The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1892-01-23
FREDERICK DOU GLASS.


schnoI January Is, 1892, Mr.
Douglass took occasion to reteI
to 8 me of the Afro-Americau
newspape who, be claimed, hac
been recently indulgiDg IN severe
criticism of his course IN re,atioL
to 'me public matt r, and dotiug
their dlngs back to his early days
in 80 much as to inquire "What
has MIR. Douglass ever done bul
talk"
We are not at this writing cog.
infant of reading ID any paper,
the flngs Mr.. Douglass now com
plains of. No doubt they hav.
appeared as be states. Supp ase
they have, is it not fact that al
strong earnest meu aud even wo.
men are objects Of controversy
and criticism? Every one of Mr.
Douglass compeers and conteres
have been crlriclsed. Pope says,
Cavll you may but never criticise.
But this age and day is the reign
Of criticism. Mr.. Lncoln, Mr.
Sumner, W. Hale, Mr. Wade,
Mr.. Greedy, Mr.. Garnet, Mr. Re
mond, DR. Pennington Ar. Ward,
Mr.. Gaines, Mr.. Coukllug Mr..
Phillips, Mr.. Lovejoy, Mr. GAR
rlson, MIR. Douglass colleagues,
companions aud friends, all en-
gagged in the same work were crit
iclsed, aud often unmercitully.
Mr.. Douglass coadjutors Daniel
U'Conuell Gambetta CosteIlar ana
Paruell were granted no immunity
they were criuclsed, and 80 IL has
been from the time of the crea.
tlon aud perhaps it will be until
we have shaken off this mortal
coil" While d man is here be
will be discussed, that is if he be
strong and grea'; it is only when
We are dead that DE Mortuis NaL
Nisi Bonune. But Mr.. D ,uglass,
you need never complain of you
popularity with the people, you
have indeed strong hold on the
people of This world, for truly
speaking you are ouo of The tew
living men that can truly be
styled "a ''cosmopolitan," your
deeds, your fame, your great
work have been done tor human
~, they have touched every chime
where God aud the love of truth,
right and justice reside. Tn,
world to-uay gladly aud proudly
reverences you as a great Com
moner, your name is associated
with the purest aud whatever
there is of unselfsh patriotism
possessed by the best Americans.
Your loyalty, your sincere devo-
ton TO your country, is, as iudel-
IDLY carved IN the hearts Of the
people as are the le ters on the
Charlotte Scott, LincoIn's Emanci.
patton statue on Capital hill.
Do not take the though, Only
for moment; Eu possant the crit
iclsm of our Afro American press,
treat these as your friends Gen.
Grant, John Brown and Charles
Sumner did, Silence, "All things
come to him that watt" remem
bering the old proverb, "Tney
often condemn what they do not
comprehend" Yes, Mr.. d uglass
,alk has been the strong weapon
In our behalf. You and your COL
leagues talked of the horrors, the
outrages, the damnaDle high
handed wrongs of slavery; your
agitation brought the contest
from 1861 to 1866, your talk
ia ked 100000 black men in the
army aud navy OF the United
States; they broke the backbone
of slavery and Rebellion and their
talk on battle fields aud ships of
war, talked US from the Calling
chains Of slavery to the peaks Of
freedom and civilization that is
ours to-day. TAX ON, agltate,
argue, indignate, until the last
vestige of the cruel yoke has been
thrust into the deep sea, to rise
no more. God bless you and all
the great men aud women who
have stood for the cause of hu
manly.