W[illiam] C. N[ell] to Frederick Douglass, August 19, 1853
FREDERICK DOUGLASS AND HIS PAPER.
ESTEEMED FRIEND GARRISON:
Frederick Douglass, at Framigham, August 2d, remarked, 'that he held his columns free to any one who should think injustice had been done to any party.' Having myself been the victim of his injustice, in his paper of August 12th, I solicited a hearing therein, which has been denied me—August 19th—thus:—'The editor does not feel called upon to give his columns to the circulation of his [my] speeches or letters.' Will you promote the cause of truth and free discussion by inserting in The Liberator the following rejected communication? W. C. N.
Boston, August 19th, 1858.
—
Boston, August 13, 1858.
MR. DOUGLAS:
In your paper of Aug. 12th, you have grossly misrepresented my sayings and doings at the meeting recently held in Boston. I, therefore, ask you to publish the following communication.
In the first place, I must express to you the surprise manifested here in view of the language of your editorial; for, at the meeting, you acquitted me of any dishonorable or personal motive in the presentation I felt called upon to make relative to your course, and, moreover, promised you would do all in your power to promote harmony and allay controversy; but the first development to your readers is applying to me the epithet, 'contemptible tool.'
You put words into my mouth which I never used. I did not say, 'I am the injured party here; I am on trial.' What I did sway was, 'I am the persecuted party'—persecuted, I meant, by yourself and Mr. Morris. I made no allusion to being 'on trial,' there being no occasion for it. I have no fears of any trial before a Boston audience.
As to your holding me up as a practical enemy of the colored people, my pen smiles at the idea. When are you going to commence the task of providing your assertion?
I heed not your inuendoes nor your comments; I can wait the decision of an impartial community. But your readers should know what I said and did on that occasion, hence I submit my remarks, as offered.
REMARKS ON THE FIRST EVENING.
MR. CHAIRMAN,—Concurring, as I am happy to do, in the general train of remark which we have just heard from Mr. Douglass, I the more deeply regret his omission of another topic, which others beside myself anticipated his making some allusion to. But as neither himself not any other person has done so, the duty seems to devolve upon me.
It is, of course, known to most of those present, that
Liberator 2 sept. 1853 p. 138 c[5-4?]
2 c5
the time has been when Mr. Douglass sustained very friendly relations toward Mr. Garrison and the pioneer Society. It is also well known that now that relation is changed, and within a few months past, his spirit seems more than ever alienated, and in his paper he has made use of language which to many, and certainly to me—when considering his former identify of interests with them—seems unkind, ungenerous and ungrateful. I say this more in sorrow than in anger; but as I have long and intimately known Mr. Douglass—been associated with him in the publication of his paper—familiar with him and the old Socieity in their day of harmony and cooperation—and, moreover, as I have, to persons present and elsewhere, in speaking of his paper, cheerfully commended, though not afraid to blame—it occurs to me that I am no less his friend than before, because I ask him to explain his new position. There are those here who desire it, and the words that he may offer may correct as if in error, and render his paper the more acceptable.
I have not risen to defend Mr. Garrison and his coadjutors; for, Thank God! from me, and in this place, they need no defence. I have not rise to offend Mr. Douglass and his friends; to any thing of that kind, I am opposed by my whole moral, mental and physical constitution. But here, in the city where Mr. Garrison and the Pioneer Society are known and loved, it is fitting that an opportunity should be tendered for explanation.
SECOND EVENING
MR CHAIRMAN,—I disclaim any wish or desire to curtail the list of subscribers for Mr. Douglass's paper. I would not [blot?] from the moral firmament one anti-slavery star. The colored people of Boston, like those of other places, are very delinquent in supporting anti-slaverty papers, for even the pioneer sheet, THE LIBERATOR, has not from them a tithe of the patronage to which is preeminently entitled. Let them all remain, to shed light on the slave's path to freedom. It is only becuase I would have Frederick Douglass's Paper emit a more friendly light, that I stand before you this evening.
Among the articles in Mr. Douglass's paper which I submit in justification of my statement, is that published by him May 27th, headed 'Infidelity,' followed with some of Mr. Garrison's comments, in THE LIBERATOR of June 10th.
This censure of the old Society, in consequence of the oft-exploded charges of infidelity against some of its agents, brings to my mind that most eloquent passage in the anti-slavery sectures of Mr. Douglass, a few years since:—'Commend me to that infidelity which takes off chains, rather than to the Christianity which puts them on.'
Mr. Douglass, on one occasion, dealt very unhandsomely with George Thompson; but as I have reason to believe he regretted the course he took and the language he used on that occasion, I will waive the reading of his remarks, and the comments of Mr. Thompson's friends in England. But it seems appropriate that I should present, in this connection, what I then expressed in letters to my friends, and what I always feel when he utters an unkind word toward any of his old friends:—
'My abiding feeling is one of sincere regret that George Thompson should have been attacked by a colored man, at least such an one historically as Frederick Douglass. He should have pondered long and well, before allowing his pen to indite or tongue to utter any thing disparagingly of George Thompson.
If there had been a crime committed, and a necessity for its exposure, the matter would present a wholly different aspect; as it is, I think an indecent haste was exhibited in the performance of a very ungrateful act.'
In Mr. D's paper of July 22, he calls upon Geo. W. Putnam of Lynn, who has recently become disaffected towards the Mass. Anti-Slavery Society, in a manner invoking a renewal of his warfare against them.
But I care not to enlarge, or go into details. My object is not controversy, but simply a presentation of facts, for all parties interested.
Mr. Douglass remarked, that two or three more such speeches as were delivered here by Mr. Foss would heal the wound, (which, after all, was not a very deep one,) between him and his old friends. Happy indeed would I be, Mr. Chairman, if my words on this occasion would be accepted in that light. Let us compare notes by the way-side—let Mr. D. cease his direct and indirect hostility toward his old friends, speak well of or laud to the skies any individuals or parties he may feel disposed to, discuss and argue with them, show how to be a more excellent way than theirs—all this is well and proper; but in doing this, let him not detract from and drag others down; for he and they, though honestly differing as to ways and means, can both work in a general way for the downfall of our common enemy, slavery.
WILLIAM C. NELL.
REMARKS. The grossly personal and wholly unjustifiable assaults of Mr. DOUGLASS upon Mr. NELL, Mr. PURVIS, and Mr. BEMOND, demande some notice from us, which we are again obliged to defer. -- ED. [LIB.?]