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326  DOUGLASS' MONTHLY.   SEPTEMBER, 1860
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self-forgetting workers are only here and there to be found.  The men who put on the garb of humanitarianism as a holiday coat, are not few in numbers, or modest in the matter of noise; but those who regard this garb as a working day dress, are sadly in the minority. It is a compliment to a man's moral intuitions for him to assent to great truths, and vote for a series of radical resolutions, and a very cheap way of purchasing self-complacency; but it benefits the world but little, and gives but 'lame and impotent' encouragement to the earnest laborer. All such utterances require a soul behind them in order to render them effective, and each man's soul may be found devoted to precisely those objects to which he devotes his money. Put a fortune in a man's hands, and you may soon determine what is to him the most valued interest in life, by determining to what he devotes that fortune. It is affirmed of STEPHEN GIRARD that a cry of distress, or a sorrowful tale of destitution and suffering, always brought tears from his eyes, but seldom or never brought money from his pocket.  His soul was not in his tears, but was locked up in his strong box, and his tears kept his self-complacency in countenance, while his soul kept guard over his cash. He was a type of popular philanthropy. It has sighs to vent over scenes of human suffering—tears to shed over the bleeding slave—great swelling words of abstract goodness to mouth over in his behalf—but no cash with which to maintain the cost of his suit for justice in the court of the civilized world.—A.P.
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FIRST OF AUGUST IN GENEVA.
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The 26th anniversary of West India Emancipation was celebrated here in a manner well worthy of that glorious event. We were aroused from our slumbers at early dawn by the firing of cannon, and the ringing of bells, thus calling the attention of the people to this important subject.  At 6 o'clock, a few praying men and women assembled in the High Street Church for prayer and praise.—It was a heart-melting time, and those that were present felt that it was good to be there. At 9 o'clock, a meeting was held to designate the place for holding our next celebration; the meeting resulted, however, in appointing a committee of five to locate the place, and report the same at some future day. At 11 o'clock, a procession was formed, which for beauty and grandeur has never be equaled in the Empire State. Great credit is due to the efficient Marshal of the Day, Joseph Hardy, Esq., for the service he rendered the committee on that occasion, and also to John Long, Esq., of Horseheads, for the beautiful and appropriate banners furnished us. The one welcoming Mr. Douglass was, indeed, timely and appropriate. The exercises in the park were deeply interesting. I cannot do them justice in this hasty sketch. The Hon. Henry Bradly, of Yates, that noble and faithful friend of freedom, was the presiding officer of the day. His welcoming speech to Mr. Douglass was delivered in his happiest style, and was responded to by every freedom-loving heart. Then followed the oration of Mr. Douglass, which was listened to by thousands of eager hearers, for nearly three hours. The vast assemblage of people seemed as if enchanted to the spot, so captivated were they by the eloquent truths of the speaker. The [[/column 1]]

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exercises in the park having been finished, the people repaired to the various hotels for dinner, which, according to arrangements, had all been thrown open for their reception. Then followed the steamboat excursion on the 'beautiful waters of the Seneca'—the whole winding up with a grand ball and ladies' festival. Thus passed off one of the grandest celebrations it has ever been my privilege to enjoy.                       J. W. DUFFIN.
Geneva, Aug. 3, 1860.
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THE CUNARD STEAMSHIP COMPANY AND COLORED PASSENGERS.
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The Cunard Steamship Company has been receiving a severe reproof from the London Economist for its concessions to what are termed, in England, American prejudices against traveling and domicilating with people of color. It seems that a colored woman, Mrs. Putnam, with her party, had engaged places on board the Cunard packet for England. Before embarking, however, she received the following notice:

'British and North American Royal Mail Stem Packet Company Office, 99 State street, Boston, October 27, 1859.

'For your information we desire to inform you that a separate table will be provided for yourself and party on board the Europa hence to Liverpool, where everything will be furnished you that first cabin passengers are entitled to; the person who applied for your tickets did not state the fact that the party were colored, otherwise we should have informed you.

'Should this interfere with your expectations, please apply at this office, and we will refund the passage money.

'Respectfully,
(Signed,) 'E.C.&J.G. Bates.

'Mrs. C.E. Putnam and party, Salem.'

Mrs. Putnam protested, but could not delay her journey, and the separation from the other passengers was enforced. On her arrival in England some of her friends took up the matter, and laid the case before Sir Samuel Cunard. His reply was as follows:

'Bush Hill House, Edmonton, June 29, 1860.

'Sir:—I have received your letters of the 8th and 28th inst.

