Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-29
CITY AND DISTRICT.
Celebration of Frederick Douglass
Birthday by the CoIored People.


TxKEsrINs NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. DOUGLASS EULo-
GizED-HIS ADDRESS
The co.orei citizens of washington turned out
IN force last night 20 celebrate the sevehty-flrst
anniversary of the birth OF Frederick Douglass.
The A VI. f. Metropolitan church on VI street
4 very large structure, but its clpacious
auditorium was taxed 10 It's utmost. Every seat
In the church was occupied, and quite a number
were c1npelled 70 stand during the proceedings.
The evenings exercises were held under the au-
spices Of the Bethel Literary Union, and It's pre-
sident, J. ". Crdmmeil. presided. While the audi
ence was largely composed Of cOlOred people there
was a =: altering Of white faces The assem0iage
was fine lOo;ing body, and as Fred Douglass,
later In the evening. looked from the platform
upon the hun trrtS Of bright intelligent faces, ne
doubtless Thought with pleasure OF the rapid IN
tellectual strides ne has seen his people make
THE MEMBERS OF TIE DOUGLASS FAMILY
were assigned seats on the left-hlnd side OF the
church. well forward. but Mrs Douglass occupied
acaalr on the opposite side near the platform
The first dozen pcws % the church were occupied
by delegations from tae OlVer r. Morton and
Charles sumner Posts, q. \. r, Army nurses as>o-
citation and the WOmens Relief Association.
while Of the side aisleS was nled oy the Capt.
M CITY Quarts. shortly after O'Clock the meet
ing was called 10 order by j. W. Crummell ana
the opening prayer was made by Rev. James A.
Uaniv VT CruinmeU male a Few opening re-
mars in whirh he explained the reasons for the
celebration, and briefly ,ketcned Mr.. Douglass
80 . rr -, Isfr,srs from nro,nirent ,1,r, ,~t
had been unable IN accept the invitation to b.
present. COL Lamont wrote that the President
had directed him to acknowledge the receipt OF
the Invitation DuJ To say that business would pre-
vent fts acceptance. Brief letters followed from
senators ingalls,. MandersOn, DOIph, stanford, and
Mitchell, - :. cox, Cha5- a. Dana, j. G.. whittier
Roscoe COuking, Geo. VIM. Curtis, and Mrs John
A logan. Tie last four made special reference TO
Mr.. DOugllss' ability ana remarkable career and
offered neaTty congratulations and were loudly
applaudet
ErLoGIsrIC FTvE-MTSUTE SPEECHES.
Speeches were then delivered by W. ii. Hart,
Prof CORDOBA and Rev. +. VI. Jacobs. The latter
speaker was unable to find In history character
who so resembled Frederick Douglass as Moses,
the leader Of the lsractes, and he was engaged In
drawing the comparison between them when
4r. Douglass presence In the church was made
known. All proceedings were suspended, and he
was escorted 70 the platform while the choir sang
'OCld Lang Syne." He was assigned the chair in
the center which was partly draped with the flag
II one VI the g. A. r. delegations. ON his left
hand was seated senator Blair, and on his right
representative Smalls. Representatives, Baker
and Moratt and Mr.. Geo. G. GOTham were also on
the platform. After Mr.. Jacobs had offered hts
congratulations 10 Mr.. Douglass in person. Mis-,
Annie BROOKS, OF the Miner Normal school, sang a
soto with good effect Prof Storurl IscenleI Ths
platform and delivered few euOgistic remarks, in
which ~ claimed that II man Is ever TO be
praised Tor his record or his achievements 1t should
De while he Il still alive, and thought that no
more nt subject could be found Tor such praise
than irederick Douglass Miss Katie Wall, OF the
Miner Normal School, read selections from Fred.
Douglass writings, and an organ solo by j. Il.
Adser, OF Philadelphia, followed.
UNIQUE FEATURE
OF the celebration was the representation OF the
different colored schools by little boys and girls,
who came upon the stage IN turn and made a
speech which was q brief but trlte quotation or
happy expression Of the general feeling. They
sometimes forgot their lines In true schOOlboy
styIe, but the audience WAS very IOroeariug. Miss
kitty Lewis ON behalf OF the Bethel ASSOCIATION,
then presented Mr.. Douglass with
An ELEGANT BOUQUET
consisting 81 seventy -Ole rose buds The flowers
-lso
Mrs Douglass who sat near the stage. \ chorus
by chOOl children followed and Mr. Douglass
co Id not refrain from ACCOMPANYING m an under
no the familiar tune 70 which ''JOhn Browns
Body" Is usually sung. The infant class OF the
METROPOLITAN sunday school next hed on the stage
and when they had all been induced 10 face Mr.
