Frederick Douglass

The moral life of human society, it cannot die while conscience, honor, and humanity remain.

I breathe, and lo! the chattel becomes a man.

It is the very essence of justice, liberty, and love.

That cause has a life, distinct and independent of the organizations patched up from time to time to carry it forward.

Present organizations may perish, but the cause will go on.

Now, sir, neither the principle nor the subordinate objects here declared, can be at all gained by the slave power, and for this reason: It involves the proposition to padlock the lips of the whites, in order to secure the fetters on the…

They desire to suppress discussion on this subject, with a view to the peace of the slaveholder and the security of slavery.

If the influences against us are strong, those for us are also strong.

I will continue to pray, labor, and wait, believing that she cannot always be insensible to the dictates of justice, or deaf to the voice of humanity.

Yet, sir, in this seemingly desperate case, I do not despair for my people.

They do not deplore, but glory, in our misfortunes.

Evidently, this society looks upon our “extremity as its opportunity,” and we may expect that it will use the occasion well.