Rochester, August 29, 1868
Dear Harriet: I am glad to know that the story of your eventful life has been written by a kind lady, and that the same is soon to be published. You ask for what you do not need when you call upon me for a word of commendation.
I need such words from you far more than you can need them from me, especially where your superior labors and devotion to the cause of the lately enslaved of our land are known as I know them.
The difference between us is very marked. Most that I have done and suffered in the service of our cause has been in public, and I have received much encouragement at every step of the way. You, on the other hand, have labored in a private way. I have wrought in the day - you in the night.
I have had the applause of the crowd and the satisfaction that comes of being approved by the multitude, while the most that you have done has been witnessed by a few trembling, scarred, and foot-sore bondmen and women, whom you have led out of the house of bondage, and whose heartfelt, "God bless you," has been your only reward.
The midnight sky and the silent stars have been the witnesses of your devotion to freedom and of your heroism.
Excepting John Brown - of sacred memory - I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than you have. Much that you have done would seem improbable to those who do not know you as I know you. It is to me a great pleasure and a great privilege to bear testimony for your character and your works, and to say to those to whom you may come, that I regard you in every way truthful and trustworthy.
Your friend,
Frederick Douglass
โขโขโข
Rochester. 29 de agosto, 1868.
Querida Harriet,
Me alegra saber que la historia de tu vida llena de experiencias estรก siendo escrita por una dama de buen corazรณn y que esta misma pronto serรก publicada. Me has escrito para preguntarme quรฉ es lo que no necesitas cuando has venido a mi para darte palabras de elogio.
Yo necesito dichas palabras viniendo de ti, mรกs de las que tรบ las necesitas viniendo de mi. Especialmente cuando tus labores superiores y tu devociรณn a la causa de los esclavizados de nuestra tierra son conocidas como yo las conozco.
La diferencia entre nosotros estรก muy marcada. La mayorรญa de las cosas que he hecho y sufrido en el servicio a nuestra causa ha sido en pรบblico y me han animado a lo largo del camino. En cambio tรบ has tenido que trabajar de manera privada. Yo he forjado durante el dรญa y tรบ durante la noche.
Yo he recibido los aplausos del pรบblico y la satisfacciรณn que viene con ser aceptado por la multitud, mientras que la mayor parte de las cosas que has hecho han sido presenciadas por esclavos y esclavas descalzos, temblorosos y cicatrizados, esos mismos a los que has guiado fuera de la casa de la esclavitud y cuyo sincero "Dios te bendiga" ha sido tu รบnica recompensa.
El cielo de la media noche y las estrellas silenciosas han sido los testigos de tu devociรณn a la libertad y de tu heroรญsmo.
A excepciรณn de John Brown โde memoria sagradaโ no conozco a nadie que se haya enfrentado a tantos peligros y dificultades para servir a nuestra gente esclavizada. Muchas de las cosas que has hecho parecen ser improbables para las personas que no te conocen como te conozco yo. Es para mรญ un gran placer y un gran privilegio dar testimonio de tu carรกcter y tus obras, y decir a aquellos a quienes vayas a ver que te considero en todos los sentidos honesta y digna de confianza.
Tu amigo,
Frederick Douglass


















