New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-05-13
Speech of Frederick Douglass,
THE FUGITIYE SLAVE,
NJ the Anniversary Of the American Anti.sIa.
very Society In the Tabernacle,
on Tuesday morning.
RVo'tedtoy IA. Tribune by o. Drss Paragraphs Writer

American Anti-Slayery Society, and, upon taking
the platform. greeted with enthusiastic and
long continued applause by the vast concourse
which filled the spacious Tabernacle to overflow
ing. AS soon as the audience became silent, Mr.
d. with at first, slight degree Of embarrassment
addressed them as follows:
/ am very glad to be here am very glad to be
present at this Anniversary glad again to mingle
my voice with those with whom have stood identified
with those with whom have labored for the last seven
years for the purpose Of undoing the burdens of my
brethren and Fastening the day of their patton
do not doubt but that a large portion of this audi
will be disappointed both by the nanner and the
mater Of what shall this day set forth The extrsor
binary and unmer,ed eulogies which have been show
cred upon me- here and elsewhere, have done much to
creste expectations which am well aware can never
hope TO crafty. am here, simple man. knowing
what have experienced in Slavery knowing 1t to be
bad system and desiring by all Christian means to seek
its overthrow. | am not here TO please you with an
eloquent speech with refined and logical address bui
to speak you the sober truths Of heart overborne
with gratitude 10 God that have Ia this land cursed
II Ia with Slavery, go noble band 10 second my ef
forts and the efforts of others in the noble work Of IN
doing the Yoke OF Bondage with which the majority OF
the States Of this Union unfortunately cursed
Since the last time had the pleasure OF mingng my
voice with the voices OF my friends on this platform
many interesting and even trying events have occurred
to have experienced, within the last eighteen or
twenty months, many Incidents all Of which ii would
DO interesting to communicate to you, but many OF
these shall be compelled to pass at this time and
conhne my remarks 10 giving general outline OF the
and spirit with which have been hailed abroad
and welcomed at the different places which have visit
ed during my absence Of twenty months
You are aware, doubtless, that my object IN going
from this country get beyond the reach OF the
clutch Of the who claimed to me his prop.
erty had written book giving history of that pOr.
ton Of my life spent In the gall and bitterness and degra-
dalton OF Slavery and in which ! also identified my
oppressors the perpetrators of some Of the most
strocious crimes This had deeply incensed them
against and stirred up within them the purpose Of
revenge and my whereabouts being known, believed
IL necessary for me- If would preserve my liberty, TO
leave the shores of America and take up my abode in
other land at leasuut the excitement occasiOned
by the publication Of my Narrative had subsidized. /
went TO England, Monarchcsl England 10 get rid Of
Democratic Slavery and ! must confess that the
very threshold | satisfied that had gone TO the
right place Say what you will OF Engand-ot the degra
dation-of the poverty-and there Is much Of IL there
say what you will Of the oppression and suffering going
on in England at this time there is Liberty there there
is Freedom there not only for the white but tor the
black man also The instant that stepped upon the
shore and looked into the faces of the crowd around
me saw in every recognition OF my manhood
and absence. perfect absence, OF everything like
that disgusting hate with which we are pursued in this
country. ICheers looked around la vain 10 see in
any nans face token Of the slightest aversion TO me
on account OF my complexion Even the csbmen de
meaned themselves 10 they did TO other men, and
the very dogs and pigs OF old England treated
man cannot however, my friends, dwell upon this
anti. Prejudice rather the many Illustrations of the
absence Of Prejudice against Color IN England but will
proceed AZ once to defend the Right and Duty of In
voking English aid aud English sympathy for the
throw of American Slavery for the education Of Coored
Americans and TO forward in every way, the interests
Of humanity inssmuch as the right Of appealing TO
England for aid in ovethrowing Slavery in this country
bsah aen a1ied i'm public meetings bV
the pTess In this City.
ton 10 my love and attachment TO this land have no
love for America, such | have patriotism.
