Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-21

legal TO DO so, quietly put the OlSpdtcu
in my pocket and started on my search
for Fred. Douglass. I went directly to
Miller McKin, the secretary Of the under
ground railway office in Philadelphia, and
inquired for my man. Mr.. Mckin hesitated
to tell me, whereupon l showed him the
dispatch and promised him not to allow 1t
to be delivered within three hours. l told
him that I would not do this unless ne
agreed to get Mr.. Douglass out OF the
state. This he readily assented to, for 1t
was his business to spirit escaped slaves
beyond the reach of the authorities. 1 re-
turned to the telegraph office and Kept a
sharp lookout for similar dispatches. None
arrived however, and when the allotted
time expired 1 sent the belated message
to it's destination.
I'm the meantime those intrusted with
my secret saw Mr.. Douglass and urged MIN
to leave the town as quickly as possible.
He was loath to do so at first, but the ex-
postulations of his friends overcame his
objections. and in an hour he left on a
railroad train, which placed gap OF forty
miles between him and Philadelphia every
hour. He reached his home in Rochester,
N. Y, in safety, destroyed the compro-
missing documents. and then packed his
gripsack and started for Canada. 1t was
fortunate for him that he left as soon as
he did, for Immediately after his departure
from Rochester his home was surrounded
by officers"
How His Name Was Chosen.
In a magazine article, giving several
details, Douglass has told
the public, among other things, how he
came by his name. "Once initiated into my
new life of freedom said he, land as
sured by Mr.. johnson that 1 need not fear
recapture in that city, comparatively un-
important question arose as to the name by
which 1 should be known thereafter in my
new relation a free man. The name
given me by my dear mother was no less
Irs.fa m nd hnn IL.
gustus Washington Bailey. l had, how
ever, while living in Maryland. dispensed
with the Augustus Washington, and re-
tanned only Frederick Bailey. Between
Baltimore and New Bedford, the better to
conceal myself from the slave hunters, l
had parted with Bailey and called myself
Johnson; but in New Bedford l found that
the Johnson family was already so numer-
GUS as to cause some confusion In dis
tinguishing them; hence q change in this
name seemed desirable.
Nathan Johnson. mine host placed great
emphasis upon this necessity, and wished
me to allow him to select name for me.
l consented, and ne called me by my pres
ent name-the one by which have been
known for three and forty years-Fred-
erick Douglass. Mr.. Johnson had Just
been reading The Lady of the Lake. and
50 pleased was he with it's great character
that he wished me to bear his name. Since
reading that charming poem myself. have
often thought that, considering the noble
hospitality and manly character of Ma
than Johnson-black man, though he was
he, far more than l. illustrated the vir-
tues of the Douglas of Scotland. Sure am
l that II any slave catcher had entered
his domicile with view to my rccapture
Johnson would have shown himself like
him of the 'stalwart hand
MIR. Douglass and MIR. Cleveland.
Mr.. Douglass, as representative men,
Der of his race, had more or less direct
relations with several Presidents. He was
always very candid in his expressions of
good will toward Mr.. Cleveland. in spite
of their partisan differences. in letter
to F. w. Bird Of Boston he wrote in May.
1856:
Il am a republican and did all 1 could to
defeat the election Of Mr.. Cleveland He
was under no political obligations to me
whatever yet held the office of recorder
nearly whole year under his administra-
ton, office by law held not for any
term. but solely at the pleasure of the
President. . While in office President
Cleveland treated me as he treated ether
Office holders In the District. He was brave
enough to invite Mrs. Douglass and my
self to all his grand receptions. thus re-
buking the timidity-I will not say cow
ardice or prejudice-of his predecessor. !
am u republican. and If living shall do all
! can to elect republican in 1883. but l
honor manliness wherever I find it. and
found 1t in President Cleveland, and 1
should despise myself II l should let any
body think otherwise. Whatever else he
may be, he Is not snob, and Is not a
coward"
OF all the Presidents since the war.
Douglass probably liked Johnson least.
Il was member Of a ieiegation Of col
ored men," he said to friend one
casion, who called upon President An
drew Johnson In the spring of 1866. and
mentioned the idea OF universal suffrage
and perfect equality under the law. He
answered US in a cut-and-dried speech, in
which he scornfully declared that what
he had always meant by making the negro
free was the making him free to labor,
blacks would initiate a war OF races. He
spoke for perhaps fifteen minutes, and
when he had closed he dismissed US with
out giving us chance to make reply.
After we left We talked the matter. over,
and, knowing that the President would
have his speech published. we prepared a
reply and sent 1t over the country by the
Associated Press. This speech first called
the attention Of the people to this view Of
the case, and the ultimate result was the
passage of the fifteenth amendment"
A story of 1915.
1t was in 1915 that Fred. Douglass took
passage on the Cimbria for England. He
was not allowed berth in the first cabin.
When the Irish coast was reached the cap
tain gave the first cabin passengers a COM
plimentary jinner. After the dinner some
of the passengers desired to hear Douglass
he began to speak there was great excite
rpent and cries of Throw him overboard!"
xiii him. and other similar threats. The
crowd presently became so boisterous that
Capt. JudkinS came on deck and said Dou-
glass must stop, as he Uudkins) wanted to
speak.
Now" said the captain. when the crowd
stiled it's noise enough to permit his voice
to be heard, Il have made 1t as pleasant
as know how for the passengers all the
way over. AS captain of this ship l have a
right to exact absolute obedience to my or
ders. But l shall not do this If persuasion
will answer just well. A number of pas
sengers have expressed their wish to hear
Douglass speak. 1 shall simply ask those
who do not wish to lear him to adjourn to
some other place, for Douglass is going to
speak,
Then, turning to the orator. he added:
Go ahead. Douglass. Give it to them
like bricks!"
Douglass went ahead in the style so
familiar to all who knew him. After listen
ing few minutes, one of the passengers
a little man from Connecticut, by the way
spoke up and offered to be 'one Of six to
throw the niger overheard"
A big Irishman crossed over to where he
stood. and exclaimed:
Throw him overheard, will We? Suppose
you try it! While you're about it. how
would We like to go over yourself? Fred
Douglass has as many friends aboard this