Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 20 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 20 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
But we are not left to inference. Mr. A. M. Green, of Washington, who
at the Convention nominated Mr. Douglass for Congress, assures us
that he did not leave town till some days later. Mr. Green further
states, in a note dated August 10th, now before me, that about
this time he and another friend called on Mr. Douglass, in relation
to his appointment by the President as Secretary of the District;
that Mr. Douglass, while thanking them for their earnestness in
his behalf, assured them that he had no hope of success; that he
had “new evidence of the conservative character or tendency of the
Administration, which warranted him in the opinion that we could not
succeed”; and Mr. Green says that Mr. Douglass added these words:
“I was not only neglected without any rebuke for the offence from
the President, but the Commissioners have been invited to dine with
the President, and the same spirit of neglect has been exhibited in
that respect also.” Mr. Green adds, that recently, while on the way
to the National Colored Convention at New Orleans, Mr. Douglass, in
conversation with Mr. Downing and himself, “referred in a complaining
spirit to this circumstance.”
I have also before me a note, dated August 10th, from Mr. Wormley, so
well known for his excellent hotel in Washington, who says that he
asked Mr. Douglass, shortly after his return, if he dined with the
President and the Commissioners, to which he answered, “No, and for
the good reason that I was not invited”; and then he added, “It is
no use to deny it, but I feel it sorely.” This was at Mr. Douglass’s
office. On another occasion, at his son’s house, referring to the
same thing, he said to Mr. Wormley, “I felt it keenly.”
Mr. Gray, recently of the Legislative Council of the District,
nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, now a School
Trustee, assures me that Mr. Douglass spoke to him of his omission
by the President with the same feeling that he exhibited to Mr.
Green and Mr. Wormley. These witnesses are all colored, but even
without the new law nobody would question their testimony. I add my
own acquaintance with the case. At my house, Mr. Douglass, while
speaking not unkindly, said that he felt the President’s neglect in
not inviting him to dine, which was more noticeable, as he had gone
to San Domingo at the express invitation of the President, and on his
return was insulted on board the Potomac mail-packet. He added, that
an invitation from the President would have been a proper rebuke to
those who had insulted him.
I will add, that it is a matter of common notoriety that Mr. Douglass
did not disguise his feelings on account of this Presidential
incident.
Such are the facts and the evidence. I think that you will see, my
dear Sir, that, if there is any misstatement, or, as you express it,
“perversion of facts,” it is not on my part.
Faithfully yours,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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