The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-12-02
Speech Of Andy Johnson Moses
of the Colored Men"

C;no;n,.,; Ca-.U, IT. ~ Us '"o
' ''''
coLohtD mtn OF NASHVILLE; You nave
~, oea.o w '"e rre'oen.s pfoc'amation, ny
~n'cn nc announcer 70 'ne wof,d thet tbe
slaves 'n large por"on OF the seeded
states were 'hencetof'o ana forever ree-
FOR cer'e,n reasons ~n,cn seemed wise 10
the rres,dent, the oenehts OF 'nat procia'
mai'on u,h no' exteno 70 YOU or your nat'Ve
o,ae' many OF YOU consequently were
'ett IN oondaee. the 'asKmas'ers scourge
was NOT YET oroSen ana toe ieuer SUI, ga,ed
| your 'imos Gradoa'Iv TINS 'niqu'ty mas
been passing away; but the hour mas come
when the last Sest'ges OF u must oe remov-
ed. consequently !, too, WITHOUT reference
10 the ffes'aen' or any otner person. nave
proclamation 10 make anu' standing mere
upon the steps OF the Capitc', WIN the past
history OF the state 10 w'tnoss' the present
condition 10 gn'de,and us tuture 10 encour'
| age me- L. Andrew johnson, 90 bereoy pro-
claim freedom. tut. broad. ana oncondition'
81. to every man IN Tennessee
II was one OF those moments when tho
speaker seems inspired. ana wnen ms aud,-
ence, catch'ng the inspiration rises 10 MS
level and becomes one WIN MN strange
~ as some "f inc words OF th's Immortal Ut
terance SOUNDED 10 tnose uncui'lVated ears,
tee' convinced mat not one OF them was
misunderstood WIN orea'h'ess atten'ion
those sons OF bondage hung upon each sy''
iab'"; each indvdua' seemed carved IN
stone. untl the last ~ord OF inc grand Cit
max was reached. ana ihen 'ne scene when
followed beegars al description. one sim'
n'taheous roar of approVa' and oe,ight ourst
from three thousand throats. rags, pan.
ners. torches and transparenc'es we're waved
wildly over the throng. or nung eio't 10 'hc
ecstacy OF JOY Drums. MES ana trumpets
added 70 the uproar. ana the m'ents t"mu't
OF this great mass OF human beings rcJo'c
ing Tor their race. woke up the siu'noer'ng
echoes OF the capitol. vibIateh throughout
the length and breadth OF the CITY, rolled
over the s'uRgIsh waters OF the Cnmoer'and,
and rang out far into the night beyond.
That part IN the Goveroors speech IN
which he described and denounced the ar
istocracy of Nashville. L cannot hope to
render properly; but there was one point
which must not overlook. lie spoke as
"The representatives OF this corrupt,
(and. IT YOU will permit me to almost swear
q Iittle) this damnable aristociac taunt us
with our desire to see justice done, and
charge US with negro equality. VI ell liv-
that phrase; and even when uttered in their
hearing, it should cauee their cheeks to
,ippe and burn with shame. Negro eauali
ty. indcedl whv, PAYS, any day, along the
sidewalks of Hiph street. where these aris.
tocrats more particularly dwelI-,hcse ar.
istocrats. whose sons are now in the bands
of guerrilIas and cut.hroats who prowl
and rob and murder around our cjty-pass
by their dwellings. 1 say, and you will see
as MANY mula,to as negro children. the
former bearing an upmistakabIe rosem.
blance to their arisiocratic owners!
"Coiored men of Tennessee! This. too.
shall cease Your wives and daughters
shall no longer be DRAGGED into coucubip.
age compared to which polypamy is a vir.
tue. to satisfy tho brutal Iusts of slavehold.
ers an d overseers! Heuceforth the sauc,i-
ty of Gods holy law of marriage shall be