have no country. What country have ~ The lnstiiu
tons of this Country do not know me-dO not recOg
nize me as n man. | am not thought Of spoken Of ia
any direction out OF the tSlsvery ranks, a man
am not thought of spoken Of except piece of
property belonging 10 some Christian Shareholder, and
all the Religious and Political Institutions Of this Country
alike pronounce Slave and chateL Now, in such
q country as this cannot have patriotism. The only
thing that links to this land 10 my family and the
painful consciousness that here there 100000 Of
my fellow creatures grooming beneath the iron rod of
the worst despotism that could be devised Pan
demoDium--that here are men and brethren who
identified with me by their complexion, Identified with
me by their hatred OF Slavery identified with me by
their love and aspirations for Liberty identified with
me by the stripes upon their backs, their inhumsn
wrongs and cruel srferings This, and this only At
taches this lend and brings me here To plead with
YOU and with this country AT large for the dsenthra
meut of my oppressed countTymen, and to overthrow
this system of Slavery which s crushing them 10 the
earth How can love couhtry that dooms 100000 of
my brethren, some of them my own kindred, my own
brothers, my own sisters who are now eanking the
chains OF Slavery upon the plains OF the South whose
werm blood is now making fat the coil OF Maryland and
of Alabama and over whose crushed spirits rolls the
dark shadow of Oppression, shutting out and exnguish
ing forever the cheering rays oil that bright sun Of
Liberty lighted in the souls OF al Gods children by the
omnpotent hand of Deity itselfi How can l. say
love country thus cursed thus believed with the blood
of my breihrenl Country, ihe Church Of which and
the Government Of which and the Constitution Of which
In favor disappearing and pepeuatng this monstrous
system of injustice and bloodi have not cannot have
any love for this country such or for It's Constitution
desire It overthrown speedily possible and
its Constitution shvered in thousand fragments rather
than that this foul curse should continue TO remain as
now. Kisses and cheers
In all this nv friends let me make myself understood
do not hate America against England against any
other country land. | love Humanity all over the
globe. | am anxious TO see Righteousness prevail In
all directions anxious 10 see Slavery overthrown
here but never appealed 10 Englshmen IN manner
calculated awaken feelings OF hatred or disgust or TO
nhame their prejudces toward America rs nation or
In A manner provocative Of national jealousy illwi;
but always appealed TO their conscence-to the higher
and nober feelings of the people OF that country 10 en-
list them in this cause. always appealed TO their man
hood, that which preceded their being knehshmen' 90
quote an expression of my friend Phillips) appealed
TO them as men and had right 70 do 80. They are
men, and the Slave is man. and We have night to call
upon all 10 sssst in breaking b bonds lei mem De
born when snd live where they may
But II 10 asked Whist good will this dol or What
good has il done O. Have you not irraied, have you
not ANNOYED your American friends and the American
people rather than done them good' admit that We
have irritated them. They deserve 10 be irrtated
am anxious to irrste the American people on this ques
ton As il is in physics so in morals there are cases
" hich demand irritation and counter Irritation. Ine
conscience OF the American public needs this Irritation
and would blisisr Il all 0r7 from center 10 eveanjHenee
until il gives signs OF purer and better lille han Il
now msnifestng to the world.
But why expose the sias OF one nation IN the
eyes of snotheri Why attempt 10 bring one people
under the odium of another peopet There Is much
force in this question. admit that there are sins IN
almost every country which be best removed by
means confined exclusively TO their immediate locality
But such evils and such sins pre- suppose the existence
OF moral power in their immediate locality sufficient
10 accomplish the work OF renovation. But where,
oray can 90 10 md moral power in this
nation sufficient 10 overthrow Slavery To
what institution. to what party shsll apply for
nd say we admit that there evils which be
oes, removed By influences confined to ther immediate
locality But in regard to American Slavery IL is
Ii Is such giant crime 90 darkening 10 the soul 50
binding in its moral influence, so well calculated to
blast and corrupt all the humane principles OF our na
lure so well adapted TO nfuse IFS own sccursed spirit
all sround H. that the people among whom It exists
have not the moral power 10 abolish IL Shall we go 70
he Church for this influenced We have heard It's char
aeter described Shall 60 to Politicians or Political |
Parties Have they the moral power necessary to &c
,omplsh this mighty task They have not What are