Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
144 LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
imagining what would be the case in a return to
the old condition of things. Imagine the wheels
of progress reversed; imagine that by some
strange and mysterious freak of fortune slavery,
with all its horrid concomitants, was revived;
imagine that under the dome of yonder Capitol
legislation was carried on, as formerly, by men
with pistols in their belts and bullets in their pockets
; imagine the right of speech denied, the right
of petition stamped out, the press of the District
muzzled, and a word in the streets against slavery
the sign for a mob; imagine a lone woman like
Miss Myrtilla Miner, having to defend her right to
teach colored girls to read and write, with a pistol
in her hand, here in this very city, now dotted all
over with colored schools, which rival in magnificence
the white schools of any other city of the
Union; imagine this, and more, and ask yourselves
the question: What progress has been
made in liberty and civilization within the borders
of this capital ? Further on let us ask: Of what
avail would be our cloud-capped towers, our gorgeous
palaces, and our solemn temples if slavery
again held sway here ? Of what avail would be
our marble halls if once more they resounded with
the crack of the slave whip, the clank of the fetter,
and the rattle of chains; if slave auctions were
held in front of the halls of justice, and chaingangs
were marched over Pennsylvania avenue to