Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS. 83
my life to the cause of freedom. These were
Ellen and Anna Richardson, of Newcastle-upon-
Tyne. They are both living, one aged seventynine,
and the other over eighty; without any suggestion
from me they opened a correspondence
with Hon. Walter Foward, of Pittsburgh, and
Mr. Merideth, of Philadelphia, and through them
bought me out of slavery, secured a bill of sale of
my body, made a present of myself to myself, and
thus enabled me to return to the United States,
and resume my work for the emancipation of the
slaves. It was a great privilege to see these two
good women, and to see others who assisted them
in raising the money to ransom me. If I had no
other compensation for my voyage across the sea,
this would have been ample payment; of course
many of the precious friends who met me in England,
Ireland, and Scotland forty years ago have
passed away, but I saw some of them through
their children and in them recognized their noble
qualities.
One of the most interesting places for American
tourists is the city of Edinburgh, and it was
especially so to me, not only on account of the
historical associations that cluster about it, and
its many beautiful features, but for the memorable
controversy I took part in with the Free
Church during my first visit to Scotland. The
facts are these: That church had sent a deputa-