Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-15
The President Makes a Speech to a dele
CATION of COIOred Men.


! The President Makes Speech to a dele
CATION of Co1Ored Men.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14.-This afternoon the
! president of the United States gave audience
to a committee of colored men at the white
| house. They were introduced by Rev. j.
Mitchell, commissioner of emigration. Mr..
! Thomas, the chairman, remarked that they
were there by invitation, to hear what the ex-
| ecutive had to say to them.
Having all been seated, the president after
a few preliminary observations, informed them
that sum of money lSAGsen appropriated
by congress and placed VEpShis disposition, for
the purpose of aiding the colored people, or
portion of them of African descent, thereby
making it his duty as it had for long time
been his inclination to favor that cause. And
why, he asked should the people of yourrace
be colonized and where? Why should they
leave this country? This is, perhaps, the first
| question for proper consideration. You and l
| are of different races. We have between us
broader difference than exists between almost
any other two races. Whether it is right or
wrong l need not discuss, but this physical
difference is great disadvantage to us both,
as 1 think your race suffer very greatly many
of them bv living among u.s. while ours suffer
from your presence. In word, we suffer on
each side. If this is admitted it affords a rea-
son at least why we should be separated. You
here are freemen L suppose?
| CA VoICE-Yes, sir.)
The PREsIDENT-Perhaps you have long
been free, or all your lives; your race are
suffering in my judgment, the greatest wrong
inflicted on any people; but even when you
cease to be slaves, you are yet far removed
from being placed on an equality with the
white race. You are cut off from many of
the advantages which the other race enjoy.
The aspiration Of men is to enjoy equality
with the best, when free; but on this broad
| continent, not single man of your race is
made the equal of single man of ours. Go
where you are treated the best, and the ban is
still upon you. 1 do not propose to discuss
this, but to present it as fact with which we
| have to deal. | cannot alter it if | would. 1t
is a fact about which we all think and feel
alike, l and you, when we look to our condi-
ton, owing to the existence of the two races
on this continent.
| need not recount to you the effects upon
| white men growing out of the institution of
| slavery. | believe in its general evil effects
| on the white race. See our present condition.
The country engaged in war, our white men
cutting one anothers Threats, knowing
how far it will extend land then consider
what we know to be the truth, -but for your
race among us there could not be war, al
though many men now engaged on either
| side do not care for you one way or the
other. Nevertheless l repeat without the in
Stitution of slavery and the colored race as a
basis, the war could not have an existence.
1t is better for us both, therefore, to be sepa-
rated.
L know that there are freemen among you
who even if they could better their condition
are not so much inclined to go out of the
country as those who being slaves would go
! If thaU pnuld obtain oil frandor, IN +l,ic oOp
dition.
! l suppose that one Of the principal difficult
ties in the way of colonization is that the free
! colOred man cannot see that his comfort wonld
be advanced by it. You may believe that you
can live in Washington or elsewhere in the
| United States the remainder of your life more
comfortably than you can in any foreign coun-
try, and hence you may come to the conclu-
sion that you have nothing to do with the idea
of going to a foreign country. This is q speak
in no unkind sense) an extremely selfish view
| of the case. But you ought to do some
thing to help those who are not so fortunate
as yourselves. There is an unwilngness
on the part of your people, harsh as it may be
for you free colored people to remain with us.
| Now if you could give a start to the white
| people you would open a wide door for many
to be made free. If we deal with those who
are not free at the beginning, and whose in
tellectS are clouded by slavery, we have very
poor material to start with.
If intelligent colored men such as are
before me would move in this matter much
might be accomplished. 1t is exceedingly i'm
portant that we have men at the beginning
capable of thinking white men, and not
those who have been systematically oppress-
ed. There is much to encourage you. For
the sake of your race you should sacrifice
something of your present comfort for this
purpose
The president at considerable length urged
them to sacrifice something of present COM
fort for the benefit of their race, and stating
that he was making arrangements to settle a
colony of colored people in Central America,
where they could at first find employment at
coal mines, and ultimately cultivate the soil.
He closed thus
The practical thing want to ascertain is,
whether | can get number of able-bodied
men, with their wives and children, who are
willing to go when present evidence Of en-
couragement and protection. Could l get
number of tolerably intelligent men, with
wives and children, who can cut their own
fodder, so to speak? Can have fifty? If l
could find twenty-five able-bodied men, with
a mixture Of women and children, good things
| in the family relation, think, | could make
successful commencement. L want you to
let me know whether this can he done or
not. This is the practical part of my wish to
see you
The chairman of the delegation briefly re-
piled that ''they would hold a convention and
in short time give an answer" The presi-
dent said "Take your full time, no hurry at
| ALL" The delegation then withdrew.
| rom Washington.
WASHINGTON, Aug 14.-By direction of
the president, Major E. 4. Lawrence, 3lst