Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-18
Frederick Douglass and Washington.


the District of Columbia, has been talking
with great frankness and considerable indis-
erection in lecture at Baltimore, about
Washington city and its inhabitants We
have not seen full report of the lecture,
but the following abstract of it is sufficient
to explain the displeasure of the Washing
tonians
Washington was not good city. 1t had
good many churches, but it was some dis
lance from the spot to which their spires
pointed. 1t had bad beginning, and had
never produced any great statesman or phil
anthropist. The descendants of its old fam
lilies have made no mark. 1t sided with
treason against loyalty, and its selection was
a great mistake, being sandwiched between
two slave States, and the headquarters OF
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 threat
ened with death for advocating the right OF
petition. Drinking and gambling were pre-
valent under the dome of tho capitol, the
duelist was in repute. and the place filled
with poisonous weeds and serpents. Moral
life was shame; all WAS fair without. but
foul within. Its boosted chivalry was to
challenge Northern man to fight
and to whip negro with his hands
tied. The people aprlauied Breckin-
ridge in his treason, stood between An
drew jackson and impeachment, and
in their midst was Matched the devil
ish 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. (Applause.) Par
son Brownlow made an apt remark on his
way to Washington He said that he felt
he must be getting near the city, as he began
to feel as if he wanted to steal something.
Uaughter.) Washington society tanned
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 the Corcoran art
gallery, but the Calhouns and McDufies
were numerous. They knew how to make
Northern men with Southern principles, and
that class were reappearing now. 1t was
again getting dark Tor the colOred race, but
the shadow would ultimately pass away.
(Applause.) The old Maryland and Vir-
GINA families always had the best pickings.
and held the Offices aud slaves. But Nir-
ginia's glory has departed. Instead of the
mother Of States, she is the grandmother, and
occasionally some of her sons appear chewing
Jam es river tobacco, their dignity gone, mas
al -, 1,rJ, Ia ,Ic
The Washingtonian 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
a great man. (Laughterl They walk
slowly but not measured, their arms hang
ing listes,ly by their sides. lie e1cels all
other Americans in sitting, and can remain
in an easy chair longer without fatigue than
any other man. Uaughter.) He is fully
equal in this respect to the Turk. All
wear their hats over their
eyes in sombre, unhappy and sinister way;
a fashion probably learned from members Of
Congress, who wore their hats in this way
sometimes to avoid recognition, and some
times because of intent thinking. The
Washingtonian has a strong negro pro
learned from the slaves. There
is also a class of poor white trash in Wash
ington who in slave days were drivers of the
negroes, but live now by huckstering, fish
ing and hunting, and, though they make
better living now than before, still they are
not happy.
Some of Mr.. Douglass statements are
unpeasantly near the truth, and
hey abundantly account for the wrath Of
his fellow citizens of Washington. Mr..
Douglass publishes card, in which he says
hat the attacks upon him on account of
'emarks alleged to have been made by him
n Baltimore are both malicious and silly.
Washington, he says, is a great city, not
'illage nor a hamlet, but the capital of
,reat nation, and the manners and habits of
is various classes are proper subjects for
and criticism, and therefore he
Iery much mistakes, he says, If that great
.ity can be thrown into tempest of passion
" any humorous reflections he may take the
liberty to utter. As Washington, or con-
iderable portion of it, has been thrown into
tempest Of passion by his remarks, Mr..
Douglass stands mistaken, to that extent.
t is said that several thousand citizens, in
luding many business men, have already
igned petition to the President asking for
he removal of Mr.. Douglass in view of his
Itterances lie would have been wise if he
lad remembered that he is no longer a
'rivate citizen; and that his important
,ublic station imposes on him some degree
# reticence. The truth is not to be spoken
t all times or by all U. S Marshals and
lr. Douglass clearly made biunder when
C undertook to entertain Baltimore audi
nee, at the expense of their Washington
riends.