The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-14
FRED. DOUGLASS ON THE NEGRO.

Last evening the large room Of the Cooper Institute
was well hlled BY audience composed Of white and
coored ladies' and gentlemen to listen to an address by
Frederick Douglass the we'll known negro orator. The
charge Of admission fty cents tho proceeds to be
devoted to the aid Of the Coored Orphan Asylum.
Tho lecturer, on being introduced, was received with
loud applause and proceeded to eulogize the
which he belonged; and In tho Of his remarks
said sarcastio and witty thngs Ho alluded
to the recent action OF the people Of Maryland and Mis-
souri, in making those States Free and said he there
to ask Of the American people, act Of justice mag
nanmity and wise statesmanshp for the enfranchise-
men OF the colored people OF the South About the best
point which he made was that the slaves OF the South
had been the Lazarses OF this country lying at the rich
slavehodcrs gates Both had been in dying condition;
but the poor man was seen 70 be very near
Abraham's BOSOM and the rich man singing out
wanted three hundred thousand, whilo Davis said he
meant TO arm ms many as he could make effective.
Into which scale tho black went there went
victory The cciored man who fought under the Ameri
flag and Fort Wagner and Port Hudson showed that
the negro could ghp should be invested with absolute
citizenship and entitled TO the elective franchise
The negro heretofore looked upon religious ami
NAL, but there WAS good deal OF human nature about
him Some people thought that after the the coored
would leave the country hui he the speaker said
they here for such missionary purposes for they
meant become part and parcel the American people
Certain othnologists facilitating themselves
upon the idea that the negro, like the Indian,
would die out That error for the negro instead
OF shrinking from civilization WIS fond OF dressing like
white people, in fashionable coat; liked to follow the
soldier and 10 do other equally Intelligent things. In
urging the right OF the to he said that
necessary condition for the reorganization OF society ut
the South and expressed the opinion that they
permitted TO vote the professional politician, who
eagerly sought for the Ir.shmnn's vote no
landed would hold loving conferences with tho negroes
He dwet in humorous strain upon the prejudces en-
ertained by the whites against the blacks aud men
toned the fact that Brazilian slave, when liberated,
was at liberty to I'LL any poaition Ia society for
which his talents fitted him. Ex-Governor Kent, Of
Amorcdn
uhe speaker) that that When he (Douglass) was
| in Maine few years since tho hotel keeper at
loss where to put him when Governor Kent came TO tho
rescue and said, "PRce Mr. Douglass beside myself and
wife, The answered the objection mado against
giving the negro the right Of suffrage because they
inferior He admitted that they were inferior practically
but said that i've centuries ago the AnaloSaxon
negro down; but they would DO up some OF these
days. Great applausc.) When the American people
that the old Casan blood had dctcrioatedhad become
thin that it would scarcely down hill and that tho
Moxicans were incapable OF sefgovornmsnt he con.
tho negro should he educated before the was
reconstructed All he asked from the government for
the negro was impartial justice lAppalse) If there
negroes that could not do for Themselves lot them
! 60 He denounced General Banks who, no said, had
negro and practically reduced to slavery the very
tho proclamation Of emancipation set free Ae nskcd
and let him do for himself II the negro knew enough
to pay taxes or 10 light, II no knew rs much when
Vote In an exceedingly hnmoroSs strain he described
the animal called the body polite " aaIrang what he
norance, brutality and Drunkenness part Of the
| body polite, and wished that he was worth two
hundred and nifty dollars worth Of dirt that h
might be able to form part Of the ''body polite" III
conroveed tho idea that equality before the law wou'
bring social equality, and that ours was exclusively
white government He maintained that II the hv
millions Of negroes at the South had the power 70 vo
they would uphold tho federal government protect II
officers aud create sentiment at the South which wo w
make II possible for the government IN he Administered
This was an act which the American government was il
honor bound to do ~.