Frederick Douglass delivered Lincoln reality check at Emancipation Memorial

[Steve Whitlock]

The little part in italics that cannot be read: "that I have ever retreated from it."

Today, in reviewing my post #8 on this thread, I realized that it might have been difficult to find the beginning of that sentence within the reprinted newspaper article. Accordingly, the complete little section with the missing Lincoln words is as follows:

"Mr. Douglass, I have been charged with being tardy, and the like," and he went on admitted that it might seem so, but he said "I am charged with vacillating; but, Mr. Douglass, I do not think that charge can be sustained; I think it cannot be shown that, once I have taken a position that I have ever retreated from it." [Applause to Mr. Douglass's speech at this point.]

You might also say that I "cherry picked" this section to the benefit of both men.

That was nice of you to provide the complete sentence in the article I posted. I should have done that! As for the "cherry pick" writer I mentioned, that refers to Stephanie Ramirez in the article I also posted. Everyone takes excerpts for sources, but I felt such excerpts in the Ramirez article may have unduly influenced readers who may not have read the Douglass oration.

And yes, the complete quote was to the benefit of both men. Thank you.