Frederick Douglass

Since William the Silent, who was the soul of the mighty war for religious liberty against Spain and the Spanish inquisition, no leader of men has been loved and trusted in such generous measure as Abraham Lincoln.

No doubt it would have “patched up” a peace, but it would have been a peace more to be dreaded than war.

All that had been done towards suppressing the rebellion and abolishing slavery would have proved of no avail, and the final settlement between the two sections of the Republic, touching slavery and the right of secession, would have been…

It is needless to say that the success of such a party, on such a platform, with such a candidate, at such a time would have been a fatal calamity.

So long as there was any hope whatsoever of the success of Rebellion, there was of course a corresponding fear that a new lease of life would be granted to slavery.

In his company I was never in any way reminded of my humble origin, or of my unpopular color.

Lincoln was not only a great President, but a GREAT MAN--too great to be small in anything.

What he said on this day showed a deeper moral conviction against slavery than I had even seen before in anything spoken or written by him.

This quality in General Grant was and is made all the more conspicuous and striking in contrast with his West Point education and his former political associations; for neither West Point nor the Democratic party have been good schools in…

In this way he proved himself to be not only a wise General, but a great man--one who could adjust himself to new conditions, and adopt the lessons taught by the events of the hour.

I, however, faithfully believed, and loudly proclaimed my belief, that the rebellion would be suppressed, the Union preserved, the slaves emancipated, and the colored soldiers would in the end have justice done them.

Had Governor Seymour been loyal to his country, and to his country’s cause, in this her moment of need, he would have burned his tongue with a red hot iron sooner than allow it to call these thugs, thieves, and murderers his “friends.