New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-01-01
DIR. Cox and Frederick Douglass.


Those who are familiar with the proceedings Of
the Worlds Temperance Convention lately held
in London will remember the excitement, created bya
speech made before that body Covent Gsrden Theatre
by FREDERICK DOUGLASS, the Fugitive slave. Mr..
Douglass accused by the American Delegates OF inn
properly introducing the subject of Abolition and there.
10y disturbing the harmony and running the influence
OF the meeting. The matter was FIRST brought to the
notice of the American public in letter from Rev. Dr..
Cox To the Ecw York Evangelist in which the conduct
OF MI Douglass ccnsurcd in very severe, and, we
are sorry to add very abusive language. The Dr. not
only speaks of Mr. D.s course abominsblc and "a
trick OF mcanncss &c. &c but even charges him with
being the Pod tool Of y agents behind the scenes with
much more OF the same sort This letter had wide
circulation and where Mr. Douglass was not known.
was very naturally received a. a fair account OF the
scene 20 which it referred.
Mr. Douglass however has deemed 1t HE duty to re.
ply to the charges of DR. Coz and lac has certainly done
with consummae ability. His reply very prop
cry to the Evangelist in order thai through
that channel reach the minds OF those who had formed
tbcr impressions from The statements of Dr. Cos. The
Editor however declined inserting 1t at length and only
spread before his readers two important pslsa.
ges Considering the relative standing of the parties
the controversy 1t hardly fail still less nissnsni
nous to limit the Fugyes opportunity ior defending
himself against charges vitality affecting his character
to particular number OF lines Oi this. however,
have nothing to cay at present
We understand that Dr. Cox alluded to this subject
in his speech at the Tabernacle on Tuesday evening
and although he did not mention ilr Douglass by name
employed certain coniemptuous cpithets which were
understood to refer to him aud BIS friends. In these
circumstances We deem it than simple justice
Lot ,,ado he MAJ hV Mr.
at the London meeting. Here is endorsed by him
self For It's substantial correctness he appeals the
hye thousand people who heard It
NJ Cla,raqn-Lqdiss and Gsnfiomea,--i not
Delegate TO this Convention. Those who would have
been most likely to elect me Delegate could not
because they are to night held the abcci slavery
ia the United States Slr, regret that cannot fully
unite with the American Delegates in their patriotic
eulogies Of America and American Temperance so
ciees. cannot do so Or this good reason mere ale
at this moment three millicns OF the American popu
stion by Slavery and Prejudice placed entirely beyond
the pale OF American Temperance Societies The Three
Millions Slaves completely excluded BY slavery
aud four hundred Thousand Free Colored People are
almost completely ovsIndod - nyctcI aIs pftJu
dice against them account Ol tncit color Nfes OF
shame shame ,
II do not say these things to wound the feelings OF the
American Delegates. simply mention them IN their pre-
sence and before this audience, that seeing how you
regard this hatred aud neglect OF the colored people
they may be inclined their return home, TO enlarge
the field OF their temperance opc aions, and embrace
within the scope Of their influence my long neglected.
race-(Creat cheering and come confusion on the pat
FORUM Sir to give you some idca OF the difficulties and
obstacles In the way 81 the temperance reformation vi
the colorod population ia the United sa,cs allow me to
state lew facts. About the year 1910 few Intelligent
sober and benev oolood gentlemen IN Philadelphia
being acquainted with the appalling ravaees oil intern
perance among the class OF coloed people in
that city and finding Themselves neglected and excluded
from white societies. organized societies among them
selves appointed committee sent out agents, built tom
perance halls and were earnestly and successfully res
cuing many from the fangs OF lntcmperarce.
