The Portland daily press., 1893-05-06
BORN A SLAvE.
Rus Fred Douglass Is Now Able to Buy o
Country Seat.

Especial Correspondence.1
EAsToN, Nd, May 4.--There is consid.
cradle interest here in the report that
Frederick Douglass would like to buy
house and grounds in Talbot county and
settle down to the life of a country gen.
tleman. Mr.. Douglass was born slave
in this county, and long after he became
the most conspicuous man of his race in
the civilized world he used to visit his
old mistress. He was here some time
ago, and it is now said that his errand
was to negotiate for the purchase of Ash
ley Villa, famous "water situation" as
is the eastern shore phrase, on Miles
river, tributary of Chesapeake bay
that flows into st. Michaels river few
miles east of this town.
Ashley Villa is one of the most note
worthy country seats in a region famous
for the charm of it's rural homes. It's
owner is Simeon Brady, once COACH
man of William M. Tweed in the days
when to have any close relation to the
boss, no matter how humble, gave man
q chance to get rich. The house stands
in a park Of 30 acres and has a farm at
tached to it of ITO acres. The park il
planted with many ornamental trees and
traversed with drives and walks.
The dwelling which the former slave ID
credited with wishing to make his home
is in curious contrast with the cabin in
which he was born. It is a modern house
in the Italian style, with most Of the
conveniences of urban dwellings, din
ing room that seats 100 persons and .
great ballroom with floor laid so that il
may be waxed upon state occasions. The
house is illuminated with gas from q
gasometer on the premises, and sum-
mer house in an elevated part of the
grounds commands fine view Of the
river.
The farm, like many others on the
eastern shore, has it's own private boat
landing three of them, in fact, as the
place has navigable water upon three
sides. II Mr.. Douglass shall undertake
the burden of both farm and house, he
can ship his own products directly to
market from his own landings. Accord
ing to local tradition the house cost
nearly 100000. but this is probably a
highly exaggerated estimate, as the
whole property would not fetch half
that sum.
Altered as social conditions in this re-
gion are by the results of the civil war,
it is still probable that Mr.. Douglass
would find life at Ashley Villa, or any
other country seat that he might buy,
decidedly lonely if not actively disagree
able. Few if any of his own race here
could afford him intellectual companions
ship, and the whites who live in fash.
ion approaching that to which Mr.. Doug
lass has long been accustomed are de-
scended from the old slaveholding arts
tocracy that ruled here for 200 years
and would hardly receive Mr.. Douglass
upon terms of social intimacy. Perhaps
the fact that he welded a white wife
would intensity the prejudice against
him.
It was Mr.. Douglass, believe, who
said that Abraham Lincoln was the only
man who never made him aware of their
difference Of complexion. Twenty five
years after Mr.. Lincoln's death Mr..
Douglass, although then, as now, man
Of acknowledged distinction and great
social charm, was embarrassed on pre-.
pairing for his voyage to Hayti as minis
ter Of the United States by the refusal
Of a naval captain to command the YES.
sci assigned to convey the minister ia
his place of destination.
E. N. VALLANDIaHAM.