Political Quotes

Frederick Douglass: Let him be left to feel his way in the dark; let darkness commensurate with his crime hover over him; and let him feel…

On the recordJanuary 1, 1845
Let him be left to feel his way in the dark; let darkness commensurate with his crime hover over him; and let him feel that at every step he takes, in pursuit of the flying bondman, he is running the frightful risk of having his hot brains dashed out by an invisible agency.
Said by
Frederick Douglass

Editor's note · Context

In his autobiography, Douglass expresses a desire for slaveholders to experience fear and uncertainty, facing unknown dangers in their pursuit of freedom-seeking enslaved people.

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