Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-01-17
~ ProeIamation InhfIae.

The Proelamatiou Jubilee.
Last night was a great occasion for our
cOlOred citizens, who held their Jubilee over
the Emancipation PrOclamatiOn, at National
Hall. The night was stormy, and psdss-
trianisn difficult on account Of the deep
snow, yet the hall was packed. The han
was very Handsomely decorated with wreaths
and fsstOOns Of evergreens, flags, emblems,
90. On one side Of the hall the Stars and
Stripes were handsomely arranged, surround
ing the portraits Of Washington and Lincoln.
Around 3 Union shield hung the sword, drum
and other insignia Of war. Pictures emblem
alto Of Justice, Liberty and Industry, and
full length figure Of General Fremont, bear
ing his eountry's Gag in one hand and the
sword in the other, adorned the walls. At
one end Of the hall was a staging, canopied
by the Stars and Stripes. Above the stage
was the portrait of John Brown. Back Of
the stage were two full length portraits of
an African, which were very significant
One of them represented the African with his
hands and feet sbsckled with chains. It
was inscribed 1880" The other picture,
inscribed q 1853" represented the African
upon his knees with his hands raised as if in
the act Of giving thanks to Heaven. The
shackles lie broken by his side. The pictures
explain themselves. The front windows of
the hall were illuminated by multitude of
candles, which afforded very ans effect
viewed from the street. TudOr's band fur
nished the music.
After prayer by Rev. Mr.. Tibbs
Prof. ThOme was introduced to the audi
snee. He had not anticipated hAi-s cHnsd
EPUu 20 speak IN Euvanoe Of Mr.. Douglass
and other distinguished speakers from
abroad, but being thrust forward in advance
it should rather be his purpose to introduce
the subjects Of the evening for them to speak
upon rather than to make a long speech him
self. he alluded to the struggle of the past
thirty years, during which the great cause of
abolition has overcome its enemies and crush
ed its oppOSers, until now the glorious prtcla-
nation Of President Lincoln has given the
elimination to the glorious work of liberia
ting the oppressed slave. He alluded to the
great rsjOicings which succeeded emancipa-
ton in the British West India Islands,
Then but few thousand we're liberated, but
now, by the sdict of the President, which has
all the power Of law and all the sanctity Of
religion, over three millions of human beings
are set free. (APplause.) How much greater
should be the rejoicing now. The war has
principal in it now, the Government has a
policy, and it will be prosecuted now with re-
doubled energy to a glorious contamination.
He spoke of the great JubiIees that had been
held in eastern cities, and said Cleveland
was far behind in public rejoicings over the
Proclamation. he thought the churches
should have been illuminated and general
Jubilee enjoyed. He hoped this occasion
would be made memorable in Cleveland and
relieve our city in a measure from the stig-
ma that has rested upon it on account of
supineness.
Miss Lyon sang the patriotic song, " Wen
rally around the Flag, boys" with very
much spirit and taste and was warmly ap-
plauded. She was enthusiastically sncored
and repeated the lastKerse.
Rev. Mr.. Crooks was introduced and made
a few remarks. He said we are attending
the Obsequies of Slavery let US write upon
its grave, "hO resurrection" He rejoiced
as man and patriot that the crime, the in
cubus, and what has turned out to be the as
sassin Of the eountry-slavery, is cast off,
We cannot put one end of a chain around the
neck Of slave without, by some mysterious
and unseen influence, the other end getting
around our own neeks. The African cannot
disentombs 5000, 900 of human beings and
the sunlight of Liberty illumines their path.
Hearts are thrObbing with joy all over the
world. Aye, We will rejoice and have ju-
bilse. (Applause. He rejOieed that labor
has been disenthraIled Labor has been
made diahOnorable by slavery-it is to be
dishonorabIe no longer. He asoribed the
triumph of freedom over slavery to the agsn-
ey of God, and thanked hm! for it. It is
said that the Proclamation viii be of no ef-
fcet--it is unconstitutional. Well, maybe
SO. He was reminded of the story Ofa Judge
who claimed that having married couple
he had right to divorce them.
YOu can't do it, !" said his listener.
Indeed I can"
"No you cannot"
q But I haze done s, - returned the Judge.
The Proclamation is issued-the thing is |
done, and in the opinion of the speak |
er it would be very difficult to get the slaves
back where they were before. Mr.. Crooks
closed his address by some very exeelleRtad-
vice to the eOlOred people.
Mr.. John Watson, of oberlin, was next in
trOduesd. he is eOlOTed man, one of those
who was arrested and confined in jail among
the resouers, three years or more ago. he |
gave very interesting account of the res
cue of the cOlOrsd boy John, at Wellington,
from the kidnapPsr Jennings.
According to the Proclamation, he said |
Abraham Lincoln is the Moses who, in the !
Providence of God, is destined to lead the en-
shaved out of the House of Bondage. We
cOlOred men owe duty to the President it
is to uphold the arm which God has raised in
Abraham Lincoln, bearing the PrOclama-
ton. He spoke of cOlored men lighting in
the Union army, and the opposition that has
been raised against it. he said some Of his
eolsred brethren had complained to him be-
cause they were not allowed to fight. he
had replied to them, e Be Patient-hOld on
GOdis at the helm-hs is holding the eOlOred