Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
84 LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
tion to the United States immediately after separating
itself from the established church of Scotland,
to collect money to build churches and
support its ministry. That deputation went South
and collected several thousand pounds for this purpose
in the slave states and presumably from slaveholders.
George Thompson, Henry C. Wright,
and James N. Buffom, lately deceased, made an
issue with the church. We felt that it would be
good testimony against slavery if we could induce
the Free Church to follow the example of Daniel
O'Connell in a like case to send back the money.
The debate was sharp and long—the excitement
was great. Nearly everybody in Scotland, outside
the Free Church, were on the side of freedom,
and were for sending back the money.
This sentiment was written on the pavements
and walls and sung in the streets by minstrels.
The very air was full of send back the money.
Forgetting I was in a monarchy and not in this
Republic, I got myself into trouble by cutting
"send back the money" on Arthur's seat. I was
soon after arrested for trespassing on the Queen's
forests, and only got off by a written apology.
I visited the same spot when over there a few
weeks ago, but the friendly grass of forty years
had obliterated all trace of the famous formula
and my humiliation, as it has also happily blotted
out all further need of that sentiment itself.