Page 4 - Integrity Seminars - Special Report

unfriendly feeling on his part may be safely set
Another turning point in Douglass's education
was his exposure to a book titled The down as one element of his wonderful success in
Columbian Orator (see excerpts and discussion organizing the loyal American people for the
in the concluding section of this Report). tremendous conflict before them, and bringing
them safely through that conflict. His great
mission was to accomplish two things: first, to
I was now about twelve years old, and the
save his country from dismemberment and ruin;
thought of being a slave for life began to bear
and, second, to free his country from the great
heavily upon my heart. Just about this time, I got
crime of slavery. To do one or the other, or both,
hold of a book entitled "The Columbian Orator."
he must have the earnest sympathy and the
Every opportunity I got, I used to read this book.
powerful cooperation of his loyal fellow-
Among much of other interesting matter, I found
countrymen. Without this primary and essential
in it a dialogue between a master and his slave.
condition to success his efforts must have been
The slave was represented as having run away
vain and utterly fruitless. Had he put the
from his master three times. The dialogue
abolition of slavery before the salvation of the
represented the conversation which took place
Union, he would have inevitably driven from him
between them, when the slave was retaken the
a powerful class of the American people and
third time. In this dialogue, the whole argument
rendered resistance to rebellion impossible.
in behalf of slavery was brought forward by the
Viewed from the genuine abolition ground, Mr.
master, all of which was disposed of by the slave.
Lincoln seemed tardy, cold, dull, and indifferent;
The slave was made to say some very smart as
but measuring him by the sentiment of his
well as impressive things in reply to his
country, a sentiment he was bound as a
master—things which had the desired though
statesman to consult, he was swift, zealous,
unexpected effect; for the conversation resulted
radical, and determined.
in the voluntary emancipation of the slave on the
part of the master . . . The moral which I gained Though Mr. Lincoln shared the prejudices of his
from the dialogue was the power of truth over white fellow-countrymen against the Negro, it is
the conscience of even a slaveholder [emphasis hardly necessary to say that in his heart of hearts
added]. he loathed and hated slavery.

Douglass's criticism of Lincoln gains credibility
Contemporary college students quickly see and
because it's both candid and balanced. This
admire "the power of truth" in Douglass's work.
In his Oration in Memory of Abraham Lincoln, capacity to see people and circumstances
for example, Douglass could speak critically "whole" (including what Barack Obama calls
"ambiguities" in our lives) can strengthen and
about Lincoln (as "preeminently the white man’s
enrich contemporary social justice discourse.
President") yet provide a candid account of the
unique challenges Lincoln faced:

I have said that President Lincoln was a White Late in his life, Douglass told a story about
man, and shared the prejudices common to his Lincoln that reveals how truth-seeking can also
countrymen towards the colored race. Looking became a vehicle for truth-telling. Douglass
back to his times and to the condition of his described his first meeting with President
Lincoln in the White House (1863):
country, we are compelled to admit that this

Integrity Seminars: Special Report January 2020 4