Frederick Douglass in Scotland

They had been persuaded to break their train journey to Ardrossan, before taking the steamer for Belfast. They would return to Scotland three weeks later.

Frederick Douglass in Scotland | Kilmarnock, 2 October 1846 An account of a meeting addressed by Frederick Douglass in Kilmarnock on 2 October 1846.

#otd 1846 Douglass and Garrison spoke before a hastily-convened meeting of several hundred in Kilmarnock www.bulldozia.com/douglass-in-...

'You are not safe in the company of such men,' said Douglass, 'for those who will apologise for the stealing of black men, will apologise for the stealing of white men. The man who will steal black horses will steal white ones.' 4/4

'A fearful change has come over the people, & Scotland, which was once anti-slavery, is now fast becoming pro-slavery, & men in the provincial towns are running to their Bibles to justify slavery from the Scriptures,' added Garrison. 3/4

Both men mourned the decline of abolitionist fervour in Scotland. 'Not six years ago there were many in this city who did not hesitate to come forward. Where are they now?' said Douglass. 2/4

Frederick Douglass in Scotland - Glasgow: 30 September 1846 Newspaper report of public meeting addressed by Frederick Douglass in Glasgow, 30 September 1846

#otd 1846 Douglass and Garrison addressed a public meeting of Glasgow Emancipation Society at City Hall www.bulldozia.com/glasgow-30-s... 1/4

Of his nemesis, the pro-slavery minister Thomas Smyth, of Charleston, he observed: 'This miserable creature creeped into the Evangelical Alliance, and left the mark of his slime behind him.' 4/4

Screenshot, detail of newspaper column, reading: '... the most fallacious that could be imagined. In fact it appeared to him that Dr Cunningham was one of those men who would not confine slavery to the Blacks, if he found it serve his purpose to extend it to the Whites; and that he would have no more scruple in ordering any of them - their wives, their sons, and daughters - to mount the auction block than he would have in commanding any of the African race to do so. The Free Church showed ....'

Of a prominent Scottish clergyman, Douglass said he appeared to be 'one of those men who would not confine slavery to the Blacks, if he found it serve his purpose to extend it to the Whites.' 3/4

They contested the 'false aspersions thrown out by the Northern Warder', the Free Church-supporting newspaper which afterwards published a caustic editorial attacking what it called the 'so-called' abolitionists. 2/4

- Dundee: 28 September 1846 Newspaper reports of public meeting addressed by Frederick Douglass in Dundee, 28 September 1846

#otd 1846 Douglass and Garrison spoke at Bell Street Chapel, Dundee www.bulldozia.com/douglass-in-.... 1/4

Douglass outlined his controversy with Thomas Smyth, Presbyterian minister from South Carolina, who repeated libellous rumours about him on his visit to Britain and Ireland that summer. Douglass's lawyers eventually forced a retraction. 4/4

Garrison alluded to South Carolina's Negro Seamen Acts under which British sailors of colour could be seized & imprisoned if they landed in its ports. 3/4

The proceedings were enlivened by the intervention of a member of the audience who caused some amusement by arguing that slavery was not condemned in the Bible. 2/4

Frederick Douglass in Scotland - Edinburgh: 25 September 1846 Newspaper reports of public meeting addressed by Frederick Douglass in Edinburgh, 25 September 1846

#otd 1846 Douglass and Garrison addressed a meeting of the Edinburgh Female Anti-Slavery Society & in the evening spoke for a second time at Brighton Street Church 1/4 www.bulldozia.com/douglass-in-...

In the evening they addressed the first of two meetings at Brighton Street Chapel, Lothian Street. 'The applause was frequent and hearty,' wrote Garrison, 'though there were a few serpents in the assembly who hissed.'

Plaque has dark blue background, with Celtic knotwork design on right and left hand sides. Main panel headed by Saltire and the following inscription in white / gold lettering in upper case. Frederick Douglass 1818-1895 American author, orator, philosopher, freedom-fighter and statesman lived here 1846. 'My part has been to tell the story of the slave.'

Robertson's home was at 33 Gilmore Place where a Historic Environment Scotland plaque now commemorates Douglass's visit

In the evening they addressed the first of two meetings at Brighton Street Chapel, Lothian Street. 'The applause was frequent and hearty,' wrote Garrison, 'though there were a few serpents in the assembly who hissed.'

