New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-22
Frederick Douglass at Hillsdale.

Inc 1OllOWlnk Is Cn6 1ull toXG OF Lno
speech of the Hon. Frederick Douglass,
bration of the fourth of July:
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentlemen-I
am here to-day, not so much to celebrate
the deeds Of the revolutionary fathers as to
say word to you upon the great questions
of the hour. The glorious deeds of the revO-
lutionary fathers have been declaimed at
every freside, upon every mountain top, on
every plain and in every school. They are
familiar to every schoolboy; they are facts
Of history.
II any person should ask what colored
men have to do with the fourth of july, the
answer is ready. They have had much to
do with everything. They we're at Lewis
burg, Ticonderoga. Quebec, Lexington, Con
cord and Bunker Hill. The manly form of
Major Pitcairne, the very incarnation of
English hostilitiee, was brought down by a
musket in the hands Of the cOlored soldier
Salem. The first resistance to the red coats
was led by the negro Crispus Attucks in
State street, Boston, where he sealed his
devotion by the shedding Of his blood. The
negro was at New Orleans in 1912, where
he fought bravely, and received the un.
qualified praise Of the commanding officer,
General jackson. The negro was ut Olus-
tee, Wagner, Pillow, Petersburg and
Richmond. We have never deserted the
white man. We have stuck to him through
evil report and through good report; in
years OF peace and plenty, and in years Of
war and scarcity.
Mr.. President, if the North and South had
not quarreled wewould not have been here
to-day. It the blue-eyed Saxon had not
fallen out with his Southern brother we
North and the South quarreled we sided
with the victorious party, hence our
triumph. If war among the whites brought
freedom to the blacks, what will peace
among the whites bring to the blacks! Let
US look this question square in the face.
When the Israelitish children went OUT Of
Egypt God whispered to them. and told
them to borrow earrings and finger rings,
and jewelry from their neighbors, and they
went out full. God led :hem by day with
cloud, and by night with pillar Of fire.
streams. land they did eat angels bread"
But more than 100000 Of us were sent
forth empty. We were friendless, home
lees, penniless, naked, hungry and thirsty.
The South wouldn't have US; the North
didn't want US. We were strangers in q
strange land. LAT this point the audience
was deeply touched, aud even the children
were moved by the pathetic tones OF MIR.
Douglass almost phenomenal voice. But,
fellow citizens, We have no time to eheCt
tears.
There are, even in the Republican party,
indications of disposition to get rid of us.
Ambiti Ous candidates for the presidency
are already casting about to see II they can
not be elected in some way without tho aid
of the black vote. Onr shelter in the past
has been Ulysses'S. Grant. The question is
40 to who will shield us in tie future. Well.
indeed, Will it be for us if one as true, just,
and able shall come after him.
We are thrown upon our own resources.
We must work out our salvation with fear
and trembling. Are you ready for this! l
believe you are. am persuaded that you
are both ready and willing to work out your
own destiny. You will be the architects of
your own fortune. All We ask is fair
field to work in, and the white man to leave
us alone. We have been injured more than
we have been helped by men who have
professed to be our friends. They are law
yers without clients, miDisters-broken
down ministers-without churches, wan
dering teachers without schools.
They are great beggars. They have the
science Of begging down to nicely. They
scatter them broadcast over the land, as
leaves before autumnal gales. 1t you are
worth anything they will find out where
you live, and if you never got letter be-
ore you will get one now.
FellOw-citizens, We must stop these men
rom begging for us. They nisrepresent
ls, and cause the country to look upon us
Is poor and helpless people. They say,
please give something 20 help educate the |
Door black people; but do, pray, pay it to |
ne" Aud ii it is 500 it is reduced to about |
lack people. We do not want-we will !
ot have-these second rate men begging
or us. We protest against it!
Mr.. Chairman, think the cOlored people !
+ this country have had an experience
uring the last decade that will not be re-
eated in the future. We have had
Freedmen's Savings Institute" but we
ont want any more. Our white friends
old US that if We had cents, to bring them
D them and they would take care of them;
We had dollars, or hundreds, or thou.
hey had Q goose and q golden egg. Yes.
'e put our millions there, but where we're
1ey now! [Volce. That's sor'l The men
'ho went into the bank, few years ago, !
oer men, are now dOmiciled in beautiful
ONES and drive their fine turnouts. 1t
lakes me feel badly to think how we have
cen robbed. just enough honest men have
cen put into the bank to insure its success.
ut while they put in two sound apples
icy slipped in five or six specked ones, and
ere sure to turn the specks down.
said, fellow citizens, that we must pro-
ct against these men begging for US.
low me to add that We nust stop begging |
Z ourselves. II We build churches, don't
K white people to pay for them. Ii we
we banks, colleges and papers, do not
K other people to support them. Be indie
ndent. Begging was we'll enough once,
1t in these days of tree manhood it is out
place. The scourged shoulders, the
wed form. the beseeching look, the out
retched suppliant hand are among the
d tread to duty with martial step. Then
r white friends Will respect us the more,
d wa will respect ourselves and one
other more thoroughly. ! am here to-day
offer and sign a declaration Of independ-
ce for .he coIored people of these United
ates, and shall adopt in substance the
claration signed ninety nine years ago:
1--WE hold these truths to be self-evident, e
at all men are created equal, and en- I
wed by their Creator with certain in c
enable righls, among which are life, lib I
y and the pursuit of happiness. And
lenever any law becomes subversive to {
ese ends, it shall be the duty of the peo-
, to change such laws, establishing the | I
vernment upon q tirmer and broader /
I
We propose to cnt loose from all invid-
10 class Institutions, and to part company
tn all these wandering mendicants who |
We followed us simply for paltry gain. | q
ID we now bid an affeotionate fare we'll to |
these plunderers, and in the future, if
need Q Noses, We will find him in our
n tribes. ii