Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-09-28
Fred. DOUGLASS.

LOUISVILLE, Sept. 25. When Fred.
Douglass came into the hall to deliver
his speech, at 10 o'clock this morning
lie found very large crowd i'll at
tendance, many white persons having
come to hear his plea for his people.
On the stage beside the leading col
ored men sat eN-Attorney-Ge General
Speed, of Lincoln's cabinet. Gen, Jas,
Little, L. S. A., retired, and
number of other prominent
whites. Douglass spoke two
hours, and his speech being
logical and full of humor, and al
ways interesting. He sketched the
his race s.nce emancipation and was
frequently sarcastically severe on the
government and incidentally on the
republican party. He was listened to
with interest and received frequent
and generous applause. Since the
conclusion of h speech the conven-
ton has in vain labored to complete
its organization. Too many orators
are on the floor and Green, Temporal
ry chairman, who is presiding while
Douglass rests from the labor of his
effusion, is unable to control them.
bouSldSS SlGtSh w SlS tllI INCili vi
the occasion. He never probably felt
prouder since he was free man than
as he walked down the hall to the
presidents desk. The really fine
looking old coIored apostle of his race
was dressed for the occasion. HIS
white hair never streamed in TIE wind
more bravely, nor was his step ever
firmer. He had won victory it seem
ed to white and black alike here, and
he had a right to feel elated. White
and black had come to hear the
most celebrated colored man III the
world. Leading lawyers, merchants,
doctors and military men of the white
race met on the platform and on the
outskirts of the hall. 1t was a scene
to enthuse, and Douglass felt it. He
said. among other things, that some
said that the convention was "a men
twas not alarmed;" parties were
made for men, not men for parties.
''My hat was made for my head, not
my head for my hat. He said that
the stamping out of black republicans
in the south had been done in the
face of the republican party. That
they had made the constitution some
thing else in theory than in fact. His
speech was a plea for the civil
and social equality of the black man.
These ice-holders are afraid of our
aspirations. We do now aspire, and
will continue to do So We have
heard the voice Of Jacob and felt the
hand of Esau. We shall never cease
to be despised and excluded class as
long as we are shut out from political
preferment. We cannot ignore the
fact that to this is to be attributed the
degradation of the race. The eleva-
ton of our class to the vice presidency
or to position in the cabinet, and
our equality shall have been accom-
plished.
At the evening session the conven-
ton listened to impassioned addresses
from Prof A. Stroller, of South Caro-
lima. and Frederick Douglass, on mat
ters of general interest to the colored
race. Douglass gave interesting de-
tails of events during the discussion
of the presidential question prior to
the Inauguration of Hayes. No busi-
ness was attempted beyond the accept
ance of an invitation to attend the ex-
position, which had been extended by
the general management.
Adjourned TO meet at 10 a. m. to-
morrow