The New York herald., 1869-05-14
Fred Douglass and Social Rights-Amalga-
nation the Ultimatum of the RadicalR

Fred Douglass and Social Rights-Amalga-
nation the Ultimatum Of the Radicals
High above all the usual clamor of platform
speakers at the meetings of the American Anti
Slavery Society resounds the voice of Fred
Douglass, declaring the rights of blacks to
social equality with whites. Fred Douglass is
not satisfied with the abolition of slavery; ''ii
it had died honestly the society would have
died honestly with it," He is not willing to be
satisfied even with the recognition of the legal
and political rights of the negro which the
universal adoption of the fifteenth amend
ment would confirm. Nor would he be salts
fed If Congress were to do what he deems its
duty and ''see not only that the negroes have
the right to vote, but that they shall have the
right to acquire land, to till it for themselves
aud to enjoy its fruits" In behalf of the
negroes he said "what they wanted was elbow
room to work out their own destiny" And
what he believes to be their destiny is clear
from his hearty endorsement of the resolutions
adopted by acclamation at the meeting on
Tuesday in Steinway Hall, particularly of one
resolution demonstrating against ''the pro-
slavery spirit of Southern slavery" which 1--WE
see but too plainly in the ortracism and exclu-
sive action of the most of the public houses in
this city towards the colored people," and Of
another which reads thus =
Resolved, That we see, with especial satisfaction
that the Lieutenant Governor of State, black
though he be- can be courte0usy received In q New
York hotel; and since neither church nor press has
yet reused itself TO put an end to this hesthenish
and infamous spirit OF CASTE we trust that the blacks
OF the South Will claim their full proportion OF State
Offices In order that governors, having broken their
way into hotels, churches, lecture rooms and the
other resorts OF men, the private citizen who shares
the color OF the first champion may In time find
admittance.
Fred Douglass view of the negro's manifest
destiny is also shown by his significant remark
in explanation of his avowed sympathy with
democrats" Calhoun, he intimated, had long
ago anticipated Wendell Phillips and Seward in
foreseeing that an irrepressible conflict was
inevitable, and that slavery would ultimately
be abolished. ''The democracy saw the re-
suit that some day negro would come into
the House of Congress and into the Senate.
That is what the progress of events predicted,
and it is coming. Give the negro the right to
vote and all this must come. The democrat
said, Give the negro the right to vote and
amalgamation will come Their friends said,
oh, no, 1t will not The democrat said il
would. Well, the times are advancing"
Douglass adds that "the salvation of this
country is in becoming incorporated in the
American body polite, Incorporated into
society,"" &c. ''He would say welcome the
black man to any position and every position
for which his talents and his habits fitted him.
Do this and you will have peace" In fine,
amalgamation is the ultimatum of Fred
Douglass.
If we remember Alright Fred Douglass once
very sharply and properly snubbcd and re-
buked white man who sought to intrude into
his family circle, soliciting the hand of his
daughter in marriage, together with dowry
of ten thousand dollars. But ''the progress of
events" has, perhaps, modified. his views.
He has naught but soorn for tho inhuman
and unchristian prejudice against race
the .senselcss prejudice" as Miss Dickinson
stIumatizes IL In her misceg, ,6nation novel,
ssWbat Answer2" Nor has he forbearance
even with the imperfect sympathies" which
the gentle Ella confessed. This country can
be saved, according to the, anti slavery radi-
calls, only by filling IL with mongrel, hybrid
populations like those OF Mexico and Central
and South America. Wendell Phillips has dis
covered that what ''tronbled the hopes of the
nation and perllled Its existence was in
reality an original Saxon narrowness OF
self-concelt in the superiority Of Its own
blood" This 'heathenish and Infamous pre-
judice" must be eradicated ere the desire can
be realized which was expressed by Miss Lucy