ii oHttCI
with shouts Of applause, when they should
arrive at home, 10 extend the borders Of their
Temperance Societies.. so as to include the
100000 Colored People in the Northern
States Of the Union. | also called to mind
the facts in relation to the mob that occurred
in the City Of Philadelphia in the year 1912.
| stated these facts 10 show 10 the British
public how difficult it is for a colored man in
this country TO do anything to elevate him
self or his race from the degradation in which
they are plunged how difficult it is for him
to be vlrtuOus or temperate, or anything but
il mental, an outcast. You all remember the
circumstances of the mob TO which | have al
luded. A number of intelligent, philan-
thropic, manly colored men, DESTROYS of
snatching their c0lored brethren from the
fdngs Of incompetence, formed themselves in
to 4 procession and walked through the streets
Of Philadelphia with appropriate banners, and
badges, and notices. | stated the fact that
that procession was not allowed to proceed
far, in the City Of Philadelphia-the Ameri-
can City of Brotherly Love, the city of all
others loudest in its boasts of freedom and
liberty before these undetermined men were
assaulted by the citizens, their banners torn
in shreds and themselves trampled in the
dust, and inhumanly beaten, and all their
bright and fond hopes and anlicipations in
behalf Of their friends and their race blasted
by the wanton cruelty Of their white fellow
citizens. And all this was done for no other
reason than that they had presumed 10 walk
through the streets with Temperance banners
and badges, like human beings.
The statement of this fact caused the whole
Convention 10 break forth in one general tx
preston Of intense disgust at such atrocious
and uhuman conduct. This disturbed the
composure Of some of our American repre-
scntatives, who, in serious alarm, caught hold
of the skirts of my coat, and attempted to
make me deslsi from my exposition of the
situation Of the colored race in this country.
There was one Doctor or Divinity lhcre-lhe
ugliest man that ! ever saw in my life-who
almost tore the skirts of my coat of, so We
hement was he in his friendiy attempts 10 in
duce me TO yield the floor. But fortunately
the audience came TO my rescue, and de-
manded that ] should 90 on, and ] did go on,
and, ! trust, discharged my duty to my hreth-
rem in bonds and the cause Of Human Liber-
ty, in a manner not altogether unworthy the
occasion.
! have been accused Of dragging the ques-
ton of Slavery INTO the Convention. l had
a right TO do So. 1t was the UIOrdI'S Con-
vention-not the Convention Of any sect or
! number of sPcts-not the Convention of any
particular Nation-not a mans nor a wo-
mans Convention, not a black mans nor a
white mans Convention, but the Iporid's
Convention, The convention Of ALL, biqrk as
well as tChiie, bond as well as free. And ]
stood there, as | thought, a representative of
the 3,O00,0 coo of men whom | had leltin rags
and wretchedness to be be devoured by the
accursod Institution which stands by them,
as with a drawn sword, ever ready to fall up
on their devoted and defenseless heads. ]
felt, as ! said to DR.. Cox, that it was de-
manded Of me by Conscience, TO speak out
boldly in behalf of those whom | had left
behind. [Cheers.] And, sir, Il think |
may say this, without subjecting myself TO
the charge of egotlsm) deem il very tortu-
nate for the friends Of the Slave, that Mr..