Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
36 LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
confer with him. The place selected for the
meeting was an old stone quarry in the suburbs
of the city. Thither Mr. Douglass went, taking
with him Shields Green, a fugitive slave from
South Carolina whom Brown had met at Mr.
Douglass' house in Rochester. What took place
in that memorable conference August 19, we will
set forth in the exact language of Mr. Douglass
as he has himself related it: " When I reached
Chambersburg, a good deal of surprise was expressed
(for I was instantly recognized), that I
should come there unannounced, and I was
pressed to make a speech to them, with which invitation
I readily complied. Meanwhile, I called
upon Mr. Henry Watson, a simple-minded and
warm-hearted man, to whom Captain Brown had
imparted the secret of my visit, to show me the
road to the appointed rendezvous. Watson was
very busy in his barber's shop, but he dropped
all and put me on the right track. I approached
the old quarry very cautiously, for John Brown
was generally well armed and regarded strangers
with suspicion. He was there under the ban of
the government, and heavy rewards were offered
for his arrest, for offenses said to have been committed
in Kansas. He was passing under the
name of John Smith. As I came near, he regarded
me rather suspiciously, but soon recognized
me, and received me cordially. He had in