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from　their　labors。　　I　am　under　many　grateful　obligations　to　them。

They　not　only　〃took　me　in　when　a　stranger〃　and　〃fed　me　when　hungry；〃

but　taught　me　how　to　make　an　honest　living。　　Thus；　in　a　fortnight

after　my　flight　from　Maryland；　I　was　safe　in　New　Bedford；　a　citizen　of

the　grand　old　commonwealth　of　Massachusetts。



Once　initiated　into　my　new　life　of　freedom　and　assured　by　Mr。　Johnson

that　I　need　not　fear　recapture　in　that　city；　a　comparatively　unimportant

question　arose　as　to　the　name　by　which　I　should　be　known　thereafter

in　my　new　relation　as　a　free　man。　　The　name　given　me　by　my　dear　mother

was　no　less　pretentious　and　long　than　Frederick　Augustus　Washington　Bailey。

I　had；　however；　while　living　in　Maryland；　dispensed　with　the

Augustus　Washington；　and　retained　only　Frederick　Bailey。

Between　Baltimore　and　New　Bedford；　the　better　to　conceal　myself

from　the　slave…hunters；　I　had　parted　with　Bailey　and　called　myself　Johnson；

but　in　New　Bedford　I　found　that　the　Johnson　family　was　already　so　numerous

as　to　cause　some　confusion　in　distinguishing　them；　hence　a　change　in　this　name

seemed　desirable。　　Nathan　Johnson；　mine　host；　placed　great　emphasis　upon

this　necessity；　and　wished　me　to　allow　him　to　select　a　name　for　me。

I　consented；　and　he　called　me　by　my　present　namethe　one　by　which

I　have　been　known　for　three　and　forty　yearsFrederick　Douglass。

Mr。　Johnson　had　just　been　reading　the　〃Lady　of　the　Lake；〃

and　so　pleased　was　he　with　its　great　character　that　he　wished　me

to　bear　his　name。　　Since　reading　that　charming　poem　myself；

I　have　often　thought　that；　considering　the　noble　hospitality

and　manly　character　of　Nathan　Johnsonblack　man　though　he　washe；

far　more　than　I；　illustrated　the　virtues　of　the　Douglas　of　Scotland。

Sure　am　I　that；　if　any　slave…catcher　had　entered　his　domicile

with　a　view　to　my　recapture；　Johnson　would　have　shown　himself　like　him

of　the　〃stalwart　hand。〃



The　reader　may　be　surprised　at　the　impressions　I　had　in　some　way　conceived

of　the　social　and　material　condition　of　the　people　at　the　North。

I　had　no　proper　idea　of　the　wealth；　refinement；　enterprise；

and　high　civilization　of　this　section　of　the　country。

My　〃Columbian　Orator；〃　almost　my　only　book；　had　done　nothing

to　enlighten　me　concerning　Northern　society。　　I　had　been　taught

that　slavery　was　the　bottom　fact　of　all　wealth。　　With　this　foundation　idea；

I　came　naturally　to　the　conclusion　that　poverty　must　be　the　general

condition　of　the　people　of　the　free　States。　　In　the　country　from　which　I　came；

a　white　man　holding　no　slaves　was　usually　an　ignorant　and　poverty…stricken　man；

and　men　of　this　class　were　contemptuously　called　〃poor　white　trash。〃

Hence　I　supposed　that；　since　the　non…slave…holders　at　the　South　were　ignorant；

poor；　and　degraded　as　a　class；　the　non…slave…holders　at　the　North　must　be

in　a　similar　condition。　　I　could　have　landed　in　no　part　of　the　United　States

where　I　should　have　found　a　more　striking　and　gratifying　contrast；

not　only　to　life　generally　in　the　South；　but　in　the　condition　of　the　colored

people　there；　than　in　New　Bedford。　I　was　amazed　when　Mr。　Johnson　told　me

that　there　was　nothing　in　the　laws　or　constitution　of　Massachusetts

that　would　prevent　a　colored　man　from　being　governor　of　the　State；

if　the　people　should　see　fit　to　elect　him。　　There；　too；　the　black　man's

