Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-06-23
Frederick Douglass at His Old Home.
4 - b ~ Rrmer Nlster.

from Baltimore tO ST. MlChaels on Sunday
last ou the steamer Matilda. Among the par
,y was Frederick Douglass, United States
marshal. for the District OF Columbia, who
paid visit for the first time since be left here
lrty-one years ago 70 the scenes Of lis youth.
Mr. Douglass some time ago expressed wish
% visit his former master, Capt. Thomas Aud,
a resident Of ST. M,cbael's. aud ar old man
now on the verge OF the grave, intrm IN body,
tut with a clear and vigorous intellect Cap
tain Auld had expressed his willingness aud
desire % meet lis ola servant, aud this visit
90 Douglass 70 St. Mic ael was mainly for
that purpose.
Tie boat arrived at an early hour in the
morning. and as soon as convenient Douglass
called at Capt. Aull'S residence. where be was
received by Jud &c Wan. II. BruF, Capt Au.d'S
sou-iu-hw. who addressed him as Marshal
ID u.'ass.' "No. no, expostulatcd the mar
slal. Il am Marshal Douglass in Washington;
here et ne be Fred Douglass again
The meeting between the former master and
former servant was very affecting Tenderly
Douglass grasped the paisied hand Of Captain
Audi. addressed him as his old master, and
manifested emotion creditable alike TO bis
manhood and 70 his heart, as be saw how
heavily time had land bis hands upon him.
The /, ;crview was very pleasant throughout.
Nr. ID uelsss stated that in his book written
son after his escape be had made statements
that lapse of time and rejection had caused
lm o. feel be bad better have left unsaid, and
for auch, that he said that was unjust 90 bis
. ia master. or had wounded his feelings. he
Begged lis forgiveness. Capt. Aud tod him
,hat he had never expected 70 keep him in
slavery that he knew iursy-one years ago he
WAS too smart % be slave, and that when he
sent him t. Baltimore, after his difficulty at
Ffealaud's instead Of sending him South, it
was with the expectation that be would achieve
bis freedom Douglass called upon Capt.
Aud again in the afternoon, Just before start
ing % tie boat, 60 biz him goodbye, aud when
,iey parted both men wept.
/, was announced that Mr. Douglass would
speak iu the afternoon, aud a large audience
u both white and colored repaired 10 hear
him. 4 number &C prominent citizens Of the
town aui adjacent county, many Of whom
were uld -cu that knew well the boy Fred ~
were iu the audience.
Mt uc,ass began bis speech evidently
with some embarrassment, which, however,
wore Oh as be proceeded. lie began By ad
vcr,iu. 90 the difficult and embarrassing po-
,i,i.u iu which be was placed lie said he did
not conc here 20 make a speech and did no.
EXPECT this call lie was not here % fan the
flames q sectional luminosity, nor % create i'll
feeling. nor yet o. recount the wrongs iudict-
"a gu his race for 200 years nor 10 % into
antiquity ior matter 10 stir the blood aud rouse
.he passions; nor % Indulge in political
haranguc; nor % exP0uud the constitution Of
tie United States.
90 come. first II al. he said "lo see my
ola master, from whom have been separated
Tor f1rty-oue years 60 shake lis baud, 20 look
into DIS Kind old face, and see i; beaming with
hgLt from the other world. | have had great
10y u shaking tho. hand in looking into that
face. stricken with age aud disease, but aylow
with the light that comes from on honest
heart, auG rejecting the glory from the spirit
world. upon whose border De is, and where We
shall s,ou again meet. ForV-one ycafs ngo
lefs him lcfI him. no! because | loved
Cesar less but because loved Rome mo'e. %
lr Douglass then briefly referred 10 bis es-
cane nul e. ;he motive ihai actuAtei him.
Ills second reason for making this visit, be
said. was ,ha, because no Lowell Maryland and
the Eastern shore Eastern Shore corn and
Eastern Shore pork had given him bis muscle.
he claimed g. be al Eastern ShoTemhn, with
al that maine implies M' Douglass then
passed into q eulogy Of the white race and iis
achievements, and said 90 the col0fel people
that they were in contact with the most favor
cd. the most iUdomi,nble, the most energetic
race ju tie world, and tha. be would be false
O. bis own race it De did not tell them jus.
where they stu0i-what an immense distance
tlcy Ucrc behind tie white people. He didn't
believe the cJllred people we've fundamentally
and c,crcaly inferior 20 The whites, but they
are. nevertheless, practically inferior We
must not talk about equality until We can DO
whit white people can DO. As long rs they
can build vessels aud we cannot. We are their
interiors; as long as they can build railroads
aud we cannot we are their interiors as long
as they can found governments and we cannot
we are their Interiors Coming down % The
boat last night be noticed th,. the 100 co,Orei
people aboard made as much noise as 500
whites would have done, and as long as they
30 :he-e things they are inferior 90 tie whites.
II twenty years from now the cJlOroi race
rs O race has not advanced beyond The point
where 10 was when cua; cipatedjl IS q doomed
race. The question now is, will the black
man 90 as much now fer his master himself
as DE used 90 Do 0r bis ol master? Do you,
my cu,1rod friends, get up as early now 80
work or yourselves As you used 60 do 10 work
ur tl3ts;cTu olI Roman, Samut. lllmb.etlu?
For the encouragement % che coioyel people;
aud o. show them what energy aud VIII, could
DO. De pictured the condition of the English
speaking race five hundred years ago, and
compared 10 with the condition Of that race