National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-05-13
8atiunal Rspnblitam.
W. ). MURrAGH, PROPRIETOR.
MARSHAL DOUGLASS EXPLANATION.

NAN on an DOCULtbp Ed l. AZ IL L IOf.
We have not the slightest disposition to
DO Ipjustics to Mr.. FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
We vi uld at any time commend rather
han condemn. With view OF doing ex.
act justice, letter was addressed to Mr.
DOUGLASS last night requesting copy of
his lecture as delivered in Baltimore. and
assuring him that 1t would bs published
in full in to days REPUBLICAN,. This
Mr. DOUGLASS declined to give. Had he
furnished 1t we would have been content
70 let the lecture speak for itself. The
correspondence on this subject Is pub.
lished elsewhere, rs also an explanation
addressed to TIE REPUBLTCAN. the publ
,ation Of which Mr. DOUGLASS says will
satisfy him, for he states that with that pub
lication there Seems no reason why this
whole matter may not be left to settle it.
self without further controversy"
Mr. DOUGLASS may be, but VIC are not
ntsf with tue explanation. After fully
considering it VIC don't think this "whole
matter" will Settle ITSELF" The first re.
port of the lecture, as delivered in Bilti-
more, that met our eye, was in the Bllti-
mere Gazette We naturally came to the
conclusion that 1t was highly colored by
prejudice aud partisan bias. But when We
opened the american, a stanch Republi.
can paper, ard the Sun. which ia all such
matters is one OF the most exact and care.
ful journals in the country, and found hat
the reporters Of each had put the same in
depreciation upon Mr.. d ,UGLAss' utter.
ances, whether they quoted him ex-
acny or not,) we were bound to
accept tho reports as correct. In
all three Of the reports the SINE vein was
found, and at the hardest thrus,s at Wash
ingion life ard society the significant words
daughter" and applause" were psren-
thetically interjecitd. Now there is one
OF two things certain. Either Mr. DouG
LASS delivered his lecture in Baltimore in
such way as to create the impression that
he was Iidicu!ing and slapdering the peo-
pie Of this city, or else the reporters OF the
three leading papers entered into con-
spirscy against him. And We take no
stock In the conspiracy theory. The re.
port of the lecture has been circulated far
and wide by the papers named, and now
comes the "explanation. But unCortu-
nately that explanation was not made at
the time, and did not go to the world with
the offensive language of the lecture. The
lecture was the hare. The explanation
is the snail. 1t will never catch up.
1t was the most natural thing in the
world that the indignation should be wide
enraal In thta nj hnn he
OF the lecture were read. And Mr.
DOUGLASS explanation" docs not help
the matter. Il his explanation he says:
Your FIRST quotation from the condensed and
necessarily Imperfect report OF my lecture is
that in which am made to say that "washing-
ton hnd good many churches, but II was some
distance FROM tho 'pot to witch their spires
pointed" did make use Of some such remark
a that, and hardly sec now. upon reflection,
how such a remark as that could properly give
There Is everywhere In the word, and there Ger.
tainly Is In Washington. seine space between
and practice, and do not rec how any statemen,
Of that fact can prove me "a slandcrcr."
Now, Mr.. DOUGLASS understands the
force of language as well as any man liv
ing, and he knows that he never had any
idea of referring to the ethereal space be
tween heaven and earth. In plain English
his language conveyed the idea that thu
churches Of Washington were whited sepul
chres-all fair on the outside, but with nj
religion within. Was not that an insult t.
the religious and law-abiding community
Nh. DOUGLASS stands by his denial that
Washington has never produced philan
thropist, and begs the question by slyinl
that he used the word great" and tina
we omitted It, Well, we ure content to lie
the people judge whether KENDALL, Con
CoRNN and other WGshingtonians wer
philanthropists or not. WEBSTER define
a phllanthropist as go person of genera
benevOence; one who loves or wishes we
of his fellow men. and who exerts himsel
in doing them good" Uudcr this defin
ton 50 long as the Calvary Baptist church
the Ascension Episcopal church, the Louis
Home. the CORCoRAN Art Gallery, &c.
are remembered, KENDALL and CoRCoRA,
will he regarded as philIuthropists, a
least by grateful Westinghouse.
Mr.. DOUGLASS excerpts to the statemen
attributed TO him that 'the WOshingtonial
is iudolent." But in his explanation h
says:
| did not say this, but did say he geHvin
WGShiEgiOniGn 10 The mo Ener born has n ielSurtil
iadOicAf expression In al his m0rsmCEis. Ii 20
step into q store to purchase an article you ma
expect to wait i've minutes at least beitTo an
clerk will cOndescend to notice your pTesenc
That Is what / said, and, In Judging Of IT, yo
must remember that l am "olored man az
that was speaking to coOred men. No doul
the editor and proprietor Of a powerful publ
Journal would be waited upon with more alaerit
than myself Not only is II true hat clerks y
slow 10 walt upon colored persons In many u OF
stores, hut Instances may be cited whore tn,
nave failed " have been waited upon al ALI