children　attended　the　public　schools　with　the　white　man's　children；

and　apparently　without　objection　from　any　quarter。　　To　impress　me

with　my　security　from　recapture　and　return　to　slavery；　Mr。　Johnson

assured　me　that　no　slave…holder　could　take　a　slave　out　of　New　Bedford；

that　there　were　men　there　who　would　lay　down　their　lives　to　save　me

from　such　a　fate。



The　fifth　day　after　my　arrival；　I　put　on　the　clothes　of　a　common　laborer；

and　went　upon　the　wharves　in　search　of　work。　　On　my　way　down　Union　street

I　saw　a　large　pile　of　coal　in　front　of　the　house　of　Rev。　Ephraim　Peabody；

the　Unitarian　minister。　　I　went　to　the　kitchen　door　and　asked　the　privilege

of　bringing　in　and　putting　away　this　coal。　　〃What　will　you　charge？〃

said　the　lady。　　〃I　will　leave　that　to　you；　madam。〃　　〃You　may　put　it　away；〃

she　said。　　I　was　not　long　in　accomplishing　the　job；　when　the　dear　lady

put　into　my　hand　TWO　SILVER　HALF…DOLLARS。　　To　understand　the　emotion

which　swelled　my　heart　as　I　clasped　this　money；　realizing　that　I　had　no

master　who　could　take　it　from　me；THAT　IT　WAS　MINETHAT　MY　HANDS　WERE　MY　OWN；

and　could　earn　more　of　the　precious　coin；one　must　have　been　in　some　sense

himself　a　slave。　　My　next　job　was　stowing　a　sloop　at　Uncle　Gid。　Howland's

wharf　with　a　cargo　of　oil　for　New　York。　　I　was　not　only　a　freeman；

but　a　free　working…man；　and　no　〃master〃　stood　ready　at　the　end　of　the　week

to　seize　my　hard　earnings。



The　season　was　growing　late　and　work　was　plenty。　　Ships　were　being

fitted　out　for　whaling；　and　much　wood　was　used　in　storing　them。

The　sawing　this　wood　was　considered　a　good　job。　　With　the　help

of　old　Friend　Johnson　（blessings　on　his　memory）　I　got　a　saw　and　〃buck；〃

and　went　at　it。　　When　I　went　into　a　store　to　buy　a　cord　with　which

to　brace　up　my　saw　in　the　frame；　I　asked　for　a　〃fip's〃　worth　of　cord。

The　man　behind　the　counter　looked　rather　sharply　at　me；　and　said　with

equal　sharpness；　〃You　don't　belong　about　here。〃　I　was　alarmed；

and　thought　I　had　betrayed　myself。　　A　fip　in　Maryland　was

six　and　a　quarter　cents；　called　fourpence　in　Massachusetts。

But　no　harm　came　from　the　〃fi'penny…bit〃　blunder；　and　I　confidently

and　cheerfully　went　to　work　with　my　saw　and　buck。　　It　was　new　business　to　me；

but　I　never　did　better　work；　or　more　of　it；　in　the　same　space　of　time

on　the　plantation　for　Covey；　the　negro…breaker；　than　I　did　for　myself

in　these　earliest　years　of　my　freedom。



Notwithstanding　the　just　and　humane　sentiment　of　New　Bedford

three　and　forty　years　ago；　the　place　was　not　entirely　free　from

race　and　color　prejudice。　　The　good　influence　of　the　Roaches；

Rodmans；　Arnolds；　Grinnells；　and　Robesons　did　not　pervade　all

classes　of　its　people。　　The　test　of　the　real　civilization　of　the

community　came　when　I　applied　for　work　at　my　trade；　and　then　my

repulse　was　emphatic　and　decisive。　　It　so　happened　that　Mr。　Rodney

French；　a　wealthy　and　enterprising　citizen；　distinguished　as　an

anti…slavery　man；　was　fitting　out　a　vessel　for　a　whaling　voyage；

upon　which　there　was　a　heavy　job　of　calking　and　coppering　to　be

done。　　I　had　some　skill　in　both　branches；　and　applied　to　Mr。　French

for　work。　　He；　generous　man　that　he　was；　told　me　he　would　employ

me；　and　I　might　go　at　once　to　the　vessel。　　I　obeyed　him；　but　upon

reaching　the　float…stage；　where　others　＇sic＇　calkers　were　at　work；

