FrederickDouglass,IfThereIsNoStruggle,ThereIsNoProgress,1857

IfThereIsNoStruggle,ThereIsNoProgress

Thegeneralsentimentofmankindisthatamanwhowillnotfightforhimself,when hehasthemeansofdoingso,isnotworthbeingfoughtforbyothers,andthis sentimentisjust.Foramanwhodoesnotvaluefreedomforhimselfwillnever valueitforothers,orputhimselftoanyinconveniencetogainitforothers.Sucha man,theworldsays,mayliedownuntilhehassenseenoughtostandup.Itis uselessandcrueltoputamanonhislegs,ifthenextmomenthisheadistobe broughtagainstacurbstone.

Amanofthattypewillneverlaytheworldunderanyobligationtohim,butwillbe amoralpauper,adragonthewheelsofsociety,andifhetoobeidentifiedwitha peculiarvarietyoftheracehewillentaildisgraceuponhisraceaswellasupon himself.Theworldinwhichweliveisveryaccommodatingtoallsortsofpeople.It willcooperatewiththeminanymeasurewhichtheypropose;itwillhelpthosewho earnestlyhelpthemselves,andwillhinderthosewhohinderthemselves.Itisvery polite,andneveroffersitsservicesunasked.Itsfavorstoindividualsaremeasured byanunerringprincipleinthisviz.,respectthosewhorespectthemselves,and despisethosewhodespisethemselves.Itisnotwithinthepowerofunaidedhuman naturetopersevereinpityingapeoplewhoareinsensibletotheirownwrongsand indifferenttotheattainmentoftheirownrights.Thepoetwasastruetocommon senseastopoetrywhenhesaid,

Whowouldbefree,themselvesmuststriketheblow.

WhenOConnell,withallIrelandathisback,wassupposedtobecontendingforthe justrightsandlibertiesofIreland,thesympathiesofmankindwerewithhim,and evenhisenemieswerecompelledtorespecthispatriotism.Kossuth,fightingfor Hungarywithhispenlongaftershehadfallenbythesword,commandedthe sympathyandsupportoftheliberalworldtillhisownhopesdiedout.TheTurks, whiletheyfoughtbravelyforthemselvesandscourgedanddrovebacktheinvading

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legionsofRussia,sharedtheadmirationofmankind.Theywerestandingupfor theirownrightsagainstanarrogantandpowerfulenemy;butassoonastheylet outtheirfightingtotheAllies,admirationgavewaytocontempt.Thesearenotthe maximsandteachingsofacoldheartedworld.Christianityitselfteachesthatman shallprovideforhisownhouse.Thiscoversthewholegroundofnationsaswellas individuals.Nationsnomorethanindividualscaninnocentlybeimprovident.They shouldprovideforallwantsmental,moralandreligiousandagainstallevilsto whichtheyareliableasnations.Inthegreatstrugglenowprogressingforthe freedomandelevationofourpeople,weshouldbefoundatworkwithallour might,resolvedthatnomanorsetofmenshallbemoreabundantinlabors, accordingtothemeasureofourability,thanourselves.

Iknow,myfriends,thatinsomequarterstheeffortsofcoloredpeoplemeetwith verylittleencouragement.Wemayfight,butwemustfightliketheSepoysofIndia, underwhiteofficers.ThisclassofAbolitionistsdontlikecoloredcelebrations,they dontlikecoloredconventions,theydontlikecoloredantislaveryfairsforthe supportofcolorednewspapers.Theydontlikeanydemonstrationswhateverin whichcoloredmentakealeadingpart.TheytalkoftheproudAngloSaxonbloodas flippantlyasthosewhoprofesstobelieveinthenaturalinferiorityofraces.Your humblespeakerhasbeenbrandedasaningrate,becausehehasventuredtostand uponhisownandtopleadourcommoncauseasacoloredman,ratherthanasa Garrisonian.Iholdittobenopartofgratitudetoallowourwhitefriendstodoall thework,whilewemerelyholdtheircoats.Oppositionofthesortnowreferredto ispartisanposition,andweneednotmindit.Thewhitepeopleatlargewillnot largelybeinfluencedbyit.Theywillseeandappreciateallhonesteffortsonour parttoimproveourconditionasapeople.

Letmegiveyouawordofthephilosophyofreform.Thewholehistoryofthe progressofhumanlibertyshowsthatallconcessionsyetmadetoheraugustclaims havebeenbornofearneststruggle.Theconflicthasbeenexciting,agitating,all absorbing,andforthetimebeing,puttingallothertumultstosilence.Itmustdo thisoritdoesnothing.Ifthereisnostrugglethereisnoprogress.Thosewho professtofavorfreedomandyetdeprecateagitationaremenwhowantcrops withoutplowinguptheground;theywantrainwithoutthunderandlightning.They wanttheoceanwithouttheawfulroarofitsmanywaters.

Thisstrugglemaybeamoralone,oritmaybeaphysicalone,anditmaybeboth moralandphysical,butitmustbeastruggle.Powerconcedesnothingwithouta demand.Itneverdidanditneverwill.Findoutjustwhatanypeoplewillquietly submittoandyouhavefoundouttheexactmeasureofinjusticeandwrongwhich willbeimposeduponthem,andthesewillcontinuetilltheyareresistedwitheither wordsorblows,orwithboth.Thelimitsoftyrantsareprescribedbytheendurance ofthosewhomtheyoppress.Inthelightoftheseideas,Negroeswillbehuntedat

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theNorthandheldandfloggedattheSouthsolongastheysubmittothosedevilish outragesandmakenoresistance,eithermoralorphysical.Menmaynotgetallthey payforinthisworld,buttheymustcertainlypayforalltheyget.Ifweevergetfree fromtheoppressionsandwrongsheapeduponus,wemustpayfortheirremoval. Wemustdothisbylabor,bysuffering,bysacrifice,andifneedsbe,byourlivesand thelivesofothers.

