The Colorado statesman., 1912-04-27
FROM Slave BOY
TO STATESMAN
How Frederick Douglass Rose
from Obscurity to Fame,
MAN OF PRINCELY VIRTUES
EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE
GREAT ANTI-SLAVERY ORATOR
WHICH FIRED HIS AMBITION
AND MADE HIS TEACHINGS EF-
FECTlVE-PLEADE CAUSE OF
SELF AND RACE ELOQUENTlY

Great men are always a part of a
great movement. They are called into
the world to play an important part
in the arena of thought and action.
Few Of them, however, are blessed
with the span of life which enables
them to witness the triumphant con-
summation of their cause, as was the
case of Frederick Douglass. But for
the birth of Frederick Douglass in
Tuckahoe, Md, in 1917. that obscure
village in Talbot county would hardly
be known. His early surroundings
were such as characterized every
slave boy who witnessed the inhuman
treatment of fellow slaves and heard
stories of the capture of their fore
parents in Africa.
The events in the life OF Douglass,
his transference to Baltimore, to st.
Michael's; his experience with the
"slave breaker Edward Covey and his
escape from slavery in 1898. when he
assumed the name of Douglass"
partly to hide his identity and partly
as a milestone" in his new life of
freedom, are well known. His lectures
under the Anti-slavery society at con-
ventions and private gatherings. both
in America and Europe, his publica-
tion of his newspapers; his 'lifc mar
rative." MY Bondage and My Free
DOM" his Life and Times" place
Frederick Douglass before the Ameri-
can public. and indeed before the
world, as one of its effective teachers
Some will deny him the title. say
ing that he was not a product of the
schools; that he kept no school and
could not in any sense be called an
educator. If by an educator is meant
one whose activities are confined to
the narrow regimen of the schoolroom
Douglass was not an educator. but IL
we mean by the term one who carries
within himself the princely virtues of
the great teachers of mankind, who Is
an inspiration to all men by his words
and work. who had knowledge and
sympathy, interest, enthusiasm and
aptitude for vicariousness then Fred
erick Douglass was in every way an
educator
He believed in the potentiality of
every child born into the world,
whether white or black He believed
ludl bOu lldu lOI DeSlOWeu DSSl
endowments upon any single race or
nation, and so he wrought for himself
and his race to make actual what was
potential. Mr.. Douglass, like a true
educator. was man of large vision.
Where there is no vision the people
perish. Brutalized himself by Amer
lean slavery he sought to aid in the
overthrow of the iniquitous system.
When, therefore, the opportunity
presented itself he threw himself with
enthusiasm into the anti-slavery strug-
gle and lost no opportunity to teach
men its horrors and to rouse them to
its hatred by his burning words. In
England and America he pleaded his
own and the cause of his people with
weeping words and eloquent tears and
became perhaps the mightiest single
force in teaching the iniquities of slav-
cry because he had been a part of 1t.
Douglass believed in his selfhood
and in his own possibilities. and out
of the horrors of slavery he tried to
rehabilitate the divine image stamped
upon him. He made his good in
stincts self conscious. He taught
lofty notions of personal social and
| POLITICAL lie. he was QlSCOnIenIeQ
with whatever was on a low plane.
He reached the mountain heights be-
cause he scared like an eagle that
bathes its wings in the monday sun.
No one could Sc Frederick Douglass,
with his head rising like snow
capped peak" above those about him,
without feeling the influence of his
presence.
Frederick Douglass was never
ashamed of his color. He believed in
his black mother, his dark hued wife
and attributed much of his success to
his contact with them. He believed
that he was part of great race
whose development had been retarded
by untoward conditions, but who when
their chains were once broken and
their complete emancipation insured
would rise up and demonstrate the
divinity with which they were clothed
Douglass, like every true educator,
was an honest patriot. He loved his
country. When the Civil war broke
out he offered his two sons to his
country's cause. while he himself
served it with his eloquence.
For these services he was honored.
| FOR years ne was tne most famous
character in the District of Columbia.
serving as United States marshal. lat
er as recorder of deeds and afterward
as minister plenipotentiary to Haiti.
While in Haiti differences arose be-
tween himself and the state depart
ment about the methods Of acquiring
the Mole st. Nicholas. and rather than
sacrifice his manhood Douglass cabled
his commission to the president and
returned in glory to the banks of the
Potomac. He may have failed in d.
| nlomacY but be had retained his self.