New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-14
TEE MISSION OF THE WAR.
A LECTURE
FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
A LECTURE

Rarely has an audience convened in this city
ofsach marked intelligence and responsibility ss that
which last evening filed to ito utmost limit the great
Hall OF Cooper Institute, drawn by the eloQuenee Of
man whe would be excluded from an Eighth avenue car
on account Of lis color-Frederick Douglass Such q
greeting the orator received from this assem-.
bly,. which composed largely oflsdes. Webster.
Clay Everett might have been proud Of 1t was the
fourth in the Of lectures under the auspices ofhe
woman's Loyal League Among those present on the
platform Theodore Tilton Oliver johnson. the
Rev. J. W. X. Sloane, Richard Warren, the Rev. o. st.
John, the Rev. Oliver Calhoun, the Rev. Mr. Williams,
pastor Of the (colored) Methodist Church In Prince
street.
Oliver johnson said oil would share with him In the
disappointment consequent ON the absence Of
the venerable and honored gentleman who had been
announced to preside on this occasion He would have
been there but for sudden death in his family circle.
Mr.. Douglass on coming forward, received With
the warmest enthusiasm and his address listened
to with close attention throughout and frequently ap
pauded. He said:
/ LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: BY the mission Of the war
mean nothing occult arbitrary difcnt TO be under
stood but simply those great moral changes in the fun
damental condition of the people. demanded by the
Situation Of tn country plainly involved IN the nature
coriance with its true character 1t is naturally and
logically fitted to accomplish.
Speaking in the Of Providence some men tell ~
that Slavery Is already dead that il expired with the
first shot at Sumter. This may be but do not share
the confidence with which It asserted. In grand
in face and to accept their verdict whether It bless
or blast j look for miraculous destruction OK
Slavery. The wer looms before me simply az great
national opportunity, which may be improved TO ma
tonsl ssy aton neglected to national ruin hope
much from tho bravery OF soldiers but in vain 10
the mi gilt Of armies If rulers fail to profit by expe
andre 10 tn NE q
and justice. The most hopeful fact Of the hour IL that
in sanitary schoolthe school Of affection
II sharp and signal retrbution, long pr0tracted wide.
sweeping and Overwhelming, can teach great nation
respect for the ongdespsed claims Of Justice surely
we shall be taught now and foi all time TO come But
IT, on the other hand this potent teacher whose lessons
are written in characters of blood and Numbered to
from hundred battle fields shall fail we shall 60 down.
as We shall deserve to go down warning oil other
nations which shall come after 1t is not pleasant 70
contemplate the hour one of doubt and danger. We
naturally prefer the bright side. but when there
dark side is folly to shut our eyes 10 It or deny s ex
istcnce
know that the acorn involves the oak, but / know
also that the commonest accident may destroy its po-
tental character and defeat its natural destiny One
brings its treasure from the briny deep but an
other often sweeps it back to its primal depths. Tho
saying that revolutions never go backward must DO
Of the grandest that ever dazzed gazing world. IL
overturned the French throne: sent Louis Philippe into
glorious Republic. Looking on from distance, the
friends of democratic liberty in the CONFUSION the
Great was their disappointment Almost in the twink.
ling of eye, the latent forces Of despotism rallied.
The Republic disappeared. Her nobest defenderswere
sent into exile, and the hopes OF democratic liberty
we're blasted in the moment Of their bloom. Politics
and peridy proved too strong for the principles Of
liberty and justice in that contest wish could say
that such liabilities darken the horisou around us
But the same elements are plainly involved here ~
there Though the portents that we shall foursh
i Is TOO much TO say thst VIC cannot fs and fall Our
cowardly TO shuttle responsibilities upon the shoul
der of Providence do not intend to argue but TO state
facts.
We are now wsdng deep into the third year 81 con-
fct with fierce and sanguinary rebellion, one which,
the beginning OF il, We were hopefully assured by one
OF our most sagacious and trusted political prophetic
" Onld be ended in less than ninety dgys rebellion
which In it's worst features, stands alone among rebel
lions solt2ry and ghasty horror without parallel in
the history OF any nation, ancient or modern rebel
lion inspired BY love Of liberty and by no hatred Of
oppression as most other rcbelions have been, and
therefore utterly indefensbe upon any moral social
gronnds rebellion which openly and shameessly sets
at defiance the worlds judgment OF right and wrong
appeals from light to darkness from intelligence 70 ig
ings ri high and glorious civilization 10 the cold and
whitening blasts of u naked bsibarisn rebellion
which even at this unfinished stage OF it. counts the
sands but b. hundreds OF thousands 4 rebellion
which u the destruction of human life and property has
ry allied TIE earthquake the whrwind AND the pestence
that akcth in and Nasteth at monday has
planted agony az u million hearthstones throneed
streets with the weeds OF mourning iled land with
formed graves and msned it all over with the shadow
oil death. rebellion which, while IL has arrested the
ye.is OF peaceful industry and checked the flow OF
commerce has piled up debt. heavier than mountain
OF gold to weigh down the necks OF our childrens
children. There is end Ia the mischiefs wrought.
IL has brought ruin 1t home. contempt abroad cooled
nds heated our enemies aud endangered our ex-
isenco naiion.
Now FOR what il all this desolstion ruin. shame. suf
fering and sorrow Can anybody want the answerf
Can anybody be ignorant Of the answer IL has been
pyen thOlsand times irom this and other platforms
N. all know il is Slavery. Les than hall million OF
southern Notwithstanding in bondage -four million
s,esdnding themselves outyoted in the effort 70 get
posS.ssion of the United States Government in order
the interests ct slavery have mady resofed 70
III. swor,haye undertaken 10 accomplish by bullets
What they failed 10 accomplish by ballots That lie the
answer.
ID is worthy OF remark that Secession was al afer.
thougLt with the Rebels. Their elm was higher Sc
sion war only their second choice Wise was gone TO
6cht fr slavery the Union. IL was not separation,
mi srhyer.ion liz was not Richmond but Washington.
II was not the Confederate rag but the glorious Star
Sreugled Banner
Whence came che guilty ambition equal 10 this afro.
cions crime A peculiar education was necessary 70
This bold wcsedness. Here all Is plain again Slavery
the necuar institution-is aptly fitted 10 produce lust
such pstrlos VINO pnder snd then seek 10 destroy
Their country system which rewards labor with
strine. and chains which robs the slave Of his man.
hood snd the master ~ ell just consideration Tor the
rights OF his fellow manhas prepared the Characters
male aud femalethat figure IN this Rebelion-and Tor
an its cod.boOded and hellish atrocities In all the
most horrd details of torture starvation and murder m
the of our prisoners behold the features OF
the monster in whose presence was born, and that
Slavery From no source less foul and wicked could
such Rebellion come need not dwell here. Inc
country knows the story by heart. But an one o.
those who think this and carried
on for "a cause SO unspeaksby guilty and distinguished
hy barbartes which would e1tort cry Vi shame from
the painted sayage-is quite enough for the whole NE
time of any one nation-though that lifetime should
a. II a