Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-05-21
PRESENTER.
From The Li5erator.
Letter from Frederick Douglass.
LYNN April 81, IsI7.
Ny DEAR FRIEND =

Ny DEAR FRIEND:-
hasten to inform you of my safe arrival
home. ] left Liverpool per steamship Cam
bria, at IL o'clock on Sunday April 4th, and
reached Halifax on Sunday evening, the 18th,
and here on Tuesday afternoon about six
thus performing the voyage in sixteen days
and six hours.
My passage was not the most agreeable
for, aside from the head winds, a rough sea,
and The innumerable perils of the deep, | had
The cruel, and almost omnipotPnt and omni-
present spirit Of American slavery with which
to contend.
After an interesting tour of twenty months
through the British lsles-during which |
made use of all the various means of convey
ance, by land and sea, from town 10 town,
and city 10 city, my feelings as man, and my
rights as a passenger, sacredly regarded, and
never being able TO detect the slightest dislike
to me on account of my coIor-l bid farewell
to monarchical England, and look toward de-
mocraiic America and while YET three thou
sand miles away from her shores, at the first
step, | am smit,en with the presidential breath
of her slave-system! i come home a pro-
scribed man; and this, solely 10 propitiate
pro-slavery hate. The American public de-
manded my exclusion from the saloon Of The
steamship, and the company owning the
steamer had not the virtue 10 resist the de-
mand. The dominion of slavery is no longer
confined under the star-spangled banner, but
extends itself, and bears sway, even under
that of Great Britain. But, without further
preface, ] will at once put you in possession
OF the facts in the case.
On the 4lh of last March. in company with
my friend Mr.. George Moxhay, of the Hall
of Commerce, London, | called upon the
agent Of The Cunard line of steamers, for the
purpose of securing a berth in one of the
Company's vessels, 10 sail for the United
States on the 4th of April. ! was informed
by the agent. that there was but one berth
unsold, and that was berth 70, in the Cam
bria. This berth ! took, and paid for-pay-
ing first class price. l then asked the agent
whether there would be any difficulty in my
enjoying any of the rights and privileges on
board the ship granted to white passengers.
!" Certainly not" was the reply. On hear
ing this ] left the Office. a1
Reposing on the honor and the integrity OF
the Company, and never dreaming of the pos
sibiliiy of a contingency 10 deprive me OF
my berth, ! made myself perfectly easy till
the afternoon of the 80 Of April, the day pre-
vious 10 our contemplated departure from
bi'cilOol W DOSlOn' i ulcH hSHt w oOo'N
with my baggage; and here, to my surprise,
disappointment and modification, ] learned
that my birth was given to a~nother-that on
account of the color of my skin, il had been
decided that l should not have the berth
for which | had paid, and 10 which ] was
justly entitled Confused and COMPOUNDED
by this intelligence, ] went to the office OF
The agent in Liverpool, for an explanation OF
what had heard on board the steamer, which
was now lying in the Mersey, about two
miles from the shore. The agent, Mr.. Me-
LIVER, with the harshness of an American
STAKEHOLDER, told me that the agentirom whom
had purchased my ticket had no right to
sell it to me. | replied that knew nothing
more of the authority Of the agent TO sell
tickets, than what ! learned from the public
press. He was there advertised as The au-
thorized agent of the Company, and persons
wishing to secure passage in the ComPany's
ships were requested 10 call upon him.
had as much right to regard Mr.. Foord as the
agent in London, as TO regard Mr.. Mclver the"
agent in Liverpool. They were both the adj
vertised agents of the Company, But here
was not the difficulty, as afterwards com.
PEELED him to confess. This was 4 deeeitful