Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-07-17
THE ROMANCE OF FREEDOM,
A Letter from Fred. Douglass to the
Citizens Of Rochester.
From the Rochester Democrat:

A bust of Frederick Douglass was
recently placed in Sibley Hall, of the
University of Rochester. The cere-
monies were quite informal-too in.
formal, we think, as concentrating
q deserved tribute from the people
Of Rochester to one who will slways
rank as among her most distinguished
citizens. Mr.. Douglass himself was.
not notified officially of the event,
and, therefore, could in no public
manner take notice of It. He was,
however, informed privately of it by
the gentleman whose address is Civ.
en- below, and responded to it most
happily, as will be seen by the fol.
lowing letter, which we are permit
ted 10 publish
WASHINGTON, d. c., June o5.-
Samuel ID. Porter, Esq. My DEAN
SRI am extremely obliged to you
for your kind and timely letter which
came this morning, for it was a re-
lief from real cause Of embarrass-
ment. When first l read of the form.
al unwilling and presentation of my
bust to the city of Rochester, the
speeches made on the occasion by
eminent gentlemen-notably the re-.
marks of DR.. Anderson, the hopored
President of Rochester University,
an institution which has done so
much to make the name of the city =
illustrious-I felt an almost irrcpress-
ible impulse to do or say something,
out Of the common way, to some one
of my old friends and fellow-citizens,
which should express, however crude
ly, something of the grateful senti-
ment stirred in my breast by this dis.
tinguished honor. But as no one of
the respected gentlemen active in the
procurement of the testimonial said
anything to me about it, and treated
me as if | were ont of the world, as
all men should be when they are at
once reduced to marble, / begin at
last to think that silence on my part
was, perhaps, the best way to OBJ
serve the proprieties of the occasion.
Now, however, l am relieved. You
have made it easy for me to speak,
to express my earnest acknowledge
ments to the committee of gentlemen
having this matter in charge, and
who have conducted it TO compile
ton. Incidents of this character in
my life do much amaze me. 1t is
not, however, the height TO which I
have risen, but the depth from which
/ have come, that most amazes me.
II seems only little while ago, when
a child, | might have been seen fight
ing with old Nep, my mothers dog,
for small share of the few crumbs
that fell from the kitchen table; when
l slept on the hearth, covering my
feet from the cold with the warm
ashes and my head with corn bag;
only a little while ago dragged to
prison to be sold to the highest bid
der, exposed for sale like a beast OF
burden later on put out to live with
Convey, the negro-breaker, beaten
and almost broken in spirit, having
little hope either for myself or my
race; yet here / am, alive and &C.
tive, and with my race enjoying cit
izenship in the freest and, prospect.
lively, the most powerful nation on
the globe. In addition to this, Won
and your friends, while l am yet
alive, have thought it worth while to
preserve my features in marble and
to place them in your most honored
of learning. to be viewed
by present and future generations OF
men. know not, my friend. how
to thank you and the gentlemen who
have acted with you for this dis
honor. My attachment
to Rochester, my home for more than
a quarter Of a century, will endure
with my life. Very gratefully and
very truly yours.
FREDERICK DoIGIAss