Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
ISBN-10
1730910521
ISBN-13
9781730910524
Series
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Pages
66
Language
English
Published
2018-11-05
Publisher
Independently Published
Author
Frederick Douglass

Description

In the month of August, 1841, I attended an anti-slavery conventionin Nantucket, at which it was my happiness to become acquainted with_Frederick Douglass_, the writer of the following Narrative. He was astranger to nearly every member of that body; but, having recently madehis escape from the southern prison-house of bondage, and feelinghis curiosity excited to ascertain the principles and measures of theabolitionists, --of whom he had heard a somewhat vague description whilehe was a slave, --he was induced to give his attendance, on the occasionalluded to, though at that time a resident in New Bedford.Fortunate, most fortunate occurrence!--fortunate for the millions ofhis manacled brethren, yet panting for deliverance from their awfulthraldom!--fortunate for the cause of negro emancipation, and ofuniversal liberty!--fortunate for the land of his birth, which he hasalready done so much to save and bless!--fortunate for a large circle offriends and acquaintances, whose sympathy and affection he has stronglysecured by the many sufferings he has endured, by his virtuous traits ofcharacter, by his ever-abiding remembrance of those who are in bonds, asbeing bound with them!--fortunate for the multitudes, in various parts ofour republic, whose minds he has enlightened on the subject of slavery, and who have been melted to tears by his pathos, or roused to virtuousindignation by his stirring eloquence against the enslavers ofmen!--fortunate for himself, as it at once brought him into the field ofpublic usefulness, "gave the world assurance of a MAN," quickened theslumbering energies of his soul, and consecrated him to the great workof breaking the rod of the oppressor, and letting the oppressed go free!I shall never forget his first speech at the convention--theextraordinary emotion it excited in my own mind--the powerful impressionit created upon a crowded auditory, completely taken by surprise--theapplause which followed from the beginning to the end of his felicitousremarks. I think I never hated slavery so intensely as at that moment;certainly, my perception of the enormous outrage which is inflicted byit, on the godlike nature of its victims, was rendered far moreclear than ever. There stood one, in physical proportion and staturecommanding and exact--in intellect richly endowed--in natural eloquencea prodigy--in soul manifestly "created but a little lower than theangels"--yet a slave, ay, a fugitive slave, --trembling for his safety, hardly daring to believe that on the American soil, a single whiteperson could be found who would befriend him at all hazards, for thelove of God and humanity! Capable of high attainments as an intellectualand moral being--needing nothing but a comparatively small amount ofcultivation to make him an ornament to society and a blessing to hisrace--by the law of the land, by the voice of the people, by the termsof the slave code, he was only a piece of property, a beast of burden, achattel personal, nevertheless!A beloved friend from New Bedford prevailed on _Mr. Douglass_ to addressthe convention: He came forward to the platform with a hesitancy andembarrassment, necessarily the attendants of a sensitive mind in such anovel position. After apologizing for his ignorance, and reminding theaudience that slavery was a poor school for the human intellect andheart, he proceeded to narrate some of the facts in his own history asa slave, and in the course of his speech gave utterance to many noblethoughts and thrilling reflections. As soon as he had taken his seat, filled with hope and admiration, I rose, and declared that _PatrickHenry_, of revolutionary fame, never made a speech more eloquent in thecause of liberty, than the one we had just listened to from the lips ofthat hunted fugitive.

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