Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1866-09-21
Speech Of Frederick Douglas.

Speech Of Frederick Douglas.
After the indefinite adjournment of the
northern conventions Tuesday, the delegates
held an impromptu mass meeting. Freder-
ick Douglas. the black orator, was loudly
called for, and after u brief apology sdoke
as folows:-
have read recently the address adopted
at a convention IN this city, not of us or for
us or with us, and | found many things in
that address to which could heartily assent.
and to nothing could / assent more readily
than TO the powerful argument showing
that there could be no taxation without rep
rescntation. (Applause and langhter) If
that address had cmanated from u c6lored
convention, / think / should have gone ev-
cry word. (Renewed laughter.) 1t was on
bSq bkP9wd Cd dfdge dg S Of the qes which inspired
of the American people is to limit eternal
and universal principles, a limit which is in
its very nature illimitable-to circumscribe
principles intended by the great leader of
the universe for the harmony of the universe
For instance, in that great document which
il is well to think of on an occasion like this
the signers each of whom were pledged
on their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred
honor, all they had on earth-started out
with the doctrine that all men-not a black
man-not white man-that all men-not
an Englishman, nor an Irishman. one of the
Teutonic or the Saxon race-that all men
were created equal. That great doctrine
was long hunted and crcumscribed. but
regard this convention now sitting in this
city as intending TO make it a practical fact
for this great country. (Applause.) Per-
haps | am getting too broad. too comprehen-
sive (Cries of"No No): but | was at the
great southern convention few moments
to-day and take my license from Attorney
General Speed. (Applause.) He gave MS
| to understand that we were going to find
out what was the truth, what we were to
feel to he the truth. what is to be the truth
and in that convention he proclaimed it that
at the ballot box they would make it law
| of the and-that it would be crystalized in
to legislation.
You will pardon me for what | say ON this
occasion if bring i'll here one whom have
associated with for the last 20 ycars-yes,
the last 30 years-the negro. CGreat laugh
! ter.) 1t would not be exactly fair for me to
90 away and not remember mOaughter)
not to bring him in with me. Oaughter.) }
| | will say that | must do the poor negro
some Justice: am here as his representative
as Il representative of a multifarious constit-
uency (laughtcr) such perhaps as no other
man III the convention could represent
Now, in the first place. | represent the black
race. Laughter) There is no mistaking
the curling of my hair or the ilatness of my
nose. Oaughtcr.) Now. in the next place
| represent the white racc( c(laughtcr) and
there is no mistaking that cthcrQaughter,
inasmuch Us that in the state of Maine the
copperhead papers deny the credit of what
ever talent may have to the colOrcd race
but ascribc il to the white race. TO which
they say ! belong. (Grcat laughtcr) So
gentlemen ! speak for the black race and tho
white race and for the black and white rae,
combined. (Rcnewcd laughtcrl And 81
far as nv own experience goes, from thu
pcaceablc manner in which the two races
live in this organism, do not believe in Il wal
of races. Uaughtcr)
Some things have been settled hy the war
and one of these things is that the negroc'
can fight and will fight C\pplause) An
other thing is settled. 1t is settled that h,
is p 'rmancnt part of the American peo
plr--that he is here and that no scheme o
colonization or no mode of eXpatriation cal
be adopted by which the race can be entire
ly eradicatcd from the land. The question
comes up. shall the presence of II vast blacl
population of four or five millions he made
Il blessing or Il cuise--;l blessing to them
selves and to us, Il blessing to the who'll
country, or curse to themselves and a ours
to lis and to the whole country? Statesman
ship has but one answer to give. Il is this
The theory of Il complete incorporation q
the whole black element into the American
body polite. Anything less than this vii
prove an utter falacy in my judgment
You want me to speak my honest sentiments
(Caics of Yes yes.") We ask n right t
all the different boXcs-to the witncss-boN
tho iurV-bOX. and the ballot-boX. CAP
plausc0 tell you we want that box. 10
all in that box are certainly secure. W
: ought to ask for that especially Anybod
out of ii are CA voice-"ln Il bad box;
laughter and cheers.) Yes in bad box,
ask it because anegro is Il man, and we hav
> recently become aware that great revolu
ton is going on-n great political revolutio
in the United States. Ii is for manhoo
: suffrage. (Great applause) | go for thi
right because our government is Il democrat
ic one: because il is based upon the prime
pie of universal suffrage; and the right can
! not be denied on account of complexion
And ! have another argument 1t Is THIS
the black man has deserved IT. do not sa
that the black man has fought any bette
than the white man in the last great wa
do not mean to say that You could not hay
put down the rebellion without him, for
! believe YOU could. The whole people of Il
North were able to end it; to put down Il
the slave masters in the South. But this
do say, while | do not say you could not
it alone, the negro helped you to put it dow
II They were your friends, too. They helpe
yoilr escaping prisoners from southern dun
u reons- -Andersonyile Belle Isle and Cast
: Thunder. And all | ask YOU to remcmb'
\ in this convention is that you may wal
" them again.