The Washington bee., 1888-04-21
LANGSTON ANDDOUGLASS

Ihe two 0ratlOns delivered on
Monday evening at the meetings
held under the auspices of the
Committees for the 26th anniver-
sary of the Emancipation of Slaves
In the District of Columbia, by
Hon. John Mercer Langston and
Mr.. Frederick Douglass were
printed in full in the National
Republican Tuesday morning. 1t
can be seen that Mr.. Langston
dealt with the present and future.
while the other dealt with the
past and presented a scarecrow
which all sensible people know
will never come 10 pass, if the
democratic party were successful
In getting entire control of the
Country, no attempt would be
made to enslave the Negro no
difference how disposed that party
was to do 80. Such talk of Mr.
Douglass might have been plausi-
bic after reconstruction, but at
this day of Civilization it is folly
to think such let alone to utter
snch a thing. The time for Mr..
Douglass to have made such an
utterance Was when ex-President
HAYES surrendered the States of
South Carolina, Louisiana and
Florida 10 the democratic party
and at the time when he (Mr.
Douglass was appointed United
States Marshal as a concilitory
measure on the part of the (then)
president, what did Mr.. Douglass
say? Did he assert that the Negroes
of these states were turned over
TO their former masters aud arch
enemies? No, Negro delegations,
including ministers, deacons, poll
ticians and the like, stormed the
white house to thank the presi-
dent for the appointment of Mr..
Douglass as United States Mar
shall, colored churches sent up
prayers to God, and colored
Sabbath schools sang words of
praise while good and honest
colored republican leaders were
being murdered, females butcher
ed and ravished while others
were compelled to leave the state.
Why didn't Mr.. Douglass decline
the marshalship if he had SO much
love for his people as he processes
to have and expose the wrongs
aginst his people?
The republican party was in
power and he held the marshall
ship by virtue of that pow
or. CoIored men were fleeing
from the south with their wives
and children on account of the
political expressions, did Mr..
Douglass urge it by his eloquent
tongue? No. He bitterly opposed
the Exodus of these helpless
Negroes, and he declared that
they ought to remain there, and
no doubt failed to recall the cir
cumstances connected with his
flight from slavery and oppression.
Mr.. Douglass late trip to the
South has taught him better
sense, and at the time when this
distinguished citizen opposed the
Exodus, the Editor of the BEE in
q public speech told Mr.. Doug
lass that be was wrong. The Edi-
tors advice was too Insignificant
against the giant (D intellect of
the great Douglass.
Mr.. Langston in his speech
Monday night, presented new
ideas, he encouraged the rising
generation and pointed out to
our people how to be manly;
that this government was as much
the Negroes as it was the white
mans; that we have a constitution
that protects the colored man as
we'll as the white man, and all
that we want is a president to
enforce that Constitution. We
need such a man as Langston in
Congress, we need such mau as
our leader, we need Lsngston as
the Negro Parnell of America,
and such q man is john Mercer
Langston.