'I do not see that any advantage would result from discussing the subject matter of those letters, therefore I must decline entering into any correspondence on the subject.

'I am, sir, your obedient servant,

'S. CUNARD.

'The Rev. E. Chapman, Bristol.'

Which is equivalent, the Economist thinks, to expressing his approval of the course taken by the Company's agents. The Economist then proceeds:

'Now we must express our deep regret that the mere desire to secure the favor of a lucrative class of customers should be allowed to override so completely every spark of public spirit in a British company. We know it will be said that it is the business of a merchant to suit his customers, especially those customers who bring him most gain, and that in this case especially the American companies would distance the British in the competition, if the prejudices of the American passengers were not respected. of course it is a sound principle that, in all indifferent matters, the convenience of the consumers should be consulted. But this only applies to the arrangements for anticipating his personal wishes; if once we are to allow that any customer, bacause his custom is valuable, may from private motives dictate the terms on which another is to be treated, all the fundamental justice of sound commerce is gone.

'It may be said that the tastes of the majority, even if unreasonable, are more or less consulted by every commercial body—that no conveyance company will permit smoking except under similar restrictions of isolation— and that what a contiguous pipe is to a delicate lady, a person of color is to a fastidious American. When thus put, it is impossible to ignore the ultimate political question, whether or not the prejudice be well or ill-grounded, a piece of narrow and disgraceful bigotry, or one founded in reality. It may be very
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disagreeable to some narrow-minded Englishmen to travel with Frenchmen—to some Roman Catholics to travel with Protestant heretics—to some Mohommedans to travel with Christians. In such cases there is no temptation to consult private feeling—it would not pay. And yet there is at least as much, in some cases more, ground for these prejudices than for that which the Cunard Company respect. Is English commerce to surrender all hold of the manly political axioms of the English nation, simply to win more American customers? If so, we may venture to predict that it will eventually lose far more than by the sacrifice of principle it will temporarily gain. If, boldly disregarding these ignoble prejudices of caste, the Cunard Company devoted itself to improving those accommodations which it could throw open to all equally on equal terms, it would soon ride down opposition, and gain respect for the thorough justice of its commercial conduct. But if it is to win its way by deferring to principles which British feeling vehemently rejects, it will either lose, in the contempt that it inspires on this side of the Atlantic, more than it gains by subserviency on the other—or if it succeed it will succeed only by first corrupting the morale of English commerce, and tainting, through its agency, the political morality of the English nation.'

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS

The following debate took place in the English House of lords, July 17th, touching this subject:

'Lord Brougham reminded their lordships that a fortnight or three weeks ago he called attention to the course taken on a recent occasion in the Cunard line, which had received a large subsidy from the Government for the conveyance of mails. He stated at that time that to his great astonishment he found that a gentlewoman who it could never be discovered was a person of color, but who was said to be a descendent of an African stock, tho' a free citizen of the United States, had been refused the accommodation of a first-class passage in one of the Cunard ships, and had been told that she must go into the second rank in another part of the vessel. He could hardly suppose such a case possible in an English ship, but the information had since been confirmed, and a letter from Sir S. Cunard upon the subject had been published. He wished to know from his noble friend whether it was the intention of the Government to take any steps in the matter.

'Earl Granville was not surprised that the noble Lord had put the question, but, at the same time, it was not possible for the Government to interfere.

'Lord Brougham said that some time ago, in a similar case, an action was brought against the captain, and damages would have been recovered against him if the action had not been compromised. He thought, in the relation that Sir S. Cunard stood to the Government, that some interference should take place to prevent such things occurring in future.'
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—Sherman M. Booth, who has been in custody of the U. S. authorities of Milwaukee for a year past, suffering, imprisonment on conviction of having helped to rescue the alleged slave of a Mr. Glover from the Federal officers, several years ago, was recently taken by force from his place of confinement in the Milwaukee Custom House, by ten armed men, while the U.S. Marshal and his deputies were at dinner, and no one but the keeper present. The party rushed up stairs to Booth's room, silencing the keeper with threats of violence—unlocked the door and took Booth out, locking the keeper in. A carriage being in readiness the party proceeded with the prisoner to Ripon. He lectured in that place a day or so after his arrival, and during the course of his remarks, invited a Marshal, whom he noticed in the meeting, to come forward and arrest him, and claim the $100 reward offered for his apprehension. the Marshal stepped forward and presented the writ and the excitement which followed was intense—about a hundred men crying out, 'kill him,' 'hustle him out,' &c. The U.S. officer had his clothing nearly all torn off, and barely escaped with his life. 
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