Frederick Douglass, as quoted in Grant, by Ron Chernow, p. 858
“
That sturdy old Roman, Benjamin Butler, made the negro a contraband, Abraham Lincoln made him a freeman, and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant made him citizen.
— Frederick Douglass on Benjamin Butler
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "That sturdy old Roman, Benjamin Butler, made the negro a contraband, Abraham Lincoln made him a freeman, and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant made him citizen." in the context of "Frederick Douglass, as quoted in Grant, by Ron Chernow, p. 858" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Benjamin Butler" (Quotes about Benjamin Butler)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
About Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass (c. February 1818 – 20 February 1895) was an American abolitionist, orator, author, editor, reformer, women's rights advocate, and statesman during the American Civil War. He was born a slave in Maryland, as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey.
About Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass (c. February 1818 – 20 February 1895) was an American abolitionist, orator, author, editor, reformer, women's rights advocate, and statesman during the American Civil War. He was born a slave in Maryland, as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey.
View all quotes →