The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-05-10

3. Senate, APRIL ? 9lst. 1862.
Mr.. Lane, Of indiana. desire to pres
ent the memorial Of Joseph E. williams an
others. free persons Of color, praying ths
the Congress OF the United States may pro
vide certain territories without the limit
Of the United States, in Central America Q
elsewhere, for the colonization OF the fre
colored population Of the United States; an
with the permission of the Senate l wi
state very briefly the objects sought to b
accomplished by the msmorialists. Will
do not believe that the free colored popu
lation have all or any considerable porto
of tine rights Of citizenship under the Con
stitution and laws Of the United States, vii.
me their rights 10 petition is sacred. Thi
subject derives peculiar importance frOu
the present position OF our affairs. 1t Is 90
viou. To every one that by the march Of ou
armies, and by the con6scation Of tn
properly of rebels. large number OF per
sons are TO be man united. necessarily ant
inevitably. When these slaves shall b.
free. either one Of three courses must bt
adopted in reference to them: they must be
rs. .enslaved, or colonized. or apprenticed
where they now are. They never can be
Ye.enslaved. II is ut war with the genius
and spirit of our institutions aud against the
enlightened public opinion Of the whole civ
ilised world. The United States can never
become either slave dealer or slave owner.
Confiscation Of the property OF rebels then
implies necessarily the freedom OF the slaves;
and either judicious system Of appreutics-
ship must be resorted TO by which they shall
be under the guardianship Of certain persons
until they are qualified to take care OF them
selves and fitted for the enjoyment OF free
dom, or they are To be colonzsd. and colo
uized heyond the limits of the United States.
sod no point better adapted TO their coloni
sasion suggests itself TO me than Central
America.
know that in times past objections have
been urged against the right OF colored per-
sons to petition. The right oi petition comes
to US from our British ancestors. 1t had its
origin in the earliest dawn of free instittu-
tions among the Anglo SaxoHs. Ii is .
right which has been asserted under every
form Of government. in every country and
In every age Of the world. The most de-
spotic and absolute Government Of Asia has
permitted this right Of petition. and there
10 no human creature so humble that he
may not petition. The very fact that he is
debased and ignorant and downtroddsn and
oppressed is the strongest possible reason
why he should be permitted to petition the
powerful for justice and protection. The
right Of petition is one OF the most import
ant agencies in the divine economy for the
redemption of the world. The right of
petition should be held sacred.
Then the object sought to be accomplished
by their petition is one in which l deeply
sympashise, ssd de course suggssted meets
my hearty concurrence and aPProbation.-
Not only will slaves be manumitted by the
march Of your armies and by the confisca
ton Of the property of rebels, but under
the act which you have lately passed for
the abolition of slavery in the District OF
Columbia some fifteen or eighteen hundred
slaves have been set free. and it you carry
out efficiently tho provision for voluntary
colonization contained in that act, some
place Of refuge must be provided for the
free African population of the United States,
and particularly OF this District. Since
the commencement OF this rebellion many
signal and most important triumphs have
been achieved by the national arms and in
behalf of the national cause. but among the
most important victories achieved SO far in
the history of this rebellion is the abolition
Of slavery in the District of Columbia. 1t
is victory which sickens our hearts with
no terrible recital of killed and wounded.
1t is q victory which plants no thorns in the
pillow of widowhood. which fills the eyes Of
no orphans with tears, and the hearts OF no
mothers with anguish. Ii is bloodless
triumph in behalf Of truth and principle and
justice.
In claiming the abolition Of slavery in
the District of Columbia as one OF the most
important triumphs to the national cause,
would not by any means dispArage the tri
umph Of your arms. I know that the
chivalric and patriotic sons of the great
Northwest and West are now pouring their
ictorious columns upon New Orleans with
he might and grandeur and power with
which the father Of waters sweeps her cur
cnts to the ocean. Upon every battle field
q the great West they have illustrated the
prowess and bravery of the citizen soldier
Of the United States. As an American
citizen. am proud OF your triumphs.
rscollect that Lieutenant Worden, but a
few short weeks ago, added ono to the list
of American heroes
'One Of the few the immortal names,
That were not born to die"
have peculiar pride in the victories of
the West, as n citizen OF Indiana. for. upon
every single battle field. her bravery and
prowess have contributed to your victory.
Her blood has Redeemed every well-strickeu
feld, and no standard of hers has ever been
captured by the enemy draw no .uN'u'
ious distinctions between the great States
Of the West. I recognize most freely the
patriotic devotion to the good cause in Ken
lucky: the struggling bravery under the
most adverse circumstances Of the patriotic
people of Missouri; and the State Of Iowa.
that first born to freedom under the Missouri
compromise. in this struggle has nobly vim.
dicated and illustrated her paternity. So Of
the people Of Minnesots and OF Wisconsin
and Of Michigan and Of Illinois and OF
Ohio. They have been equally brave, and
their only rivalry has been q generous emu
lstion as to who should most ardently love,
and who should most worthily serve. our
common glorious country. We have
common interest in these victories. But
great ss they all are, they are not much
greater in my estimation. than the moral
triumph achieved in the District of Coium-
bia.
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