Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-26

VACANT.
The Massachusetts, Anti-Slaver
Society at once made overtures {,
A1r. Douglass, and he became on
+; OF their accredited agents. Fo
this new field of labor. which he re
luctantly and hesitatingly entered
and for which he modestly said b,
chad no preparation" the even
proved that he was admirably fitted
In addition to that Unborn geniu.
and those natural gifts of oratory
with which he was SO generously
endowed, he had the long and ter.
rible lessons which slavery haj
burned into his soul. The knowl.
edge too, he had stolen in the house
OF bondage, had enabled had en-.
abled him to read the Liberator from
week to week, as he was engaged in
his hard and humble labors on the
wharves of New Bedford, and thus
to become acquainted with the new
thoughts and reasonings of others,
while doubtless many things which
had long lain in his own mind form
less and vague he found there raore
clearly defined and more logically
expressed, and the ferceness and
force OF its utterances tailed only
too well with the all-consuming zeal
OF his own soul. Thus fitted and
commissioned he entered upon tho
great work of his life. Though dis
trustful of his abilities, no knight
errant ever sailed forth with higher
resolves OK bore himself with more
heroic courage. With whatever diff
hdence he undertook the proposed
service, there was no lack of earn-
estness and devotion. Nor was his
ronge a limited one. Fitted by his
talents to move thousands on the
platform, he was prepared by his
early experience to be equally per-
suasive in o little meeting in a
county school-house. In hall, or
church, or grove he was alike effec-
tive. He could make himself at
home in the parlors of the great or
by the fresidss Of the humble. He
could ride in the public conveyances
from State to State, or tramp on foot
from neighborhood to neighbor-
hood. Fertile in expedients and
patient in endeavor, he was not |
easily baked or driven from his pur-
pose. In the midst of the preiu-
dices of caste, hardly less strong
and cruel in Massachusetts than in
Maryland, though painful. they were
never permitted to divert him from
his purpose. If he could not ride
inside the stage. lie would ride out
side; if he could not ride in the
first class" Car, he rode in the
'second-class;" if he could not oc-
cupy the cabin of the steamer, he
vent into the "steerage;" but to
these insults to his manhood he
generally interposed his earnest
protest, and often only yielded to
superior force.
The character, culture, and elo-
luence displayed by his addresses
provoked the insinuation that he
vas an impostor, and that he had
lever been a slave. To silence this
mputation, he prepared and pub
shed, in the spring of 1S45, an i,
autobiography, which was widely /,
irculated. AS in it he gave "the
ames of persons, places, and dates" '
y which his claims and statements
ould be verified, it was soon known :,
/ Maryland, and he and his friends Il
ere given to understand that ef-
'rts would bemade for his recap :.
Ire. To place himself ont of the - :,
ZACH Of his pursuers, and, at the b
me time, help forward his great O.
ork, it was proposed that he should p
Mt England. He was very kindly .. y
ceived, and visited and lectured +
nearly all the large towns and is
hes of the kingdom. In a lecture S,
Finsbury's Chapel in London to a
audience of three Thousand, he ~ -
us answered the question why he d,
d not confne his labors to the I'll
nited States: 50
"A1y first answer is: because slav- !"
= is the common enemy of man
nd. and that all mankind should