The went nobly til the lst o August lsi2,
the day when England gave liberty to eight hundred
thousand souls in the West Indies. The colored tenn
perancc societies selected this day 10 march in process
sion through the city, in the hope that such demon
stration would have the effect Of bringing others into
their ranks. They formed their procession, unurled
their teetota banners and proceeded to the accomplish
nent OF their purpose. II wac delightful sight But
Sir they had not proceeded down two streets before
they were brutslly assaed by ruthless inob-their
banner torn down and uamped IN the dust-ther
ranks broken up their persons beaten and pelted win
stones and brickbats One Of their churches was burn
ed to the ground and their best temperance ball utterly
demolished Shame shame shame from the audi.
ence-great confusion and CRIES OF sit down., from
the American Delegates ON the platform.
lin the midst of this comm0uon the Chairman tapped
me the shoulder and whispering informed me that The
fifteen m nuies allotted 10 each speaker had expired
whereUpon the vasl audience simultaneously shouted
Don't interrupt don't diet go on. go on Douglass
Kind friends be- TO you that the Chairman
has not the slightest degree sought 10 hlc any Se"
nen which am anxious to express on the present oc-
casion. He was simply reminding me that the time al
lotted for me to speak had expired. 10 mol WISH 10
occupy one moment more than Is allotted 10 other
speakers Thanking you lOr your kind indulgence, !
viii take my seat
Proceeding to do so, again there were loud cries Of
Go or 90 ON !" with which complied for lew mo
mente but without saying anything more That phucu'
larry related TO the Colored People OF America.
This strikes us as a very natural as well as very
proper spcech in the circumstances. We really
sorry that any American should have been so hin
skinned as to get angry about it, When is considered
that Mr. Douglass did not intrude himself upon the
semby but spoke at the urgent and almost clsmoious
demand OF the audience really DO not see how the
most sensitive siicker ior the peculiar institution
could lind fault with it. Mr. Douglass in his reply TO
Dr. Cox linus meets the charge OF improperly ntroduc
ng the subject OF Slavery
You say iaggod IN IntSiarTy or ib0ip ioH OF
course you by this to produce the impression that
introduced the subject llcgitimatcly. II such
your intention It is impression utterly at variance
with the truth. said nothing on the occasion referred
TO- which in fairness be construed into an outrage
upon proprioy, something foreign TO the temperance
platloTm-snd especially worlds temperance plat
FORM" The nesting Al Coyen Garden was not rIsue
temperance meeting, such as are held IN the United
States but Worlds Temperance meeting embracing
the black well the white part OF the creaonprac-
caly carrying out the scrptursl declaration, that God
hath made OF blood all nations ot men to dwell on
all the face OF the earth" IL was meeting Tor promo
ting temperance throughout the world. All nations had
right to be represented there and each speaker had
right TO make known that body the peculiar difficult
tes which lay in the way OF the temperance reformation
la his own particular locality. In that Convention aud
upon that Platform was the recognized representative
OF the cOlOred population OF the United States and to
their cause was bound to be faithful. 1t would have
been quite easy for to have made speech upon the
general question Of temperance carefully excluding all
reference 10 my enslayod, neglected, and prosecuted
brethren America and thereby secured your applause
but have pursued such course would have been sell
ing my binhright for a mess OF pottage-.ould have
been TO play the part oi Judas part which even you
profess 10 oahe and dctcst Sir let me explain the mo
live which animated me- in speaking did at Coyent
Garden Theatre As stood upon that PLATFORM and sur.
yeycd the deep depression OF the colored people oil
America and the treatment uniformly adopted by white
temperance societies toward thenl-the .impedimcnts
and absolute barriers thrown IN the way Of their moral
and social Improvement by American Slavery, and by
an inveteraie prejudice against them on account OF their
colorand bchcd them In and wrotchedness IN iet
trs and chains left be dcvoured By ntemperanco and
kindred vces-and slavery, Ike very demon, standing
directly in the way OF their reformation a. with drawn
sword ready to sinlc down any who might sppoacho Tor
their dcliyeiAnce- and found myself IN aposilion where
could rcbuke this evil splI, where my words would
be borne 10 the shores OF America upon the enthusiastic