The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-03-11
Men of COlO", To Arms la Call by
Frederick Douglas.

When first the Rebel cannon shattered
the walls of Sumter, and drove away its
starving garrison, l predicted that the
war then and there inaugurated would
not be fought out entirely by white men.
Every months experience during these
two dreary years has confirmed that
opinion. A war undertaken and bra
zenlEsz=rrrit=9l-orJ-fn the perpetual. en-
slavement of cOlOred men, calls logl-
cally and loldly upon colored men to
help to suppress it Only moderate
share of sagacity was needed to see that
the arm of the slave was the best defense
AGAINST the arm of the STAKEHOLDER.
Hence with every reverse to the National
arms, with every exulting shout of vic
tory raised by the shaveholding rebels, |
have implored the imperilled nation to
unchain against her foes her powerful
black hand. Slowly and reluctantly that
appeal is beginning to be needed. Stop
not now to complain that it was not
needed sooner. 1t may, or it may not
have been best that it should not. This
is not the time to discuss that question.
Leave it to the future. When the war
is over, the country is saved, peace IS
established, and the black mans rights
are secured, as they will be, history with
an impartial hand, will dispose of that
and sundry other questions. Action!
action! not criticism, is the plain duty
of this hour Words are now useful
only as they stimulate to blows. The
office of speech now is only to point out
when, where and how to strike to the
hest advantage. There is no time for de-
Law. The tide is at its flood that leads
on TO fortune. From east to west, from
north to south, the sky is written all over
with "now or never" Liberty won by
white men would lack half its luster
Who would be fee themselves must
strike the blow. Better even to die free
than live slaves This is the sentiment
of every brave olored man among us.
There are veal and cowardly men in all
nations. Weave them among u.s. They
will tell YOU nat this is the " white mans
war" that ou will be "better off after
than befor the war; that the getting
of Won intdhe army is to sacrifice YOU
on the fir opportunity" Believe them
not-cov.rds themselves, they do not
,r;Sb :, lave their cUwardice she; - -
huve example. Leave them 10
IT, +;,idity, or to whatever oVher Ilo-
, tive tive MY hold them back.
I'VE ne not thought lightly of the words
ne COW addressing to you The coun-
am 10 comes of close observation of
SCI 81 s struggle ncT in progress-and
the gaeSs n Seen conavict1n chat this is your
hour ana anal 1ninu. aarn1t, then, and after the
In goou g:Int;a, I now, for the first
best denoeiaiIH ~ war, feel at liberty to
,, time DUNG sci you to arms. By every
call anu ;n c?G which binds you to your
conslueI'If conI fellow -corntrymen, and the
en5iaVeu welfare f your country; by
peace ar; aln;rotion wlch you cherish for
every asp AIN and quality of yourselves
e and vonr chiure, 81; ~ " all the ties of
y Hood hh~ and identt wnlch make us one
:. 9TH 9TH the Tfave ack men now fighting
: wltn sue .ses in Duisiana, in South Caro- |
!. our our od' urge gu to fly to arms, and
n lima, v:th dhh the power that would |
n smIISe9f6e smISf6e G1emment and your liberty |
o d the seie hopeless grave. | wish I |
could tel you that the State of New
ork Gals youto this high honor. For
The mment her constituted authorities
are alent on the subject. They will
SPeak by and oy, and doubtless on the
right side; bW we are not compelled to
wait for her. We can get at the throat
OF Treason and Slavery through the
State of Massachusetts,.
She was first in the War of Independ-
ence; INST to break the chains of her
slaves; first to make the black man
equal before the law; first to admit col.
ored children to her common schools;