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LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS 319

ment to bring the electoral vote from New York to the National Capital; my
invitation to speak near the statue of Abraham Lincoln, Madison Square,
New York; my accompanying the body of Vice-President Wilson from
Washington to Boston; my conversations with Senator Sumner and President
Grant; my welcome to the receptions of Secretary Hamilton Fish; my
appointment by President R. B. Hayes to the office of Marshal of the District
of Columbia; my visit to Thomas Auld, the man who claimed me as his
slave, and from whom I was purchased by my English friends; and my visit
to Lloyd's plantation, the home of my childhood, after an absence of fifty-six
years; my appointment by President James A. Garfield to the office of
Recorder of Deeds of the District of Columbia.

Those who knew of my more than friendly relations with Hon. Charles
Sumner, and of his determined opposition to the annexation of Santo
Domingo to the United States, were surprised to find me earnestly taking
sides with Gen. Grant upon that question. Some of my white friends, and a
few of those of my own color—who, unfortunately, allow themselves to look
at public questions more through the medium of feeling than of reason, and
who follow the line of what is grateful to their friends rather than what is
consistent with their own convictions—thought my course was an ungrateful
return for the eminent services of the Massachusetts senator. I am free to say
that, had I been guided only by the promptings of my heart, I should in this
controversy have followed the lead of Charles Sumner. He was not only the
most clearsighted, brave, and uncompromising friend of my race who had
ever stood upon the floor of the Senate, but was to me a loved, honored, and
precious personal friend; a man possessing the exalted and matured intellect
or a statesman, with the pure and artless heart of a child. Upon any issue, as
between him and others, when the right seemed in anywise doubtful, I
should have followed his counsel and advice. But the annexation of Santo
Domingo, to my understanding, did not seem to be any such question. The
reasons in its favor were many and obvious; and those against it, as I thought,
were easily answered. To Mr. Sumner, annexation was a measure to extin-
guish a colored nation, and to do so by dishonorable means and for selfish
motives. To me it meant the alliance of a weak and defenceless people, hav-
ing few or none of the attributes of a nation, torn and rent by internal feuds,
unable to maintain order at home, or command respect abroad, to a govern-
ment which would give it peace, stability, prosperity, and civilization, and
make it helpful to both countries. To favor annexation at the time when Santo
Domingo asked for a place in our union, was a very different thing from
what it was when Cuba and Central America were sought by filibustering