Plaque has dark blue background, with Celtic knotwork design on right and left hand sides. Main panel headed by Saltire and the following inscription in white / gold lettering in upper case. Frederick Douglass 1818-1895 American author, orator, philosopher, freedom-fighter and statesman lived here 1846. 'My part has been to tell the story of the slave.'

Robertson's home was at 33 Gilmore Place where a Historic Environment Scotland plaque now commemorates Douglass's visit.

In the evening they addressed the first of two meetings at Brighton Street Chapel, Lothian Street. 'The applause was frequent and hearty,' wrote Garrison, 'though there were a few serpents in the assembly who hissed.'

Dark blue plaque, framed right and left by a celtic knotwork design, and headed by a Saltire. Reads: FREDERICK DOUGLASS 1818-1895 AMERICAN AUTHOR, ORATOR, PHILOSOPHER, FREEDOM-FIGHTER AND STATESMAN LIVED HERE 1846 'MY PART HAS BEEN TO TELL THE STORY OF THE SLAVE.'

Robertson's home was at 33 Gilmore Place where a Historic Environment Scotland plaque now commemorates Douglass's visit.

Frederick Douglass in Scotland - Edinburgh: 24 September 1846 Account of public meeting addressed by Frederick Douglass in Edinburgh, 24 September 1846

#otd 1846 Frederick Douglass & William Lloyd Garrison were introduced to the committee of the Scottish Anti-Slavery Society at the home of its secretary Rev James Robertson. www.bulldozia.com/douglass-in-...

In closing, Douglass said, 'I shall, wherever I go, remember the reception Paisley has given me. I have many kind friends, who are earnest for the overthrow of slavery, in this good town.'

[from scan of newspaper report] '... be with the slave. (Cheers.) Why brother Macnaughtan. (Great laughter.) Why, he is my brother. (Laughter.) You look as if I were claiming an unnatural connection. I will tell you candidly Mr. Macnaughtan is my brother, and yet Mr. Macnaughtan would strike hands with men who would reduce his brother to slavery. Is it not strange - passing strange - unnatural for a brother to strike hands in christian fellowship with men who would reduce his own brother to slavery. (Great applause.) True, yet Mr. Macnaughtan is my brother. (Laughter.) Brother Macnaughtan went to Newcastle-on-Tyne, and there poured out his vials of wrath on the head of George Thompson, Henry C. Wright, and last on the head of his brother Frederick Douglass. (Applause and laughter.) He was said to have replied most successfully to the arguments we used at Edinburgh, and the newspaper came out and characterised his address as being a brilliant vindication of the truth, and a successful reply to the arguments at Edinburgh. (Laughter.). Brother don't always like to meet brother. He ....'

But he saved his most powerful invective for the Paisley Free Church minister John MacNaughtan who had patronised him on several occasions, playing expertly with the Christian rhetoric of universal siblinghood.

Douglass ridiculed the sophistical arguments made by theologians that slaveholding was 'not necessarily sinful' and their absurd distinction between 'slave-holding' and 'slave-having'.

William Lloyd Garrison thought 'it surpassed every meeting I have witnessed on this side of the Atlantic. I shall never forget it. Cheers for the Paisley weavers!'

Frederick Douglass in Scotland - Paisley: 23 September 1846 Frederick Douglass in Scotland - Paisley: 23 September 1846

#otd 1846 Frederick Douglass made his eighth appearance in Paisley at the Secession Church on George Street. www.bulldozia.com/douglass-in-...

'Our meeting broke up at 10½ o’clock, with much enthusiasm, and it was voted that there should be an auxiliary anti-slavery league formed in Greenock.'

Wrote Garrison: 'Frederick opened the meeting and, in the course of his speech, dealt very faithfully with the Free Church, which caused some hissing among the snakes belonging to that brood; but this was trifling, in comparison with the amount of applause bestowed.'

Frederick Douglass in Greenock Frederick Douglass is a towering figure of American History. Escaping slavery in 1838, he became one of the great social reformers, passionately advocating for the end of slavery and the emancipati…

According to Colin MacDonald’s research on Frederick Douglass in Greenock, it probably took place at the Mid-Kirk on Cathcart Square – close by Melvin’s Temperance Hotel, a site now occupied by local government offices. sonofskye.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/f...

Frederick Douglass in Scotland - Greenock: 22 September 1846 On public meeting addressed by Frederick Douglass on 22 September 1846.

#otd 1846 Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison addressed a public meeting in Greenock. No newspaper report of this meeting has come to light, but in his letters Garrison left an account of it. www.bulldozia.com/douglass-in-...