Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS. 189
Mr. Douglass has attended all the national conventions
of the Republicans since the nomination
of Lincoln and has always been treated by the
party leaders with marks of great respect and
honor. At the convention held in Minneapolis
in 1892 he occupied a prominent seat on the platform
in rear of the president, Hon. William Mc-
Kinley, Jr., of Ohio. In 1888 at the convention
held at Chicago, being loudly and repeatedly called
for, he made a short address which was heartily
applauded by the entire audience. Mr. Douglass
at this time was in favor of the nomination of
Hon. John' Sherman, whom he regarded as the
leading American statesman and a true friend of
the colored race.
Standing before that immense audience he
said:—
" Mr. President: I had the misfortune last night,
while speaking to a vast audience in the Armory,
to break my voice so that I feel wholly unable to
address you any more than to express my thanks
to you for the cordial welcome, the earnest call, you
have given me to this platform. I have only one
word to say and it is this, that I hope this convention
will make such a record in its proceedings as to
put it entirely out of the power of the leaders of
the Democratic party and the leaders of the Mugwump
party (laughter) to say that they see no
difference between the Republican party and the