The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-08-14
A Plea Or RAIr PIay-Tho Right OF .
Man 10 work.

In q speech OF Medina, New York,
On Emancipation Day, Mr.. Frederick
Douglass thus spoke OF The case OF his
son, whom the Printers Unions In this
country are trying TO deprive OF the
chance OF earning his living at his
trade;
IN the days Of slavery, when was
slave, q negro having o master might
work At any trade or calling In the
Southern States and at Washington
without any opposition. While his
wages went Into the pockets Of another,
while the bread he earned IN the sweat
Of his lace was 10 be eaten by another,
while no was to toll that another mlRhb
live at case, he could do 30 without OPP
position; but when he has bis own
mouth 10 feed, his own back 10 clothe,
his own body 10 shelter, his own child.
rem 10 support and educate, the case 10
different. White brlcklRyers, white
carpenters and white printers combine
10 prevent any black man from work.
Ing o. these respective trades, and at
tempt 70 bend the government to this
narrow and selfish purpose, l think
you VIII agree with me that the case ID
q hard one for the negro. lii ".
! have heard OF putting men In
tight place, and have sometimes been
severely pinched myself, but know OF
no tighter place than that into which It
10 attempted 10 place the negro to-day.
II he steals, we send him 70 prison; II
he begs, we spurn him from our doors
az Q good for nothing; II he attempts 10
work, we combine 10 prevent him, and
even threaten bis life, have ipumA ted
that the question has risen In the right
place, and l may say, since 1t must
come, am, upon the whole, not sorry
that have personal interest In lis
deciSion!' For the moment Lewis Il,
Douglass represents our whole people,
rising from degradation 10 respectable.
~, and from prescription 10 equal
rights. The principle involved Is one
for which every man ought 10 contend.
II Involves the right TO life, liberty and
the pursuit Of happiness, and It 10 the
business of every American citizen,
white and black, to stand for this prln.
clple, each for all and all for each, az
the sheet-anchor Of q common safety,
Il believe there never was O crime
committed for which apologies Of some
sort could not be made, and the ATTEMPT
10 degrade and stRrve colored printer
at Washington is no exception TO the
general rule. II 10 alleged that he 10 an
improper person 10 be allowed 10 work;
that he has at one time OF his life work.
ed at o lower rate OF wages than that
fixed upon as the proper one by The
PrinterB' Union: that he has worked In
town or city where such Unions ex-
listed, and did not become q member;
that he has served no regular appren-
ticeship; that the card permitting him
10 work In the Government Printing
Office was Improperly issued, and much
else OF the same sort. My friends, l
have neither time nor patience 10 ex.
pose and refute In detail these pAltry
allegations. From beginning TO end
they are miserable shams, designed TO
give a color Of deceuoy to ons OF the
meRnest acts Of cruelty and Injustice
ever perpetrated against felloW-man,
There 10 no Disgusting the fact-his
crime was his color. II was his color
In Denver, It was his color In Roches.
ter, and It Is his color In Washington
today. In connection with this sub.
ect have now word 10 say OF the
goodly city In which have lived for
the last twenty years, and where still
reside-a city than which not one In
the country is more civilized, refined
and cultivated. II abounds in both
educational and religious institutions,
and It's people are generally as liberal
and friendly TO the colored race as any
other In this State, and far more so
than most cities outside Of the State.
Here the common schools have been
open TO all classes alike for dozen
years, and colored aud white children
have sat on the same benches and
played In the same school yards, and
Ut the same sports and games, and they
have done 80 In peace. / can say many
good things OF Rochester. The Fugi-
tive Slave bill never took slave out Of
is limits, though several attempts
were made 10 do so.
when colored people were mobbed
and hunted like Wild beasts In other
cities, and public fury was famed
against them by q malignant pro-
slavery press, the colored man was al.
ways safe and well protected In Roches-
ter, and yet have somewhat against
1t. One OF the saddest spectacles that
ever assailed my eyes or panied nv
heart was presented in that city. Par
don me for making mention OF It,
though It is clearly personal. The
same young man who Is at work at the
Government Printing Office In WASH
ington, and against whose employment
30 much feeling has been shown, was
thesub)ect. he had Just returned from
the war had stood on the walls OF Fort
Wagner with Colonel Shaw; had borne
himself like man on the perllous edge
OF battle, and now that the war was
nearly over, he had returned to Roches.
ter, somewhat broken In health, but
still able and willing to work at his
trade. But, alas he begged In vain OF
his fellow worms to give him leave 10
toll. Day after day, week after week,
and month after month, he sought
work, found none. and came home FAD
and detected. had felt the iron OF me-
gro hate before, but the case of This
young man gave II a deeper entrance
into my soul than ever before.
"For sixteen years had printed a
public journal in Rochester; / had EN-.
ployed white men and white appren-
tices during all this time; had maid ont
In various ways to white men in that
city little less than hundred Thousand
dollars; and yet here was my son, who
had learned his trade In my Office, a
young man Of good character, and yet
unable 10 hnd work at his trade be-
cause OF bis color and race. Walking
among my fellow-cltizens In the street
l haYe never failed to receive due cour-
tesy and kindness. Some men there
have ever shown an interest In ga wing
my soul, but Of what avail are such
manifestations where one sees himself
ostracised, degraded and denied the
means OF obtaining his daily breadW
MISS SUSAN B. ANTHONY insists that
man and wife shall not sleep together.
The furniture dealers Of Sandusky, o.,