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LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS 329

It is creditable to the manliness of the American Senate, that it was
moved by none of these things, and that it lost no time in the matter of my
confirmation. I learn, and believe my information correct, that foremost
among those who supported my confirmation against the objections made to
it, was Hon. Roscoe Conkling of New York. His speech in executive session
is said by the senators who heard it, to have been one of the most masterly
and eloquent ever delivered on the floor of the Senate; and this too I readily
believe, for Mr. Conkling possesses the ardor and fire of Henry Clay, the
subtlety of Calhoun, and the massive grandeur of Daniel Webster.

The effort to prevent my confirmation having failed, nothing could be
done but to wait for some overt act to justify my removal; and for this my
unfriends had not long to wait. In the course of one or two months I was
invited by a number of citizens of Baltimore to deliver a lecture in that city
in Douglass Hall—a building named in honor of myself; and devoted to
educational purposes. With this invitation I complied, giving the same lec-
ture which I had two years before delivered in the city of Washington, and
which was at the time published in full in the newspapers, and very highly
commended by them. The subject of the lecture was, "Our National Capital,"
and in it I said many complimentary things of the city, which were as true as
they were complimentary. I spoke of what it had been in the past, what it was
at that time, and what I thought it destined to become in the future; giving it
all credit for its good points, and calling attention to some of its ridiculous
features. For this I got myself pretty roughly handled. The newspapers
worked themselves up to a frenzy of passion, and committees were appointed
to procure names to a petition to President Hayes demanding my removal.
The tide of popular feeling was so violent, that I deemed it necessary to
depart from my usual custom when assailed, so far as to write the following
explanatory letter. from which the reader will be able to measure the extent
and quality of my offense:

"To the Editor of the Washington Evening Star

"Sir:—You were mistaken in representing me as being off on a lecturing
tour, and, by implication, neglecting my duties as United States Marshal of
the District of Columbia. My absence from Washington during two days was
due to an invitation by the managers to be present on the occasion of the
inauguration of the International Exhibition in Philadelphia.

"In complying with this invitation, I found myself in company with
other members of the government who went thither in obedience to the call
of patriotism and civilization. No one interest of the Marshal's office suf-