Hence,myfriends,everymotherwho,likeMargaretGarner,plungesaknifeinto thebosomofherinfanttosaveitfromthehellofourChristianslavery,shouldbe heldandhonoredasabenefactress.Everyfugitivefromslaverywho,likethenoble WilliamThomasatWilkesBarre,preferstoperishinarivermaderedbyhisown bloodtosubmissiontothehellhoundswhowerehuntingandshootinghimshould beesteemedasagloriousmartyr,worthytobeheldingratefulmemorybyour people.ThefugitiveHorace,atMechanicsburgh,Ohio,theotherday,whotaught theslavecatchersfromKentuckythatitwassafertoarrestwhitementhanto arresthim,didamostexcellentservicetoourcause.Parkerandhisnoblebandof fifteenatChristiana,whodefendedthemselvesfromthekidnapperswithprayers andpistols,areentitledtothehonorofmakingthefirstsuccessfulresistancetothe FugitiveSlaveBill.Butforthatresistance,andtherescueofJerryandShadrack,the manhunterswouldhavehuntedourhillsandvalleysherewiththesamefreedom withwhichtheynowhunttheirowndismalswamps.

TherewasanimportantlessonintheconductofthatnobleKroomaninNewYork theotherday,who,supposingthattheAmericanChristianswereabouttoenslave him,betookhimselftothemastheadandwithknifeinhandsaidhewouldcuthis throatbeforehewouldbemadeaslave.JosephCinque,onthedeckofthe Amistad,didthatwhichshouldmakehisnamedeartous.Heborenaturesburning protestagainstslavery.MadisonWashingtonwhostruckdownhisoppressoronthe deckoftheCreole,ismoreworthytoberememberedthanthecoloredmanwho shotPitcairnatBunkerHill.

Myfriends,youwillobservethatIhavetakenawiderange,andyouthinkitis abouttimethatIshouldanswerthespecialobjectiontothiscelebration.Ithinkso too.This,then,isthetruthconcerningtheinaugurationoffreedomintheBritish WestIndies.AbolitionwastheactoftheBritishgovernment.Themotivewhichled thegovernmenttoactnodoubtwasmainlyaphilanthropicone,entitledtoour highestadmirationandgratitude.Thenationalreligion,thejusticeandhumanity criedoutinthunderousindignationagainstthefoulabomination,andthe governmentyieldedtothestorm.Neverthelessashareofthecreditoftheresult fallsjustlytotheslavesthemselves.Thoughslaves,theywererebelliousslaves. Theyborethemselveswell.Theydidnothugtheirchains,butaccordingtotheir opportunities,swelledthegeneralprotestagainstoppression.WhatWilberforce wasendeavoringtowinfromtheBritishsenatebyhismagiceloquencetheslaves

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themselveswereendeavoringtogainbyoutbreaksandviolence.Thecombined actionofoneandtheotherwroughtoutthefinalresult.Whileoneshowedthat slaverywaswrong,theothershowedthatitwasdangerousaswellaswrong.Mr. Wilberforce,peacemanthoughhewas,andamodelofpiety,availedhimselfofthis elementtostrengthenhiscasebeforetheBritishParliament,andwarnedthe BritishgovernmentofthedangerofcontinuingslaveryintheWestIndies.Thereis nodoubtthatthefearoftheconsequences,actingwithasenseofthemoralevilof slavery,ledtoitsabolition.ThespiritoffreedomwasabroadintheIslands. Insurrectionforfreedomkepttheplantersinaconstantstateofalarmand trepidation.Astandingarmywasnecessarytokeeptheslavesintheirchains.This stateoffactscouldnotbewithoutweightindecidingthequestionoffreedomin thesecountries.

Iamawarethattherebelliousdispositionoftheslaveswassaidtoariseoutofthe discussionwhichtheAbolitionistswerecarryingonathome,anditisnotnecessary torefutethisallegedexplanation.AllthatIcontendforisthis:thattheslavesofthe WestIndiesdidfightfortheirfreedom,andthatthefactoftheirdiscontentwas knowninEngland,andthatitassistedinbringingaboutthatstateofpublicopinion whichfinallyresultedintheiremancipation.Andifthisbetrue,theobjectionis answered.

Again,Iamawarethattheinsurrectionarymovementsoftheslaveswereheldby manytobeprejudicialtotheircause.Thisissaidnowofsuchmovementsatthe South.Theansweristhatabolitionfollowedcloseontheheelsofinsurrectioninthe WestIndies,andVirginiawasneverneareremancipationthanwhenGeneralTurner kindledthefiresofinsurrectionatSouthampton.

Sir,Ihavenowmorethanfilledupthemeasureofmytime.Ithankyouforthe patientattentiongiventowhatIhavehadtosay.Ihaveaimed,asIsaidatthe beginning,toexpressafewthoughtshavingsomerelationtothegreatinterestof freedombothinthiscountryandintheBritishWestIndies,andIhavesaidallthatI meantosay,andthetimewillnotpermitmetosaymore.

Source:FrederickDouglass,TwoSpeechesbyFrederickDouglass(Rochester,1857).
From:http://www.blackpast.org/?q=1857frederickdouglassiftherenostruggletherenoprogress

Course:AfricanRevolutionaryWriting

20011a,FrederickDouglass,IfThereIsNoStruggleThereIsNoProgress,1857

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