The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-10-22
From Frederick Douglass Paper.
GARNET AND BROWN.

F. DOUGLASS, Eso.-SR: In your paper
of the 23d inst. see an extract from a
speech delivered by the Rev. III. 81. Gar.
net, in Boston, some weeks since, in which
he devotes large portion of his remarks
to review of what | said in regard to the
African Civilization Society. Will you dc
me the justice to allow space in your col
umns to replyto this somewhat strange and
erroneous speech
The reverend gentleman said: Zone
other thing, and | mustclose. VIM. Wells
Brow. comes up and says: i have no OBJ
lection to the principles of the African Civ.
ilization Society but this one-I don't like
its practice of begging around the country.
About ten years before went to England.
Mr.. Brown commenced begging in the Uni
ted States Iaughter) He begged from
Maine to Georgia-no, he didn't go down
there, but nothing but the line Mason and
Dixon drew prevented him from going to
Georgia. Great laughter.) He begged
with skill and effect; and when | went to
England, there was Mr.. Brown, and after
one of his spirited lectures, and before he
closed, he said he should have to crave a
collection to pay expenses. He begged in
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales,
over the mountain and through the wild
wood and when get here to Boston to
see Mr.. Brown, he is in the State of New
York, carrying on the same old trade.
Great merriment.p
1t seems that brother Garnet, instead of
showing that had misrepresented the So
ciety of which he is President, used his
time to prove me as much of beggar as
himself. Now, l will set my friend right
as to how far l have begged and as to how
far sanction begging. First, | have new
er condemned the taking up of collections
for any benevolent object whatever. 1
have always held that the teacher, no mat
ter upon what subject, if to impart truth,
should be sustained. When I was an agent
for the Anti-Slavery Society, took con-
tributions for the benefit of the anti-slavery
cause, and were l an agent tomorrow l
would do the same.
My excellent friend, Mr.. Loguen, of Sy-
racuse, will bear me witness that the next
week after the Convention with which Mr..
Garnet finds fault, l appealed to Boston
audience to contribute to aid him in his
praiseworthy labors in assisting the flying
fugitive on his way to Canada. If Mr..
Garnet will go into the anti-slavery field,
and use his, lecturing talent to the moulding
of public sentiment, instead of sustaining
a society whose agents t.ke the ground
that "the condition of the colored people in
the United States is worse to-day than it
was fifteen years ago." I will bid him God
speed in his labors; but when the reverend
gentleman says he found me in England
begging, he asserts that which is untrue.
Six months previous to going to Europe,
l received an invitation to visit England
and become the agent of benevolent So
ciety, which invitation declined A very
philanthropic lady, and, by the bye, the
very one upon whose benevolence, in part,
the Rev. H. H. Garnet went to Great Bri-
tain himself, offered me fifty dollars to-
wards paying my expenses across the At
lantic, which / also declined.
went to Europe entirely at my own
expense. I remained there more than five
years, during which time l never solicited,
either in private or in public, single shil-
ling. Neither did l ever ask for contribu-
tions at any meeting or lecture, to pay ex-
penses or otherwise l challenge Mr..
Garnet to name the time and place where
he heard me "crave a collection to pay ex-
penses."
Has Mr.. Garnet begged so long himself
that he has become satisfied lecturer can
not be sustained without begging7
While in England published four
books, which yielded me about three thou
sand dollars. This, together with my lee
lures, enabled me to educate my children
and support myself without begging. l
adopted the same means while abroad that
do here. l charged an admission fee at
the door, except when was engaged to lee
ture before lyceum.
Ny eloquent friend concluded his criti-
cism on me by saying: when I got
here to Boston to see Mr.. Brown, he is in
the State of New York carrying on the
same old trade. This statement is as un-
true as his others / Iectured in this State
most of last winter, and not on a single oc-
CCtSIOn Q1u l. SldfO q COliCClIOll nave
four lyceum lectures. If l give them to
lyceums, | charge them stated sum; if l
deliver them on my own account, as I Of
ten do, charge an admission fee at the
door.
So much, Mr.. Editor, for the reverend
gentleman's charges against me for beg
ging.
AS to the African Civilization Society,
l branded it in the Boston Convention with
being begging concern. Mr.. Garnet is,
l believe, almost the only colored officer in
the society, and he seems to be there only
as stool pidgeon; and nearly all the off,
GERS are out through the country passing
the hat. Their Secretary is on begging
tour through Great Britain. But what ap-
pears most strange, not one of these advo-
Gates for the civilization of Africa think of
going there themselves. If the Rev. Hen
ry Highland Garnet will signify his wish
to go to Africa as missionary, will
pledge myself to contribute fifty dollars
towards sending him out, but upon condi-
ton that he shall not return to the United