Frederick Douglass to John W. Menard, March 1863

The only point of any importance made in the foregoing letter, is the assumed one that the white and colored people in this country can never live on terms of equality. 'The inherent principle of the white majority of this nation is to refuse forever republican equality to the black minority.' Hence the writer would have us as he says, 'go to Africa or some other sea port.' If we held his views we should be off to Africa or some other 'sea-port' at once. But we do not. Our views on this subject have been expressed so often and so fully that we shall not now repeat them. There is the same reason for believing that black and white races of men can live justly and peaceably together in the same country, as that they can so live in the same world. To attempt to get away from white men by going to 'Africa' or some other 'sea-port,' is as futile as an attempt to escape the light and heat of the sun. Our opponent has seen Slavery abolished in the District of Columbia, and many other changes for the better, and he will see more and greater ones before the war now in progress shall end.