Frederick Douglass: “What ought to have been done at the beginning, comes late, but it…”

On the recordJanuary 1, 1881

What ought to have been done at the beginning, comes late, but it comes.

Said by

Frederick Douglass

Source

From his autobiography, Douglass reflects on the delayed but eventual arrival of necessary actions or reforms.

More from Frederick Douglass

Jan 1, 1881

Guilty or not guilty, to be accused was to be sure of a flogging.

Jan 1, 1881

The laws which determine the destinies of individuals and nations are impartial and eternal.

Jan 1, 1881

His iron sentences, cold and harsh, sunk like heavy weights deep into my heart, and stirred up within me a rebellion not soon to be allayed.

Jan 1, 1881

Our very lack of preparation for the conflict disposed us to look for some other than the way of blood out of the difficulty.

Frederick Douglass: “What ought to have been done at the beginning, comes late, but it comes.”