The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-12-12
VOLUME XIII. NO. SO.
The Slaves Appeal to Great Br,ta'

The Slaves Appeal to Great Brita n.
Frederick Douglas publishes in the in.
dependent, "The Slaves Appeal to Great
Briain," in which he says?
"You long ago fixed The burning brand
OF reprobaion upon the gully brow Of
the whole slave system. Your phian.
thropy, religion and law---your noblcst
sons, living and dead --have taught the
world TO abhor slavery as one of the vile.
est OF modern denominations. You have
sacrificed millions Of pounds and thou
sands OF lives TO put nm end 70 the pratt
cal slave traffic on tie coast of Africa
and will you now, when the light OF YOU,
best teaching is finding its way to lh.
darkest corners OF the earth, and men are
beginning to adopt and practically carr
out your benevolent ideas-wll you now
in such time, utterly dishonor your higu
example and your long cherished prir
ciples Can you, at the bidding or i'm
portunity Of those negro driving lord
Of the lash, Mason and Morehead, whoss
wealth is composed Of tie wages of Ia.
borers which they have Kept back +;
fraud and force, take npon Yourselves arr.
your children the dreadful responsibility
Of arresting Tie arm oulslretched 10 brear
the chains Of the American slave!
All but know the plea. The North
as well as the South has wrcnged TIE
negro. But must you because the Loyal
states have been guilty OF completely with
slavery, cspouse the cause Of those who
are still more gaity? Must you, while
you reprobaie the guilty agent, embrace
in the arms OF your friendship The still
more gui,y principal ? viii you lash
! the loyal States for their want Of genuine
delestalion of slavery, and yet in open
! day form an alliance with band Of con-
spirators and thieves who have under.
taken TO destroy the loyal government OF
! this country, perpetual and universal on
the continent? viii you stand in tie
way Of righteous measure, because sup.
ported and urged BY wrong and selfish
motives? ? Will you prevent the slave
from getting his due, because a sense
Ct moral obligation imppls the pay
ment: Oh again Great Britain, let me
implore you, by ell things high and sa-
cred, fling away sl false and selfish rea-
sonings, md bear aloft higher than ever
tne slahuAru VI JuStice anu HuuahIy
which has justly exalted you 10 the head
Of civilized nations.
! will not weary you. TIE
case is before yeu. No excuse, however
plausible--no distance Of time, howev, r
remo,e--no line Of conduct hereafter pur-
sued, however excellent, will ase the
deep stain upon your honor and truth it
at this hour OF dreadful trial you iaterpose
in a manner 10 de'eaL or em6arrass the
emancipation Of the slaves OF America
II at any lime you could have i o 'orably
intervenel in American affairs, i! was
when the Federal Government WIS vainly
striving TO put down the rebellion without
hurting sa, ery-when our army and gen
erals wore the brass collar Of the slave
dogs, and hunted negroes for their rebel
, masters. That gloomy. and disgusting
{ period ended on the % OF September.
. 1852. From that day our war has been
4 invested with sanctity which will smite
= as with death even the mailed hand oI
1 Britain, II outstrctched to arrest il. Let
: ihe conflict 90 on There is no doubt Of
$ The final result. and though the war is a
n dreadful scourse, it viii make justice, lih'
: erty and humanity permanently posill |!
i in this country. t.e... p I.....r.