Jacob Lybrand to Frederick Douglass, April 30, 1852
Lybrand, Allamakee County, Iowa,
April 30, 1852.
Frederick Douglass: Dear Sir:—I send you with this, a copy of a letter addressed to Bicknell's Reporter of Philadelphia, not requesting its publication, and not designing that it should not be inserted in that paper. They did not think proper to publish it. If you think it worthy an insertion in your paper, you will please make it public. If not, you can destroy it.
As an American, I have long been sick of the vanity and egotism displayed by my countrymen, in every manner and variety of ways in expressing it, lauding our Government and its Institutions—American Slavery and all; some even contending that slavery is the corner-stone (!!) of this Republic, (??)—and denouncing everything that does not seem in their estimation to tally with it. True patriotism can see and deplore that which is wrong, as well in their own country—and even more so - as in that of any other.
With the exception of professed anti-slavery publications; whether political, literary, religious, or those pertaining in an especial manner to what is termed business, they all seem to consider it a duty to eulogise everything American, unless when denouncing a rival party of some kind. There may
be some instances to the contrary, but they are "few and far between." A Democrat(?) once told me, that as we had the best Government on earth, it was our duty to extend its principles by conquest all over the world, and compel others to be ruled in the same manner. That is Democracy with a vengeance!
I cut a paragraph out of a newspaper, with the caption "Theatrical Illusion," which appears to be going the rounds. I know not who is its author. The anecdote is illustrative no doubt of good, acting, but the "poor sentiment" who is the hero, does not manifest goodness of heart; if he "had the reputation of good nature." The feeling there displayed by him, is the same that has been the means of outraging the rights of the Indian and the Negro race, in our country. I enclose the paragraph.
For "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."
Jacob Lybrand