The New York freeman., 1885-03-07
GEORGE THOMAS DOWNING.
PROF. STEWART SKETCHES
AN EVENFFUL LIFE.
Early Struggles and Victories
some OF the Great Men He Knew
and Labored With-The Nature
Of the Work He Assisted to Per
form.
Prepared for The Fiee1adn.

Prepartd for TIE Fieeaan.
They were giants in those days! Giants
n hody. in mind in soul, in deeds. The
fpht for immediate and unconditional enaE-
citation. under the leadership Of Garrison,
called for hearty valiant men, who were not
afraid to die. Such we're Douglass, Garnet,
Crummell, Clark and Reason. Pre-eml-
nently such was the subject OF our sEetch'
George Thomas DO Tnlng.
The commanding figure and kingly bear
;,,,r of Downing are too well and generally
Lnowr To REQUIRE description. AS rule,
leaders are of striking personal a. pearance.
4sWho IS that?'i is the question naturally
Ia Immediately suggested to the stranger
IN seeing Cetewayo, Roberts OF Liberia,
bismarck, Gladstone, Sumner, Douglass,
Garnet-Downing.
Ahopt 4 century and half ago, a Metho-
dist revival took place in Jinketlg, Accomac
County, Virginia. .,
There lived in the little town a wealthy
and influential STAKEHOLDER named Captain
John Downing. The travelling minister,
who led in the revival, made It condition
of acceptance into the church that the ap-
nIicant for membership should own no
Slaves. Capt. Downing decided 70 serve tne
Lord. and. therefore, decreed immediate and
hondmen and women. Among the emanci-
nated was young girl. She grew to
womanhood, and bore family OF children.
Among them was Thomas Downing, the IL
lnstrioIts father Of the subject Of our sketch
grandmother Downing was woman OF
commanding presence, possessing strong
natural traits of character and an aggres-
siyeness which made her leader in the
community. Her house, which was near
the church established after the revival,
was visited every Sabbath by the first fam
lilies Of the neighborhood. This contact gave
the Downings prestige, and developed a
force Of character which strlklngiy con-
trasted with that of the rest Of the people OF
color in the neighborhood..
Thomas Downing removed to the North,
bringing the strong pushing character which
he Inherited from his mother and which was
developed under elevating early associations.
After living awhile in Philadelphia, he fin
reliYs lacated iR, iiR, New ork elly-swhare DC
sc}iety and took an active part IN PUBLIC af'
George, the eldest son Of Thomas and Re
becea Downing, was born Dec. ~, 1919
He inherited his fathers aggressive temper:
ament and manly character. He was reared
nnder Christian influences and taught ben
evidence; but he was also trained to stanCC
np for his own rights and those Of the veal
and to repel all invasions with force, II nee
essary. He was no ''mamby pamby, NJ
''soft Grabbed boy.
1t was no easy thing fifty and sixty year
400 for colored boy to pass to and from
sebool even in New York city. Negro chill
dren were insulted, stoned and beaten
MANY had to be attended daily by parent
or guardians. But not so with George
Single handed and alone, he often tough
his way through gangs of insulting whit
children. and leading other colored boys .
sometimes drove the white fellows from tn
streets.
The first school George attended was
pr,yate one kept by MIR. Charles Smith o
Orange street, nearly opposite the hall
The Mutual Relief Society, whose founder
should be remembered and revered as mop
pioneers in efforts to uplift the race. ID
afterwards went to the old Mulberry otre
School whose scholars became eminel
leaders in the battle OF life. Among tho
Still in the fight are, Philip A. Bell, Edit,
~ the San Francisco ELecdt0r, Patrick
Reason, John j. Zuille, printer, New fol
.ty DR.. Crummell and Prof Reason. Amor
5he dead are, Thoma, S. Sydney, George a
len. Isaiah g. De Grasse, James McCu
smith Henry Highland Garnet and othe
we'll known to the public.
with several Of the above George pu
sued classical studies in school and enjoy
the advantage also of outside private
structien. They organized q literary
ciety in which they discussed 'hVe su
iects," Although boys averaging yet trC
fourteen to sixteen years OF age, tney peg
70 grapple with problems connected W
I'M riohts Of the race. They adopted a r.
olution, for example, to refrain from ce
brating the Fourth of July because In pr'
tical lines the Declaration of lndepender
vas 10 colored citizens of the United Sta
"a perfect mockery."
Mr.. Downing's public career began WI
he was but youth. AS an agent Oh
Under Ground Railroad, he helped to sp
away ''Little Henry" the slave VINO !
placed in the Jail Of New York, then 81
ated in the Park, near where the old
Hall now stands. He was arrested but
matter was compromised. The value Oh
slave was paid.
MIR. Downing is a man of the greatest
tivity. To him there is no such WORD
"rest." His idea of heaven is ceaseless
gressive activity. He could not pc qule
he would; and am sure that with his vie
of the needs of the race, he would not b(
renosa If he could. With the coolness
the German. the clear headedness of
English. he has the dash of the French ;
the crowning ardor Of the African. d
could he have done otherwise than fill
his life with thought and work and nc
deeds. To recount them all would req
a book; to do him justice would requn
master mind and pen.
Mr.. George I. Downing is a name WI
has been in public print for the last +
wears. His fame and usefulness have
creased with his years. He was activ'
the time Of the organization Of the A
SlaEery Society. He attended convent
ored people to better their condll