Journal of freedom. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1865-186?, 1865-10-14

" nv "0AAOou, UcClu1hSSc auu ClNA1A1ef-
ton.
Peace, says the noble Sumner, has It's
triumph not less than war. I avail my
self of the aphorism, and claim the dedi-
cation Of the Douglass Institute in this,
the city of Baltimore, In the State of
Maryland, dedicated as it will be to
knowledge, virtue and liberty-as one
such triumph. l think it quite difficult
to over estimate the Importance and
significance of this first effort of the kind
in the city of Baltimore. / confess, that
the proposition to establish such an insti-
tuition here and now-was a source of
apprehension as well as joy-isy in the
thought gifts success, apprehensive lest
the effort should fail. It seemed too
much to expect.
Apeople hitherto pronounced by Amer
lean learning as incapable of anything
higher than the dull round Of merely
animal life-neld to be origin ally and
permanently inferior--ft only for the
coarser and heavier labors of human So
ciety, shut out for ages from the arts,
from science, and from all the more ele-
waiting forms of industry-deprived 0 fthe
social incentives to excellence, which
everywhere act upon other men, dare
here and now to establish an Institute,
devoted to all the higher wants and aspi-
rations of the human soul. It is a great
fact.
Your very enemies looking upon this
event will admit that it speaks we'll for
the colored people Of Baltimore. 1t is in
itselfa powerful appeal from the popular
Judgment under which the colored peo-
pie of this city and of this State, and of
the whole country have staggered during
more than two hundred years. I would
bestow no ~extravagant and indiscrinate
praise upon the founders of the Douglass
Institute. You are sensible men and
would not thank me if | did. The color
ed people of this country have as much
reason to deprecate fattery as they have
disparagement. What they want is the
simple truth, and this renders honor
where honor is due. [ say to you, gen
tlenen, what you all know, that this in
stitution, viewed in comparison with
those established by our white fellow
citizens for similar objects, stands but as
a dwarf to a giant but regarded in the
light of our history, in view Of our num-
bers and opportunities, the Douglass In
stitute is the equal to any in credit, and
far more significant than most of them.
It is 6 beginning, and though like all
beginnings it is small, it is, neverthe-
less, a prophecy Of larger and better
things. 1t represents something, and
important as it is for itself, it is ten-fold
more important for what it represents In
the character of it's founders. It implies
something. It implies that the colored
people of baltimore not only have the
higher qualities attributed to the white
race, but they are awaking to a healthy
consciousness of those qualities in them
selves, and that they are beginning to
see, as the dark cloud of slavery rolls
away, the necessity of bringing those
qualities into vigorous exercise. 1t i'm
plies an increased knowledge of the re-
quirements of a high civilization, and a
determination to comply with them
This Institute, in character and design,
in some measure represents the abilities
and possibilities of our race.
My friends, the present is a critical mo-
ment for the colored. people Of this
country oar fate for veal or for woe, it
may be yet for many generations, trem-
bles now in the balance. No nan can
tell which way the scale will turn. There
is not a breeze that sweeps to us from the
South, but comes laden with the wall of
our suffering people. Heaven only
knows what may yet be in store for our
people in the South. But dismal as is
the hour, troubled aud convulsed as are
the times, we may congratulate ourselves
upon the establishment of this institution.
It comes as a timely argument on the right
side Of the momentOus questions which
now agitate the nation. 1t comes at a
time when the American people are once
more being urged to do from necessity
what they should nave done from a sense
of. right, and of sound craftsmanship. 1t
is the same old posture of affairs, wherein
our rulers do wrong from choice and
right from necessity. They gave u the
bullet to save themselves. Ny hope OF
the future is now founded Just where it
was during all the war. always said
that | had much faith in the virtue of the
great North, but that have incomparably
more in the villainy of the South. The
South is now on its good behavior we are
told. They have been invested with
powers, merely to see how they will use
them. If they do certain things we are
told, it will be we'll, but if they do GER
tain other t~hings-well, somebody will in
~terfere. Very we'll, l expect to see the
rebels consistent with their whole past
They are sworn now as at the beginning
of the wal and with like results. They
take the oath to support a Government
they hate. They are sure to abuse the
uowar oivan thom and I helieya there