Douglass, two little ones presented him with
framed photographs OF The interior ana exterior
OF the church, the Work OF his grandson, who died
recently.
SHORT SPEECHES
were made by Rev. T. G. stewart. pastor of the
church. Rev. W. ii. Brooks and Rev. George W
Lee. These remarks were all eulogistic of Mr..
Dooglass' character and achievements in behalf OF
The eolored race.
Mr. DOUGLASS ADDRESS
Upon invitation, Mr.. Douglass then came 10 the
front OF the stage and twir!ing his spectacles be-
tween his thumb and finger, pleasantly began: II
anI glad 70 SEE you here this evening. extremely
siin; anu am glad 10 see on lay night and left
these distinguished gentlemen. i am very happy
10 see THAT senator, was going 10 say that noble
senator. who Is the author, not OF the fugitive
slave bill. but OF the Blair bill. \ whom
neither ritcule, SOphstry. nor the dcnunciatiOn OF
The press has been able 10 turn from his course. 1
See something in that man that reminds me of
that other great man who siIOuid never h.. for
gotten in any assembly OF coloIed men, The Hon.
tAaS. sumner.
THE CELEBRATION
"But," he continued, In a conversational tone.
81 Understand from some things that have &C.
CURED since came in that you have been cele-
brating my seventy-frst birthday. What In the
erick Douglass
NEVER HAD BIRTHDAY.
That day was taken from him long before he had
tie means OF owning it. Birthdays belong 10 free
Institutions. We, at the South, never knew them.
We were born AZ tlmes-harveSt times watermelon
times and generally hard times. L never knew
anything about the celebration Of q birthday eX-'
cept WashingtOn's birthday and il seems a littIe
strange 10 have mine celebrated / think 1t is
hardly safe 20 celebrate any mans birthday while
he lives. have had children named after me. but
dCnt pane any OF yours after me- They never
1--we, and besides accidents happen 10 the best OF
Men For many reasons IL would have been more
IN accordance with iay feelings 10 SIT quietly and
not offer a remark, ana yet 1 would have felt
sisnted suppose II had not been asked TO say
sonethinS- sun i have feeling OF tinidity, for
Gu men can De Dashful as well As young men.
WHY IT DONE.
But i understand IL ALL he cOntinued with
change OF tone. This demonstration does not
mean that FREDERICK Douglass has more ability
than thousands OF other co!ored men I knoIy
what you mean by this splendid assenIDIage by
The presence Of these dear little children by these
ghts o. oeautlful nOwerS. i know II means that
you consider that have been a faithful infleXi-
be, unnagging. aud persistent worker In the
cause OF liberty and OF
THE ELEVATION OF THE coIoREp PEOPLE
You are asserting principle, recognizing one man
among many, who has seen Mt TO devote nifty
years OF his life 20 the OF our oppressed and
sun slandered people, These last few sentences
were Delivered with the f1re and spirit winch have
made Fred. Douglass reputation as an orator
world Wide. But, resuming his CONVEX saIional
tone again, he continued: Il thank YOU inv
friends ana members o. ,hS Bethel Association
for this notice OF my sevect- first anniversary and
thank you for the splendid manner you have
turned OUT 20 show your appreciation OF the hum
Die ioorS have performed
Again raising his voice, he said: 81 ask my
friends on the platform, Mr.GOTnam. senator Blair
and M. Baker, 20 look On this audience-loO.I at
tnem-i caa say as Daniel Webster once said OF
BGnker Hill Monument-'fhere IL stands; 10 looks:
~ SPEAKS, u acts Gentlemen, look at these peo-
PIE, anu think or the depravity, ana the obduracy
tnAt ever r-dCce,t men Ike these, women like
tnese, children Ike these, 20 the condition of
slaves. can say, when they were slaves plead
III thehL wien they We're soldiers asked for
Them equal treatment am payment with other
soldiers.
REMEMBER AND FORGET.
"We are often told not 10 look back over the mast
Wen, perhaps there Is 100 much OF the past But
remember that a. the present rests on an the mast
RemeinOer l. as good word a. forget Eyery
Thing has some mode OF teaching wisdom Fvery
loot leaves Us print, every wheel rs tract ana