Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-06-12
Douglass on Greeley.


dress to the colorcd people Of Poughkeepsic,
N. v, which Frederick Douglass, in the cur
rent number Of bis Nep National Era, crit-
eises pretty severely We quote the follow
ing passages from Mr.. Douglass's editorial :
THAT Mr.. Greeley should thus early in the
Presidential canvass strike the keynote on
the african" proves that after all, he
does not place him among the dead issues and
obsolete questions Of the past about which no
more discussion is needed or action demanded.
In this address he takes the negro over the
course pretty thoroughly, and evidently with
no indifferent eye to the effect his words will
be likely to produce upon the minds Of his
new allies as well as those of his old friends
1t cannot be denied that Mr. Greeley in
this Poughkeepsie address has given the
African people in America much whole
some advice. A man Of his eminently prac-
teal turn of mind, who has been a close and
earnest student of the question as to how to
make the best of this world could not very
well speak without saying something valuable,
and yet we doubt if Mr.. Greeley has not
given his good advice from an outlook and in
tone which may GO far to destroy the good
effects Of his otherwise excellent teachings.
Taking his own political prospects into ac-
count it seems to us that silence was his best
policy lie is manifestly too liberal towards
the " Africans to suit the Democratic party,
and not quite liberal enough to meet the
wishes Of the Africans. In all Mr.. Greeley
has to say about industry, self dependence,
saving money, buying lend, cooperation and
the like, we fully concur, and have in our
imperfect way said the same things a thou
sand times, and expect to continue saying
them.
The colored people do not, after living here
as slaves two hundred aud fifty years, like
even to have it limited that now they are free
it would be natural for them to drift back tc
the latitude aud climate in which they orig
mated. Having stood the American climate
as slaves they think they can stand it as free.
men. In this, If our opinion is worth anything
we must say that we think them right. There
is an endless deal Of nonsense pretending to be
science and philosophy in respect to where
certain races ought to locate and live. Mar
is an animal not confined to any particular
latitude. He has that within him which
makes him master Of the whole situation
He can make it cool where it is warm, an,
warm where it is cool He is everywhere
warrior against hurtful natural forces, and i
ever noblest and greatest where he conquer
most and has most to conquer. We did no
think that Mr.. Horace Greeley would at thi
late date come out with even hint 10 favo
of the old climatic dogmas of the America
Colonization Society. We know not wha
other colored men may think Of Mr.. Creole
on this point, but to us it seems Eli uniustfa
BILE effort to ALLEVIATE us from the land of GU
birth, and to induce ne belief among us tina
we are s!sngers and pilgrims.
1t does seem to us that Mr.. Greeley's posi-
ton in respect to equal rights, is far less com
mendable than that Of President Grant. Tn
latter has no words to waste, but he says jus
the word the hour calls for. In letter ad
dressed to public meeting held in Washing
ton on the 10th instant Tor the purpose Q
securing the passage of the Supplemental
Civil Rights bill, over which the writer 9
this article presided, President Grant, afte
regretting his inability to attend the mcetin
in question, says 81 beg to assure yor
however, that sympathize most cordially i
any effort to secure for all our people,
whatever race, Maturity, or color, the exercis
OF those rights to which every citizen Shout
be entitled.
Mr.. Greeley lays down a rule of non-resis
tence to prescription strangely at varianc
with his whole history as a reformer Iii
own life has been battle, and an encourage
ment to those who battle for rights. No mat
ter what the weapon-whether moral or ply
sical-he has always commended it as wis
and proper, except in the case of coloret
men. lie has always treated them as sheel
for the slaughter. When they we're dsfran
chised in the State Of New York, and SOM
of us were agitating for an alteration of tn,
constitution, he discouraged the movement
and told US rather coarsey to quit "jawing.
He then counseed silence on our part, Just
as now. He was wrong then, and we think
he is wrong now. We dstrust any man who
has one code for the black man and another
for the white, who breaches submission to tn,
one and in like circumstances resistance tc
the other. Deny Horace Greeley and hi
family accommodation at public house wher
hungry and dusty with travel, or force him
self aud family into filthy smoking-car be
cause his skin is white aud his gait is awk
ward, and let this treatment become genera
and not casual, we think Mr. Greeley woulC
find some means of showing his disapprova
Of such treatment. 1t is easy to bear in
suits and outrages when they are offered +
other people. 1t is far easier to be whit
than colored in this country. Greeley in
black skin would reason very differently
from his Poughkeepse address