Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-05-10
Alefan0rla 6ax&tt&
THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1877.
Fred Douglass Lecture.

for the District of Columbia, delivered lectur
to large audience of coored persons last nigh
at the Douglass Institute, for the benefit OF st
Paups lycsum. His subject was "Washiugto.
City," He said that the love OF country is II
the patriot what love of family is to the mau
The grand Centennial Exposition was an out
growth of this patriotism, and was mouumsu
of the republic made consistent with itself
Washington city was regarded by the patriot
Q whether she is arrayed 10 glory or in shame, a.
the national heritage. Whether amidst the
splendors of Europe or the Wllds OF America, q
citizen of the United States felt bound to this
, ,, common centre. He had heard Daniel Web.
ser say at Buoker Hill to large concourse of
citizens, "Wherever else you may be strangers,
said of Washington. Elsewhere you may be-
long to one of the States there to the United
States. Elsewhere carpet-baggers: there, at
home. Under the shadow Of its lofty dome all
men are free and equal-even the United States
marshal for the District of Columbia included.
Laughter. Every man at least once in his
life should visit WashiDgtou-not as the Mo.
hammedan visits Mecca, the Catholic Rome,
| the Hebrew Jerusalem, or the Chinese the
FIowcry Kingdom, but with an honest spirit OF
PATRIOTISM and a sense OF nationality Inspired
by its surroundings. Regard it as you regard
the fag-thc symbol Of religious, political and
civil liberty.
Certain persons objected TO Washington as
centrazing, but he preferred Capitalization to
secionalism. The city had increased more 10
eight years of freedom than in sixty years Of
slavery. Gen. Grant, who could hereafter be
spoken Of with moro favor than now, had done
more for the city than any Of his predecessors.
| nhoL ~ DO had
been charged with being ring OF thieves, CO.
gagged in plunder, yet democratic committee
could find nothing against them. They bad
lifted the city out of the mud and miro Of
seventy years, and clothed it with an appear
ance worthy Of tho scat of government Of this
great people. There was an atmosphere dill.
| ferent 10 Washington than elsewhere. Baltl.
more had Its atmosphere and he always felt
| it wheu he came here. 1t was here their
| religious meetings were broken up; 1t
| was here that men received Dlne-and'thrty
| lashes for teaching oolored men to read, and 1t
was here that the flag had not been highly
honored Washington was not a good city. 1t
had good many churches, but it was some
| distance from the spot to which their spires
pointed. 1t had bad beginning, and had
never produced any great statesman or phllau'
| tbropist. The descendants Of it's old families
| had made DO mark Ii sided with treason
against loyalty, and its selection was great
mistake, being sandwiched between two slave
States aud 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 un.
| knowo, aud its idol was slavery. John Quincy
Adams was threatened with death for advocat.
iug tho right OF petitioo Drinking and gamb'
| ling were prevalent under the dome of the
capitol, the dueilst was 10 repute, and the plac5
| filled with poisonous weeds and sarpents.
| Moral life was sham; all was fair without but
| foul withiu Its boastcd chivalry was to chal'
| lenge northern man to fight and to whip
| negro with his hands tied. The people ap'
plauded Breckenridge in his treason, stood be
| tween Andrew Johnson and impeachment, aud
| in their midst was hatched tho devllish plot
| that robbed Lincoln of his life.
| During the war Jeff Day is would have been
| more welcome than Lncolo, Lee than Graut
| and the stars aud bars moro than the Star
Spanged Banner. IApplause. Parsou Brown
| low made an apt remark on his way to Wash.
ineton. lie said that he felt be must be get
| ting near the city as be began to feel as if he
wanted to steal something. Laughter. Wash
ingtou society famed into a fury the passions
| of men and much of tho old spirit was left. The
portraits of Giddings, Gerritt Smith and such
men had no place on the walls of the Corcoran
| art gallery but the CaIbouns and E1cDuties we're
numerous. They knew how to mako northern
men with southern princples, and that class
| we're reappeariog now. 1t was again getting dark
| for the colored race, but tho shadow would
ultimately pass away. Applause The ola
! MARYLAND and Virginia families had the best
piokings, and held the Offices and slaves. But
Virgiuias glory had departed. Instead OF the
Mother of States she is the grandmother, and
occasionally one of her sons appears chewing
James river tobacco, their dignity gone; mas
ters without slaves and lords without laods
The Washingtonian is indolent in all his move
ments. Step into store and you will wait i've
minutes before you are noticed. Everyone ol
them has been or expects TO be great map.
ILaughter.| They walk slowly but not meas
ured, their arms hanging lis,lessIy by their
sides He exccs all other Americans IN sitting,
and Gao remaiu in an easy chair longer without
fatigue than any other mao. Laughter. de Is
fully equal 10 this cspoct to the Turk. he Car:
ries cane. lie walks with it, sits with it, and
: talks with it. Like the swords OF the knights OF
old, they arc more for ornament than support.
They wear their hats pulled down over their
eyes like thieves and robbers. They think 1t
gives them Congressional look. There is a
class called poor white trash, who never held
: Office. These were the slave oVerseers, catcn-
, crJ, whippers and Watch.dogs. TEey make
some sort of living by hunting and fishing aud
i yet they are not happy. [Laug h,er: They
, talk of the Lost Cause as If they had had mil 8
lions 10 it, The city is filled with scbcmers OF
oil kinds and of both sexes, who strive to get
something for nothing. 10 be honest is to be
: a fool. The place is filed with duplicity and
Iseryility The change 10 the condition of tic
colorcd people was remarkable. Their schools
were among the best, and when he visited there
and found bright and intelligent children doing
J., the most difficult mathematical problems: no
Q felt there was future for their race. Ap'
: plause. The lecture occupied over two hours
: in its sdelivery.-Baltinore Gazette.