Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-05-18
Fred Douglass Lecture.

LIou OOugldSS beOJuIo'
A lecture was delivered few evenings
since at Baltimore by Marshal Douglass,
on the subject of Washington City,"
which has reused the ire of the Wash
ingtonians. Following are extracts from
the lecture:
Washington was not good city. 1t
had a good many churches, but it was
some distance from the spot to which
their spires pointed. 1t had bad be-
ginning, and had never produced any
great statesman or philauthropist. The
descendants of its old families have made
no mark. 1t sided with treason against
loyalty, and its selection was great
mistake, being sandwiched between two
slave States, and the headquarters of the
slave trade, where boys were sold as
swine. 1t was cruel without reason and
indecent without shame. Freedom of
speech and of the press was unknown,
and its idol was slavery. John Quincy
Adams was threatened with death for
advocating the right of petition. Drink
ing and gambling were prevalent under
the dome of the Capitol, the duelist was
in repute, and the place filed with poi
sonous weeds and serpents. Moral life
was a sham; all was fair without, but foul
within. Its bOasted chivalry was to-
challenge Northern man to fight and to
whip negro with his hands tied. The
people applauded Breckenridge in his
treason, stood between Andrew Johnson
and impeachment, and in their midst was
Matched the devilish plot that robbed
Lincoln of his life. During the war jeff
Davis would have been more welcome
than Lincoln, Lee than Grant and the
Stars and Bars more than the Star
| Spangled Banner. Parson Brownlow
made an apt remark on his way to Wash
| ingtor. He said that he felt he must be
! getting near the city, as he began to feel
as if he wanted to steal something.
Washington society famed into fury
the passions of men, and much of the
old spirit was left. The portraits of
Giddings, Gerritt Smith and such men
had no place on the walls of thu
Corcoran art gallery, but the Ca.
houns and McDuffies were numerous.
They knew how to make Northern r.en
with Southern principles, and that class
we're reappearing now. 1t was again
getting dark for the colored race, but the
shadow would ultimately pass away, The
|
always had the best pickings, and held
the offices and slaves. But Virginia's
glory has departed. Instead of the
mother of States, she is the grandmother
and occasionally some of her sons ap.
pear chewing James River tobacco, their
dignity gone, masters without slaves, and
lords without lands. The Washing
tonian is indolent in all his movements
Step into store and you will wait five
minutes before you are noticed. Every
one Of them has been or expects to be 8
great man. They walk slowly but moi
measured, their arms hanging listlessly
by their sides. He excels all Other
Americans in sitting and can remain in
an easy-chair longer without fatigue
than any other man. He is fully equa
in this respect to the Turk. All Wash
ingtonians wear their hats over theil
eyes in a somber, unhappy, and sinister
way-a fashion probably learned from
members of Congress, who wear theiI
hats in this way sometimes to avoid
recognition, and sometimes because OF
intent thinking. The Washingtonian
has a strong negro pronunciation, learned
from the slaves. There is also a class OF
poor white trash in Washington who in
slave days were drivers of the negroes
but live now by huckstering, fishing and
hunting, and though they make better
living now than before, still they are moi
happy. Besides these there are office
seekers of all kinds, and more people
trying to get something for nothing thar
in any other city in the country. To bC
honest in Washington is to be considered
] fnTi oh oil
yes. There is more insincere politenes'
and obsequious Eat-lifting there thar
anywhere else. While there il
nothing necessarily degrading il
the Governments service, there il
much that is degrading in the process OF
obtaining appointments. After all thai
can be said about the morals of the
place, there has been favorable change
and that in the condition of the coloreC
people is wonderful When l see some
of our people on the curbstone begging
to be allowed to hold horses | think we
are doomed race; but when l go into
the beautiful school buildings and SCI
the colored youth busily engaged in the
various studies l am convinced we have
future, and / am again convinced Of
this by the intelligent audience see be
fore me, understanding and appreciatin9
every point that is made.
In conclusion, Mr.. Douglass said hi
considered the future of Washington I
hopeful one, and he was glad that in this
day and generation he lived in Washing
ton. l would have the capital stay
where it is. 1t is no longer sandwicheC
between two slave States, and is nj
longer a contradiction and obstacle t.
human progress, the hot-bed of slavery
the home of the duelist and bully, but /
redeemed city, bond of perfect unior
and peace on earth and goodwill to men
All American citizens may meet there
under the dome of the Capitol and shake
hands, not over bloody chasm, bu
over free, united and enlightened ma
tion.