Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS. 29
state. Speaking of his work in Rhode Island,
Mr. Douglass says: " In Grafton, I was alone,
and there was neither house, hall, church, nor
market-place in which I could speak to the people,
but, determined to speak, I went to the hotel
and borrowed a dinner bell, with which in hand I
passed through the principal streets, ringing the
bell and crying out, ' Notice ! Frederick Douglass,
recently a slave, will lecture on American
slavery, on Grafton common this evening at seven
o'clock. Those who would like to hear of the
great workings of slavery, by one of the slaves,
are respectfully invited to attend.' This notice
brought a large audience, after which the largest
church in town was open to me."
In what is known as the " hundred conventions,"
which in the year 1843 were held in New
Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Ohio, Indiana,
and Pennsylvania, Mr. Douglass took an active
and leading part. He experienced the same difficulty
in procuring places in which to speak, and
often he was compelled to hold his meetings in
the open air. A memorable meeting was held at
Pendleton, Indiana. No building of any kind
could be procured in which to hold the assemblage,
and consequently they convened in the
woods near by, where an infuriated mob rushed
upon and assaulted them. Mr. Douglass, in
attempting to fight his way through the crowd,