New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-04
LETTER FROM FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
CAsADA WEST, Monday, Oct. 81, 1859.

10
To the Editor o. The Roehe,ter Demoerat
notice that the telegraph makes Mr.. Cook lone of
the unfortunate insurgents at arpers Ferry, and now
prisoner in the hands of the thing calling itself the
Government OF Virginia, but which, in fact, is but
organized conspiracy by one party of the people,
against the other and wenker) denounce me as "a
coward-and 10 Assert that promised to be present
in person at the Harper's Ferry nsurrection. This
is certainly "A very grave Impeachment, whether
viewed in ts bearings upon friends or upon foes,
and you will not think 1t strange that l should
take somewhat serious notice of it, Hav-
ing acquaintance whatever with Mr.. Cook, and
never having exchanged word with him about
the Harper's Ferry insurrecton, l am disposed to
doubt that he could have used the language
ing me which the wires attributed TO him. The
hghtnlng, Wien speaking for itself, Is among the
most ect reliable and truthful OF things Out wnen
s-eakng for the error-strcken Shareholders at har-
prrs Ferry il has been made the swiftest OF liars.
Under their nimble and trembling fingers II magmhed
seventeen men into seven hundred-and has SINCE
filed the columns of The ". y. Herald for days with
interminable contradictions. But assuming that u ms
told only the simple truth as TO the sayings OF Mr.
Cook in this instance, have this answer 20 make TO
my accuser: Mr.. Cook may be perfectly right in de-
nouncing me q coward. haze not one word 10 say
IN defense or vindcaion OF my character Tor courage
have always been more distinguished for running
than fxhting-and tried by the Harpers Ferry insur-
rec ION test am most niseraby deficient in courage
even more SO than Cook, when he deserted his brave
old Captain and hed to the mountains. To this extent
|
dicion from from anybody else But wholly
orieyously and most unaccountably wrong is Mr. Cook
when he asserts that l promised TO be present
in person at the Harpers Ferry insurrection
OF whatever other imprudence and indiscretion
| NAV have been guilty i have never made q
promise SO rash and wild as this The taking of Iar-
per's Ferry measure never encouraged by my
word or by my vote, at any time or place; my wis
dom, or my eowardice, has not only KEEP, me from
Harpers Ferry, but has equally kept from making
any promise to 20 there, desire to be quite emphatic
here-for of all guilty men, he il the guiltiest who
lures his fellow.men TO undertaking Of this sort,
under promise of assistance, which he aferward
fails to render therefore declare that there is no
man living and dead, who, if living, could
truthiuly say that / promised him any body
elre, either conditonaly or otherwise, that would
be present in person at the Harpers Ferry nsurrec-
tom Nv field of labor for the abolition of Slavery
has not extended to an attack upon the United States
Arsenal. In the teeth Of the documents already pub
| lished, and Of those which may hereafter be pub
lished affirm that no man connected with that insur.
rection, from it's noble and heroic leader down. can
| connect nv name with single broken promise OF
any sort whatever. So much deem it proper to say
negatively.
| 1Ee fine for a FIJI statement Of chat knor, and
of oil kn0r, OF tkis desperate out subMey disney>
es,sd eTo TO emaRc,pate the siares Of yiaHd and
| Virginia from their cruel task-masters has not vel
| come and may Rerer come. In the denial which
have made, my motive is more a respectful con.
sideraton for the opinions OF the slaves friends than
from fear Of being made accompice in the gen.
eral conspiracy against Slavery. | ever ready To
write, speak, publish organize combine, and even to
conspre against Slavery, when there is a reasonable
hope for Men who live by robbng their fell
low men of their labor and liberty have forfeited their
right to know anything of the thoughts feelings OF
purposes OF those whom they rob aud plumber. They
have by the single act Of slaveholding, voluntarily
placed themselves beyond the laws of justice and
honor and have become only fitted for companionshp
with thieves and prates-the common enemies of God
and of all mankind While shall be considered night
to protect ones self against thieves, burglars,
beas, in the act of devouring his human prey, it
can never be wrong for the bruted and whipscarred
slaves or their friends, TO hunt, harrass and even
strike down the trafckers in human flesh. II ANYBODY
is disposed TO think less of account OF this sent
ment, or because ! may have had knowledge Of
what was about to occur and did not assume the base
and deesable character Of an informer, be il . UAO