The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-10-29

OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. "a. 1859

great lecture on "Selfmade Men," to We
ry large and attentive audience Of white
and colored persons, and / think there
were rather more whites than colored
Judging from the applause which greeted
the selfmade man during his speech, it
was decided success; indeed, Fred was
himself on that occasion. A few minutes
past the time for the lecture to have COM
menced, Mr.. John @. Bowers, the President
of the Philadelphia Library Company, de-
livered short address, as it is customary
in the society for the President to open the
lecture season by few remarks. Mr..
Bowers referred in suitable terms to the
occasion, and then introduced the lecturer.
Mr.. Douglass occupied the stand until past
the hour of 10 o'clock. He referred to
many men who were self-made, and among
them was Benjamin Banneker. He read a
letter which was sent to Thomas Jefferson
by Banneker, and was very eloquent in
/
Near the close of his lecture Mr. Douglass
alluded to the transactions at Harper's
Ferry as being the legitimate fruits of
slavery, which, to- my surprise, elected
deafening applause from the audience. 1t
was splendid effort Of oratory, and it will
no doubt be long remembered by those who
heard it. Many persons in the audience
heard Mr.. Douglass for the first time, and
they seemed highly delighted as far as ]
have been able to learn. One gentleman
| remarked to another as they were coming
from the hall that he was the greatest Dou-
glass in the United States In the midst
Of his speech, Mr.. Douglass took occasion
to remark that slavery found no place in
the Constitution Of our country. In this,
however, some of his most enthusiastic ad-
mirers do not agree with him. Mr.. Dou-
glass left the city on Wednesday for Bos-
ton, where | am told he is to repeat the
lecture.
Considerable excitement prevailed here
last week, occasioned by the instruction
at Harper's Ferry, and rumor gained Gre
dence that the Frank Johnson Guards had
been disarmed by the Adjutant General on
Saturday last, of forty muskets; but such,
believe, is not the case, for [ was in
formed on Saturday evening that the mus
kets were still in the Guards armory,
whatever might have been the wish of the
Adjutant General in the matter. | believe,
however, that the organization of colored
military companies in Pennsylvania is un-
lawful, and most certainly it is contrary to
usage in our military affairs. The whites,
l believe, generally suppose every colored
man to sympathize with the insurgents at
Harpers Ferry.
A case Of much interest to city passen-
ger railroad companies was tried in the
Court of Quarter Sessions on Tuesday, the
18th inst, iii which a conductor and driver
on the Fifth and Sixth streets line were
charged with committing an assault and
battery on a passenger named Geo. L.
Wamrath, on the 20th of September last.
Mr.. Wamrath applied for passage, and
the car being filled with passengers inside,
and several standing on the platform, he
was compelled to stand there too. Being
lame, leaned for support against the side
of the door, From this position the con-
ductor ordered him to move, but not being
shown any place to move to, Mr.. Wam-
rath refused, whereupon the conductor call
ed the driver, and they forcibly elected
him. The case was tried before Judge
Ludlow, (the notorious who, in his charge
to the jury, said: "When corporation
takes passenger, a contract is entered IN
to by which it agrees to carry that passen-
ger to The point of destination, and to fur
nish him or her with suitable and pro-
per accommodations. The conductor is to
see that the contract is fairly carried out.
The passenger, on his part, agrees to pay
the fare. He also agrees that he will con-
duct himself in an orderly manner while in
the car. The conductor is clothed with
ample power to enforce the rules Of the
company; but when enforcing proper or
der in proper case, if he exceeds the force
necessary to accomplish his purpose he is
guilty of assault and battery" The con-
ductor, John Fidal, was convicted, and SEN
fenced to pay SIC and costs, amounting to
$26 so. Thomas Potee, the driver, was
also convicted, but recommended to mer-
cy. He was sentenced to pay So and
costs, amounting in all to SIC 80.
At stockholders meeting on Tuesday
last, 1888 votes were cast on the question
of running the cars on the Green and
Coates streets city railway on Sundays, all