I　was　told　that　every　white　man　would　leave　the　ship；　in　her

unfinished　condition；　if　I　struck　a　blow　at　my　trade　upon　her。

This　uncivil；　inhuman；　and　selfish　treatment　was　not　so　shocking

and　scandalous　in　my　eyes　at　the　time　as　it　now　appears　to　me。

Slavery　had　inured　me　to　hardships　that　made　ordinary　trouble　sit

lightly　upon　me。　　Could　I　have　worked　at　my　trade　I　could　have

earned　two　dollars　a　day；　but　as　a　common　laborer　I　received　but

one　dollar。　　The　difference　was　of　great　importance　to　me；　but　if

I　could　not　get　two　dollars；　I　was　glad　to　get　one；　and　so　I　went

to　work　for　Mr。　French　as　a　common　laborer。　　The　consciousness

that　I　was　freeno　longer　a　slavekept　me　cheerful　under　this；

and　many　similar　proscriptions；　which　I　was　destined　to　meet　in

New　Bedford　and　elsewhere　on　the　free　soil　of　Massachusetts。

For　instance；　though　colored　children　attended　the　schools；

and　were　treated　kindly　by　their　teachers；　the　New　Bedford　Lyceum

refused；　till　several　years　after　my　residence　in　that　city；

to　allow　any　colored　person　to　attend　the　lectures　delivered　in　its

hall。　　Not　until　such　men　as　Charles　Sumner；　Theodore　Parker；

Ralph　Waldo　Emerson；　and　Horace　Mann　refused　to　lecture　in　their

course　while　there　was　such　a　restriction；　was　it　abandoned。



Becoming　satisfied　that　I　could　not　rely　on　my　trade　in　New

Bedford　to　give　me　a　living；　I　prepared　myself　to　do　any　kind　of

work　that　came　to　hand。　　I　sawed　wood；　shoveled　coal；　dug　cellars；

moved　rubbish　from　back　yards；　worked　on　the　wharves；　loaded　and

unloaded　vessels；　and　scoured　their　cabins。



I　afterward　got　steady　work　at　the　brass…foundry　owned　by　Mr。　Richmond。

My　duty　here　was　to　blow　the　bellows；　swing　the　crane；　and　empty　the　flasks

in　which　castings　were　made；　and　at　times　this　was　hot　and　heavy　work。

The　articles　produced　here　were　mostly　for　ship　work；　and　in　the　busy　season

the　foundry　was　in　operation　night　and　day。　　I　have　often　worked　two　nights

and　every　working　day　of　the　week。　　My　foreman；　Mr。　Cobb；　was　a　good　man；

and　more　than　once　protected　me　from　abuse　that　one　or　more　of　the　hands

was　disposed　to　throw　upon　me。　　While　in　this　situation　I　had　little　time

for　mental　improvement。　　Hard　work；　night　and　day；　over　a　furnace　hot

enough　to　keep　the　metal　running　like　water；　was　more　favorable

to　action　than　thought；　yet　here　I　often　nailed　a　newspaper　to　the　post

near　my　bellows；　and　read　while　I　was　performing　the　up　and　down　motion

of　the　heavy　beam　by　which　the　bellows　was　inflated　and　discharged。

It　was　the　pursuit　of　knowledge　under　difficulties；　and　I　look　back　to　it　now；

after　so　many　years；　with　some　complacency　and　a　little　wonder　that　I　could

have　been　so　earnest　and　persevering　in　any　pursuit　other　than　for　my

daily　bread。　　I　certainly　saw　nothing　in　the　conduct　of　those　around

to　inspire　me　with　such　interest：　they　were　all　devoted　exclusively

to　what　their　hands　found　to　do。　　I　am　glad　to　be　able　to　say　that；

during　my　engagement　in　this　foundry；　no　complaint　was　ever　made　against

me　that　I　did　not　do　my　work；　and　do　it　well。　　The　bellows　which　I　worked

by　main　strength　was；　after　I　left；　moved　by　a　steam…engine。









Douglass；　Frederick。　　〃Reconstruction。〃

Atlantic　Monthly　18　（1866）：　761…765。







RECONSTRUCTION





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