The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-10-18


The party which elected Dick johnson
Vice President of the United States is Just
now thrown into agonies of disgust at the
report that a Wide Awake company, COM
posed of colored persons, was seen on pa.
rade in Massachusetts, on a recent occasion.
The fact is regarded as one Of dreadful OF.
tent, and in the present depressed state OF
mind pervsding the ranks OF the Douglasites
may lead to the most melancholy consequent
ees. In order TO calm in some measure the
transports Of their desperation, let us remind
them that the thing 10 not entirely without
parallel in that sold Abolition S,ate.o To-
deed something very like it occurred there
about the time that Massachusetts, was en-
gagged in obslishing British tyranny. Ban
croft, the historian, shows up those old Black
Republicans in the following passage:
| son the first day OF January, l776, the
| tri-colored American banner, not vet span
| gei with stars, but showing thirteen stripes
| of alternate red and white in the field, and
/ the united red and white crosses OF Saint
| George and Saint Andrew on blue ground
10 the corner, was uufnrled over the new
Continental army round Boston, which, at
that moment of it's greatest weakness, con-
sisted of but nine thousand six hundred and
fifty men.
sOn that dav free negroes stood in the
ranks by tho side Of white men. In the be-
ginning Of tho war they had entered the pro-
vincial army; the first general order issued
/ by Ward had required return among other
things of 'ths comrIrxion' OF the soldiers
and black men, like others, we're retained 10
the eervce after the troops were adopted bv
the continent We have seen Inward Rut.
1 ledge defeated by q vote of Congress- in his
attempt TO compel their discharge; in Octo-
Der the conference mt the camp. with Frank
lin, Harrison and Lynch, thought it proper
10 exclude them from the new enlistment ;
/ but, Nashln gtou al the crisis Of biz distress
Anding that they were very much dissatlsfe ed
at being discarded. took the responsibility
| Of reversing the decision, and referred the
subject TO Congress. That body appointed
Wythe, Samuel Adams and Wilson TO de.ib-
crate on the question. On the report Of their
able COMMITTEES they voted, that the free me-
groes who had served faithfully In the srm,
at Cambridge might be re enlisted therein
but no Others The right Of free negroes "a
take part in the defence Of the country hav
ing thus been definitely established by The
competent tribunal, they served in the rnnks
OF tho American armies during every peroc
OF the war;
We suppose the Wide Awake company re
ferred to were legitimate descendants Of
these Black Republican soldiers Of the Revo
luton, who can truthfuily boast that Their
grandfathsrs fought and bled to establish
the liberties which the Douglas sHickories'
are DOW enjoying. Washington seemed /,
think it all right that those Revoutionar
Black Republicans should ssstand in the rank
by the side OF white men, and mincle thei
blood on the battle fields Of liberty; bu
Douglas and company shrias .itta aGeote
horror and Disgust at the idea that band 0
their descendants should train in a eeparat
company on the soil defended by the arm
and consecrated by the blood Of Freedom
martyrs Of ali compilations.
Free negroes were British subjects in Mass
achusetts prior TO the Revelation, and the
baye been Massachusetts, freemen from tina
period to the present time through all muta
tons OF political parties.