Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-10-26
VIAL PHASES
OF The Negro Question Discussed by Fred
Douglass.

LOWELL, Oct. 25.-The feature of this
evenings session of the American Mission
ary Associations annual convention was
the address of Hon. Fred Douglass. His
speech was anticipated with unusual in
terest, because he has not been heard often
on the platform Of the missionary assccia-
tions lie touched on vital phases of the
negro question. He said that he was at
tending this annual meeting, not so much
for the purpose of speaking, as to empha-
size, by his presence, his gratitude to ths
members and friends of the American
Missionary Association for the effective atd
benefcent work they had done for the peo
pie with whom he is identified at the South
No organization in this country bad, so far
as he knew, done more to eDlIghten, elevate
and save the colored people of the South,
than had this American Missionary Associa
ton. The sword had scarcely opened the
way for such effort, when this association
bravely entered upon its beneficent mission
among the freedmen.
He was aware that there are those who
seem to think that Northern benevolepce
has already done enough for the negro, and
that now he should be left to make his oTn
way in the world, without further effort il,
his behalf The speaker himself had been
accused of saying something like this.
In answer to the question as to what
should be done with the negro, he had
often replied, "Do nothing with him. Give
him fair play and let him alone" Those
who had been so inclined had put the en-
phasis upon the last words of the statement,
ignoring what preceded them. They could
easily see that they could let the negro
alone, but they could not so easily see how
they could give him fair play.
Mr.. Douglass here dwelt at larae
upon the destitute condition in which
the negroes were left when emancipsted,
and contended that the American peo-
pie owed it to themselves and to the
negro to do everything in their power
to educate him and to improve bis con-
dition.
In answer to the complaint that the negro
has made but little progress since emancl-
patton, Mr.. Douglass contended that that
progress should not be measured from the
b, light attained by the white man, but from
the depths from which the negro has TO
rise.
He then discussed the so-called negro
problem, and denounced this term as a
crafty and misleading misnomer, calculated
to excite and prejudice and repel fair con-
sideration. To fasten the name of negro
upon any question. or upon any body, will,
in either case, infict an injury to the OBJ
ject. Those who invented this formula
knew what they were doing. They well
understood the effect of giving anything a
bad name. The speaker denied that the
South is now perplexed with negro prob
lem. He averred that the existing trouble
at the South had its origin, not in the
blacks, but in the whites, and was
caused by the latter refusing to do jos
,ice and endeavoripg to defeat the natural
and proper effect of emancipation.
The problem was, therefore, a white
mans problem and of the white mans ori-
ginsting. He insisted that it is a national
problem and one which the nation will has e
TO solve.
Mr.. Douglass then took up the charge
upon which lynch Law has by some heen
excused and argued that the charge is often
a trumped up charge and unworthy of be-
lief.
twas great gain to the negro to have