Year: 1877

gOstiORs 10 the Men of Iiis Race.


The Baltimore Sun contains the
following report of an address at
Cambridge, Md, to the white and
colored people Of that vicinity by
Frederick Douglass:


Slavery was a system which both
sections were responsible for, for if
Southern men were the slave-hold-
ers Northern men were the slave
catchers. 1t was a common trans
gression, and there should be a
common retribution and common
restitution. The future relations
Of the two races could not be estab-
lished or regulated by law. 1t was
difficult to address mixed audi
ence like the one before him, but as
he might truly say he represented
both races, belonging as much to
one as the other, and loving both,
he felt that be had a right to speak
to both, and would address himself
first to one and then to the other.


Addressing himself to the colored
people, twas not we, said he, who
built up this mighty nation, or
erected its mighty monuments of
genius and civilization. The white
race did it all, and we have done
absolutely nothing. Our old mas
ters have had a thousand years of
civilization, and stand, so to speak,
upon the heads Of a thousand years
of civilized men, and it is but natu-
raj that they should arrogate some
thing. But now that we are en-
barked on the same ship, all that
we can ask is that they should live
up to the constitution and give MS
a chance. All we wish is to be let
alone to work out our own destiny
under the law. The very best thing
the white people can do for us is to
stop doing for us, and leave us to
do for ourselves. | have told the
politicians so everywhere. They
have done so much for us that they
have nearly undone us. If we can't
live honestly by our own labor then
we ought to die. There is differ
ence between original and acquired
conditions in life. That men were
originally born equal is true, but
that they remain equal is untrue
The white race has had the start in
this glorious land, and has acquired
a great superiority, but we can and
must work up. This very Anglo
Saxon race was once immeas
urably worse off than we are to.
day. The blue-eyed ancestors Of
the present imperial race six cen


turies ago worked in the fields with
iron collars on their necks and livet
in mud houses. They are now W
and we are down. The time may
and must come, if we are true t
} ourselves, that we too shall be up
Our race has shown evidences o
high capacity. Fifty years ago az
educated negro was a curiosity
Now the genuine African, not mu


lattoes, but the negro as black al
sixteen midnights without star, il
popping up on all sides from thu
dark sea of ignorance and obscurity
around us. Turning to the white
audience, we, said he, must learn t.
look at a man, to judge him as al
individual and not the member O


a caste, as an integral member o
humanity, living first for thi
world, because it comes first, ant
then fer the next. We can best ge
over our class preiudices by helpin,
! along with kindness the subject O


that prejudice. This is a profoun,


philosophical truth. Do a man


kindness and you will like him. D


him an injury and you will hat
him. We Of Maryland are nov
freer from class prejudice than wer


the abolitionists Of the North thirt


years ago. 1t is a good sign an,


indicates better times.


' We colored people, continued he
must do great deal ourselves t


wipe out this class prejudice. W


must be clean and neat; we mus


use water and put a little soapin i


We must save our money and bu