All single right and left quotation marks are encoded as ' and ' respectively. Indentation in lines has not been preserved. Running titles have not been preserved. African Americans -- Maryland -- Biography. African American abolitionists -- Biography. Abolitionists -- United States -- Biography. Slaves -- Maryland -- Biography. Fugitive slaves -- Maryland -- Biography. Slavery -- Maryland -- History -- 19th century. Slavery -- United States -- History -- 19th century.
Plantation life -- Maryland -- History -- 19th century. Slaves -- Maryland -- Social conditions -- 19th century. Slaves' writings, American -- Maryland. He was a stranger to nearly every member of that body; but, having recently made his escape from the southern prison-house of bondage, and feeling his curiosity excited to ascertain the principles and measures of the abolitionists,--of whom he had heard a somewhat vague description while he was a slave,--he was induced to give his attendance, on the occasion alluded to, though at that time a resident in New Bedford.
Fortunate, most fortunate occurrence! I shall never forget his first speech at the convention--the extraordinary emotion it excited in my own mind--the powerful impression it created upon a crowded auditory, completely taken by surprise--the applause which followed from the beginning to the end of his felicitous remarks.
I think I never hated slavery so intensely as at that moment; certainly, my perception of the enormous outrage which is inflicted by it, on the godlike nature of its victims, was rendered far more clear than ever. There stood one, in physical proportion and stature commanding and exact--in intellect richly endowed--in natural eloquence a prodigy--in soul manifestly "created but a little lower than the angels"--yet a slave, ay, a fugitive slave,--trembling for his safety, hardly daring to believe that on the American soil, a single white person could be found who would befriend him at all hazards, for the love of God and humanity!
Capable of high attainments as an intellectual and moral being--needing nothing but a comparatively small amount of cultivation to make him an ornament to society and a blessing to his race--by the law of the land, by the voice of the people, by the terms of the slave code, he was only a piece of property, a beast of burden, a chattel personal, nevertheless!
A beloved friend from New Bedford prevailed on Mr. He came forward to the platform with a hesitancy and embarrassment, necessarily the attendants of a sensitive mind in such a novel position.
After apologizing for his ignorance, and reminding the audience that slavery was a poor school for the human intellect and heart, Page v he proceeded to narrate some of the facts in his own history as a slave, and in the course of his speech gave utterance to many noble thoughts and thrilling reflections.
As soon as he had taken his seat, filled with hope and admiration, I rose, and declared that PATRICK HENRY, of revolutionary fame, never made a speech more eloquent in the cause of liberty, than the one we had just listened to from the lips of that hunted fugitive.
So I believed at that time,--such is my belief now. I reminded the audience of the peril which surrounded this self-emancipated young man at the North, --even in Massachusetts, on the soil of the Pilgrim Fathers, among the descendants of revolutionary sires; and I appealed to them, whether they would ever allow him to be carried back into slavery,--law or no law, constitution or no constitution.
The response was unanimous and in thunder-tones--"NO! It was at once deeply impressed upon my mind, that, if Mr. DOUGLASS could be persuaded to consecrate his time and talents to the promotion of the anti-slavery enterprise, a powerful impetus would be given to it, and a stunning blow at the same time inflicted on northern prejudice against a colored complexion. I therefore endeavored to instil hope and courage into his mind, in order that he might dare to engage in a vocation so anomalous and responsible for a person in his situation; and I was seconded in this effort by warm-hearted friends, especially by the late General Page vi Agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, Mr.
JOHN A. About the author Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey to a slave woman and an unknown white man in either or Also by Frederick Douglass. Related titles. A Promised Land. In Order To Live. The Auschwitz Photographer. Luca Crippa , Maurizio Onnis.
Make Your Bed. The Lincoln Highway. The Lyrics. The Resilience Project. Read our full plot summary and analysis of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , scene by scene break-downs, and more. Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.
Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes. Test your knowledge of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass with quizzes about every section, major characters, themes, symbols, and more. But for the most part, he describes his childhood as a typical or representative story, rather than a unique or individual narrative.
The early chapters of his Narrative emphasize the status of slaves and the nature of slavery over his individual experience. This description explicitly links Douglass' experience back to that of the other slaves: "old and young, male and female, married and single, drop down side by side, on one common bed,—the cold, damp floor,—each covering himself or herself with their miserable blankets" p. At age seven, Douglass is sent to work for Hugh Auld, a ship carpenter in Baltimore.
The young Douglass' growing sense of freedom is due in part to his new master's wife, Sophia Auld, who "very kindly commenced to teach me the A, B, C" p. However, Hugh soon puts a stop to these reading lessons, warning his wife that learning to read "would forever unfit him to be a slave" p. Douglass takes this lesson to heart, noting that this incident "only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn" p.
Over the next seven years, Douglass recalls, "I succeeded in learning to read and write. At age fifteen, Douglass is sent back to Colonel Lloyd's plantation to work for Hugh's brother, Thomas Auld, a ship captain.
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