| page_0001 For Frederick Douglass' Paper
LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA.
BENDIGO, OR SANDHURST, AUSTRALIA,
December, 1855.
DEAR DOUGLASS:—I avail myself of the pres-
ent opportunity of dropping you a line by way
of keeping you booked up in our movements in
the great colony of Victoria, Australia.
Since my last we have passed a very impor-
tant epoch in our history. The digging and
commercial interest, it was thought, by the peo-
ple, would be advanced by having a Represent-
ative in the Legislative Council—meeting once
a year. Application was made to the Home
Government for such Representation, which was
granted; and accordingly on the 15th of No-
vember an election took place generally on the
gold fields. The qualification entitling one to
exercise the right of Franchise being within the
reach of all, I was very much pleased to see the
number of our brethren who exercised the
right of voting for such men as they thought
would fill the office with dignity and honor to
those they represented. The manner that our
people conducted themselves, and the order
that was observed, gives the lie to those States
in which they say that the colored people are
not capable of sufficient discrimination to exer-
cise the right of Franchise. I never witnessed
a more orderly election of mixed people of
every nation. We had none of that braggado-
cia, such as we see in the States, or California.
I tell you, sir, that the laws of an English
Colony are more palatable to a colored Amer-
ican, than the proscriptive laws of America.
Where a man is deprived of rights, when he is
equally as deserving as others, he keenly feels | page_0001 For Frederick Douglass' Paper
LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA.
BENDIGO, OR SANDHURST, AUSTRALIA,
December, 1855.
DEAR DOUGLASS:—I avail myself of the pres-
ent opportunity of dropping you a line by way
of keeping you booked up in our movements in
the great colony of Victoria, Australia.
Since my last we have passed a very impor-
tant epoch in our history. The digging and
commercial interest, it was thought, by the peo-
ple, would be advanced by having a Represent-
ative in the Legislative Council—meeting once
a year. Application was made to the Home
Government for such Representation, which was
granted; and accordingly on the 15th of No-
vember an election took place generally on the
gold fields. The qualification entitling one to
exercise the right of Franchise being within the
reach of all, I was very much pleased to see the
number of our brethren who exercised the
right of voting for such men as they thought
would fill the office with dignity and honor to
those they represented. The manner that our
people conducted themselves, and the order
that was observed, gives the lie to those States
in which they say that the colored people are
not capable of sufficient discrimination to exer-
cise the right of Franchise. I never witnessed
a more orderly election of mixed people of
every nation. We had none of that braggado-
cia, such as we see in the States, or California.
I tell you, sir, that the laws of an English
Colony are more palatable to a colored Amer-
ican, than the proscriptive laws of America.
Where a man is deprived of rights, when he is
equally as deserving as others, he keenly feels |
EN