Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1883-11-08
Fred Douglass to his People.

Fred Douglass TO hIS feopie:
Fred Douglass addressed a -po-
litical meeting at Denton, Md, last
week, He is reported by the Balti-
more Sun as follows:
When Fred. Douglass stepped
forward to speak he was greeted by
loud cheers. He IVES dressed in blue
clothes well worn on the facings,
and a tall white hat pressed down
his flowing locks. He began his
speech py saying he had appeared
before the American people III va
rious characters-as a slave. as
fugitive slave, and advocate Of the
class, but now, thanks to the mag
nanimity of the republican party,
he appeared as an American cltl-
zen. He had not come to Caroline
county to make speech, but to
make his old remarks about his
'.presence giving color to the occas-
ion," and he could only give lS as
much color, he said, as his old mas
Ter had allowed him to ha7e. Ger
tain co!ored people in Baltimore,
lie said. who strutted around with
Ecigars In tlieir mouth, had told black
Fsmen thev were nnder no obligations
Iof gratitude to the republican party,
land had invited their race to become
a set Of ingrates. He said: "ln Cur
ease ingratitude would be % dan>
Haerous thing, for wher. we cut loose
from the party that gave freedom
We give notice that whateyer the
Democratic party should do would
excite IN us 10 gratitude whatever.
TIE proposition for rs 10 take an
independent position is nonsense.
Every step men take in this life
they must depend on something OF
somebody. We are all dependent.
When [ took the train to come to
Denton I was dependent upon the
conductor and engineer. And so in
respect to politics. We have to de
pend upon one party CT the other
If we depend upon ourselves in a
position Of Egreat danger, we
place ourselves i'll position OF great
danger, for we would thereby al
ineate from us both parties. Meth
er would have any motive Tor cons
c1liating our favor, and the time
might come when these two white
parties might say that the black
element was impracticable; and
since, in the past, the whites were
able to govern the country without
the colored vote, they might con-
clude 10 do the same thing again.
Don't be discouraged by the recent
decision of the Supreme Court
against the civil-rights law. we
viii enjoy tlle same privileges We
did before the law was pronounced
unconstitutional, and then we will
have, belisve at an early day, law
enacted guaranteeing the same
rights. and it will be SO constructed
that no Supreme Court can upset
it. To do anything politically you
must act with one party or the
other. By their fruits ye shall
know them, applies here as well as
.e.sewhere.ZThe democret.:. party
has been the, lifeslong. itldexible,
persistent eLaIny of every aet@o9
justice proposed for The co.ored peos
pie. The republicans, on the other
hand, haye been the active and ag,
cressive advocate of every measure
which has thus far contributed to
our freedom and progress. We
should all vote the republican
ticket until we get something bet
ter. Until then we must make 1t
too hot for anyone Of our race who
goes the wrong way" The spe peak,er
advised black men to stay III the
country, and by industry, punctuai'
ity and economy acquire property
and homes for themselves and chlls
dren.. He said that fifteen colored
men in Caroline couutv, owning
fifteen good farms well titled, would
DO more to remove prejadice and
elevate their class than the electi9n
Of cne to Congress. This IS the
only spcech to be made by Mr..
Dougliss IN Mary land this fall, he
took the boat for baltimore
TO night: