The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-12-07
Frederick Douglass Lectures.

evening, the celebrated anti-Slavery colOred
lecturer, Frederick Douglass, Of New York.
He spoke to a full house in the Temple 81.
Church, Saco, on the general subject OF
Slavery. its relations to American ciyiliza-
ton, the causes which upholds and sustains
II. and the obligations which oil good men
are under to aid in checking its progress,
and contributing to its overthrow. The lee
ture was somewhat discursive, but abound.
ing in passages Of great beauty and force,
and the points made were we'll taken, and de-
Tended with the ready tact and skill Of an able
and accomplished orator. II was not, strictly
speaking. a logical lecture, the nature OF
the subjec, barely admitting Of this, but
rather an impressive narrative OF the char
acter Of American Slavery, and the deep
wrongs which il had, and was inaicting upon
the colcred race. The lecture commenced,
after few preparatory remarks by saying
that the whole creed Of the abOlitioniss was
comprised in the simple principle that every
person born in the world bad q right to him
or herself,-tha, this princinle applied to all
colors and all classes, and was in harmony
with the conscience, Gods revealed law to
man, and right reason, and that 10 deprive
man Of his liberty, make him a slave, when
innocent Of crime, was an attrocious wrong.
Slavery was wrong anywhere, but In
America where there was professions oil
freedom, an atrocious one. Ho was thor
oughly acquainted by personal experience
with its character, and could speak with the
certainty Of truth Of tho instruments BY
which II was upheld-the chains, the lash
Of the oyerseer, and The irresponsibleness OF
the owner. II is out Of our power to giyo a
connected report Of the lecture. A very
considerable portion Of !, was the narration
Of incidents Of startling cruelty which had
come under his observation while he was q
slave, selected with care, to illustrate the
points which were made in the argument
In speaking Of the argumen, which some
diyines have drawn from the pages OF in
spiration to sanction the sin Of Slaye-hold-
ing, Mr.. Douglass shew that the powers OF
ridicule were equally a, his command with
those which gave force and beautyto his plain
straightforward argument. The $500 n.
E. clergy he said could not find time to
preach anything bu, the gospel, but the
reverend doctors, with large salaries, and
the eloquent ministers in the pulpits, swayed
by commerce, could find time to present the
"South Side 4" view OF scenes of the pecu-
liar institution, and to write lame disquisi-
tons to show that the word Of God-that
word which taught men to break the yoke
Of the bondman and let the oppressed 80
free sanctioned Slavery. We have seldom
listened to moro pungen, satire than came
from Mr.. Douglass lips when pOriraying
the efforts OF these doctors Of divinity and
their colleagues in the ministry "down
South and up North" In closing this ec'
turc, MIR. Douglass said the grea, need was
n hearty detesiation Of Slavery among the
men OF the North, contemp, for those who
Influenced by partisan motives or by love Of
sOrdid gain, practically uphOldi', a deep uni.
yersal feeling against it, calling out correct
political action TO check its progress, and TO
curiail its influence in the government.
Tho lecture at Central Hall, on Sunday
evening, was more compact, and perhaps
we ought to say an ADLER one. There was
respectable attendance. Mr., Douglass stat
ed in commencing that the subjec, Of his re-
marks would be the presentation OF the de-
signs Of the Slave power, and in the division
Of it stated tina, the frs, object Of the Slave
oligarcby was 10 suppress all agitation Of the
question OF Slavery, to suppress it at the
North as !, was suppressed at the South
This was TO DO done first by endeavorins to
create false public sentimen, by means OF
political parties opposed to its discussion; and
last by legislation to suppress free speech
and freedom Of the press, in character sim
lar to tina, which now exists in the Slave
States. Another Of the designs Of the Slave
power was to ra,ionalize Slavery, and this
1t was attempting to do through tho Judi
ciary Of the nation, by getting such deci'
tious from ], as will enable the owners OF
slaves to bring their bOndmen into the free
States for the purpose Of sending them to
Southern markets and for other purposes.
Another Of the designs Of the Slave power
was the acquisition Of territory from Mex.
leo, Central America, Cuba, and the islands
10 the Caribbean Sea, and Gulf OF Mexico,
for the purpose of keeping the political SUI
premacy Of tho country in its own hands;
and another Of its designs was the intro
duction Of Slave States carved out Of the
territories OF the United States. AL OF
these points were illustrated with great force
Of argument, and eloquent oraiOry. The
closing part Of the lecture was devoted 10
an examination Of the claims Of the Ameri-
can Colonization Society. lie stated briefly
his objections 10 the Society to be, as we
sum them up LIST, tina, it was an impu-
dent scheme, because it prOposed to &c, gra-
tui.Ously for the cOlOred people, who had
never asked for its services. Cd, that il
started upon the presumption that there was
prejudice existing against the eOlored race,
and such prejudice would forever remain,
causing social inequalities, and that il would
DO better for the colOred race to be placed
beyond its reach. This, he said was IN
argumen, which bols,ered up Slavery. The
prejudice, he said, was diminishing. and as
to the social inequalities spoken Of there