Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-22
Fred Douglass RevIsitS Ills Early
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Washington special to Cincinnati Gazette.l
Frederick Douglass returned to
Washington last night from a trip to
Wye River. Maryland, where he was
raised a slave. The trip just ended is
the first time he has revisited the
scenes of his childhood for ffty-six
years. Accompanied by Collector John
Thomas. Mr.. Douglass left Baltimore
Tuesday to revisit the homestead Of
Mr.. Edmund Lloyd, his old master,
on Wye River, Talbot county. Mr..
Lloyd had been notified Of their in
tended visit. The cutter started at
one o'clock the same day. Collector
Thomas, in describing the trip,
which, for many reasons, was a mem
orable one, said: Mr.. Lloyd's son,
Edmund, came aboard in response to
a note, and, expressing regrets at
the absence of his father, who had
gone to EastOn, most cordially re-
ceived Mr.. Douglass in his name.
Mr.. Lloyd took charge of and escorted
them around the farm. On the trip
down Mr.. Douglass had described to
us the location of the old mansion
with all its surroundings, the old
blacksmith shop, old tobacco house,
slave quarters, barns, &c. The va
rious farms and their location, and
who owned them flty-six years ago.
we're also referred to, aud Mr.. Doug
lass, when landing discovered his mem
DRY OF location to be quite as remarka-
Bile as his memory of events. Almost
everything he had described as on the
farm was there, and with the eJ cep-
ton Of some slight decay, the time
bad made but little change. Mr..
Douglass was shown by Mr.. Howard
Lloyd, the great grandson Of his old
master, every familiar spot he in
quired for, and after having seen the
garden and venerable old elms.
under which he had play
ed when a boy, he was
taken into the family graveyard ad-
joining the mansion, where, reverently
taking off his hat, he passed from
tomb to tomb, reading all the inscrip-
tons on the tablets, from that over
where the first Edmund Lloyd was
buried 200 years ago, down to that
over the last stone. The graveyard
also contained the remains Of Admiral
Buchanan, who commanded the Mer-
rimac in the action at Hampton Roads
with the Monitor, and those of Cen
eral Winder, of the Confederate army,
both of whom married daughters Of
the father Of the present Edmund
Lloyd. After Mi. Howard Lloyd had
plucked a bouquet of flowers and ivy
from different graves, which he pre-
sented to Mr.. Douglass, at his request
the party were invited into the old
mansion. The old hall, whore
Mr.. Douglass often played when
a slave boy, was inspect
ed, and hen the visitors partook
of the inequalities of the
house. Mr.. Douglass was very visi-
bly, affected at the great kindness and
consideration shown him, and drank
the health Of the family, saying that
he trusted that God in His providence
would pour out the horn of plenty to
the latest generation, and that the
children and descendants Of the mas
ter Of the old house would worthily
maintain the fame and characteristic
of his ancestors.
Referring to this feature of their
visit, Col. Thomas added: BY this
time it was noised about among the
colored people that Mr.. Douglass had
arrived, tnd on our return to the boat
he was met by a number Of descer.-
dants Of the old slaves with whom ne
had been acquainted when a boy. In
conversation with them he revived
many Of the early incidents Of his
life"
Yesterday morning the party steam
ed up the Miles river and anchored
off Admiral Buohanan's plaoe.
where Mr.. Douglsss disembarked for
the pupose Of paying his respects to
the widow Of Admiral Buchanan.
Said Colonel Thomas, 'he was most
kindly received by old Mrs. Buchanan.
and, although the old lady is now
seventy-fve years OF age, she had a
vivid recollection of Mr.. Douglass
boyhood, and, on the broad veranda
looking out on the river, and sur
rounded by her daughters and Mr..
Douglass, chatted for over an hour,
recalling memories of the past"
After receiving a handsome bouqueS
from Mrs. Buchanan to take home to
bis grandchildren, the party took
their leave, Mr.. Douglass saying that
among the many strange and eventful
periods Of his life. there was zone so
strange, zone more eventiul, none half
so agreeable and pleasant, and none
that so plainly told how God moves in
a mysterious way as this trip, and
that it would form the %greenest of the
many green spots in his memory.