Disunion Feed

Frederick Douglass @FDouglassOct 31, 1859 · Canada West

Mr. Cook says I promised to join them at Harpers Ferry. I never made a promise so rash and wild. Call it wisdom or call it cowardice — it kept me from Harpers Ferry, and equally from promising to go. My field of labor for abolition has never extended to attacking a U.S. arsenal.

Original passage & context
"I have never made a promise so rash and wild as this [...] my wisdom or my cowardice, has not only kept me from Harper's Ferry, but has equally kept me from making any promise to go there. [...] My field of labor for the abolition of Slavery has not extended to an attack upon the United States' arsenal."

Douglass, implicated by raider John E. Cook's confession, had fled to Canada; he denies promising to join the raid while refusing to condemn Brown. Fragments joined with [...].

Read it in the original — Douglass Papers digital edition ↗

Black voice Condensed — not verbatim Verified against the source — see the record
Frederick Douglass to Samuel P. Allen (Rochester Democrat and American), Oct 31, 1859, from Canada West; pub. New York Times, Nov 3, 1859 ↗

Next in order

Frederick Douglass @FDouglass · Canada West

It can never be wrong for the imbruted and whip-scarred slaves, or their friends, to strike down the traffickers in human flesh. I am ever ready to write, speak, publish, organize, combine — and even to conspire against Slavery, when there is a reasonable hope for success.

Original passage & context
"While it shall be considered right to protect oneself against thieves, burglars, robbers and assassins, and to slay a wild beast in the act of devouring his human prey, it can never be wrong for the imbruted and whip-scarred slaves, or their friends, to hunt, harrass and even strike down the traffickers in human flesh. [...] I am ever ready to write, speak, publish, organize, combine, and even to conspire against Slavery, when there is a reasonable hope for success."

The militant half of the same Oct 31 letter whose denial appears earlier in this feed: after denying foreknowledge, Douglass defends in the strongest terms the right of the enslaved to strike down their enslavers. Period spelling 'harrass' preserved. Fragments joined with [...].

Read it in the original — Douglass Papers digital edition ↗

Black voice Condensed — not verbatim Verified against the source — see the record
Frederick Douglass to Samuel P. Allen (Rochester Democrat and American), Oct. 31, 1859, from Canada West ↗

Where this sits

America has argued itself to the edge before. The words come from 1854–1861; the arguments are the ones we are still having.

One passage from the Harpers Ferry weeks, Oct 18, 1859 – Dec 2, 1859 — 22 posts, each linked to its primary source.

Part of 134 verified passages across 5 flashpoints, Jan 6, 1854 – Apr 13, 1861 — read the feed from the start.

Read on, in order← Henry David Thoreau, Oct 30, 1859Frederick Douglass, Oct 31, 1859 →

Anywhere in the feedA passage at random →

In contextHarpers Ferry, 1859

The other flashpointsKansas-Nebraska, 1854The Sumner caning, 1856Dred Scott, 1857The secession winter, 1860–61

How this was made