The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-29
The Groom Defends His Action, and Says
There Is But One Race.

The Groom Defends His Action, and Says
There Is But One Race.
Boston Post.
When Mr.. Douglass appeared in the parlor of
his residence on Friday night in response to a
reporters call, he did not appear in the least dis
turbed by the excitement which his marriage had
occasioned II don't see why there should be
any comment" said he. 1T is certainly not any
event of public moment. 1 have simply exer-
cised the rights which the laws accord to every
citizen, and am astonished that city so large
as 1 consider Washington to be should become at
once so small It seems that the newspapers
would present to the eye of public curiosity, and
to those, too, which every man holds most dear
and sacred, the affairs of the family What
would you have me says can give no eXplana-
ton. can make no apology"
1.-THE opinion has been expressed that the col
ored people, who look to you as leader, will con
slider your position, in the light of your present
action, equivocal."
Il do not presume to be leader answered
Mr.. Douglass; but if l have advocated the
cause of the colored people it is not because l
am negro, but because | am a man. The
same impulse which would move me to jump
into the water to save white child from
drowning causes me to espouse the cause of the
down -trodden and oppressed wherever l find
them Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Sumner were
leduefS Oh LIe COIOfeU people greater Eltln l.,
an humble citizen, can ever hope to be, They
were both white men. What effect then, can
the affairs of my private life have upon my prin-
ciples of justees / want for the eolored people
equal rights and advantages of citizenship, and
for those objects | am still working Just as
earnestly, and shall continue to do so until the
end"
1T is said that your action reflects unfavor-
ably upon the women of the colored race, and
will consequently have ruinous effect upon
your political future
II have no political aspirations. I am getting
well along in years now and l wish only to live
quietly and peaceably, doing all the good l can.
All this excitement then, is caused by a mar
rage of woman % few shades lighter than my
self. If | had married black woman there
would have been nothing said about it, Yet the
disparity in our compilations would have been
the same. am not an African, as may be seen
from my features an hair and it is equally easy
to discern that | am not "a Caucasian. There are
many eolored ladies of my acquaintance who
good as l. and who are great
deal better educated, yet in affairs
of this nature who is to decide
the why and wherefore2 l have been associated
with the lady who has become my wife for some
time past. / came to know her well and was
pleased with her, and she, hope with me. !
conceive" said he, in conclusion, that there is
no division of races. God Almighty made but
one race. ] adopt the theory that in time the
varieties of races will be blended into one. Let
us look back when the black and the white peo-
pie wore distinct in this country In $50 years
there has been grown up amillion of intermediate,
And this will continue. You may say that
Frederick Douglass considers himself member
of the one race which exists"
Mr.. Douglass stated that the disparity i'll ages
had been exaggerated The lady has attained
her forty-siXth year.