Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-17
Nisgers-How They are Exalted.

Thursday, the day set apart by the proc
lamation of the President of the United
States, as day of fasting, humiliation, and
prayer, the negroes of the District of Co.
lumbia were permitted by the express as
sent of Mr.. Lincoln, to hold picnic upon
the grounds surrounding the Presidents
house! The first occurrence of the kind
took place on the 4th of July last. Up to
| that time no body Of citizens had been al
lowed to assemble there for purposes of di-
version-not even white Sabbath School
children. The negroes, emboldened by the
success of their application on the 4th of
July, repeated their request for a jollifica-
tion on the same grounds on fast day. Ac-
cordingly permission was asked of the
| President for the use of the grounds sur
rounding the White House by negro pic
mic on the day set apart by Executive proc
lamation as one of humiliation and prayer.
The objects of the picnic were to praise the
men who had elevated the negro to social
equality with the white man, and also to
purchase a banner ornament with a life
size portrait of Abraham Lincoln. This
communication was referred to b. b.
French, Commissioner of Public Buildings,
who granted the permission, subject to the
approval of the President. That approval
was given. On the 4th of August this pic
mic took place on the grounds between the
White House and the War Department.
The Washington Constitutional Union
says:
IA vast crowd of negroes was present.
The grand old trees in the grounds, that had
been planted in the noble days of the Re-
public, not more for the beauty of the park
than for the dignity of the residence Of the
Nations President, were polluted by having
swings attached to them whereby negro
men could swing negro women. The
grounds. held by all patriots as sacred be-
cause invested with national character,
were prostituted and disgraced by the erec-
tion of stands for negro merchants to vend
fruits and cakes and drinks to negro GUS
toners. Negro speeches were made eulo-
CYSTIC to the senseless and infamous fanati-
cism that to do what was done there on
Thursday, has ploughed horror and desola-
tion through the whole country, as If there
were crops to be harvested and garnered.
Negro fiattery tickled the ears of the inn
perial jester with perhaps more grateful
music than even the uncouth melody of
'Picayune Butler,' when bawled for his es-
pecial qualification over the corpse be-
strewn field of Antietam. And to crown
ALL negro revelries went on with the high
approval of our rulers till the sun went
down and the stars began to gaze blushing-
ly upon the disgracefIl scene!
s'Now, mark you, these were negroes who
did these things, and did it with the high
approval and warm commentator of our
President. But the permission has been
asked for the use of the public grounds
around the White House for picnic purposes
by Sabbath Schools of white men and ladies,
and permission was refused! The public
grounds were too sacred-of too high
character--in too close proximity to the
residence of the august Abraham Lincoln
for white men to use--their color would
remind him too forcibly of the despotism
he has erected on the ruins of the Republic
perhaps, too, awake unpleasant refec-
tions in the minds of the soldiers, who, en-
listing to fight the battles of their country,
have been compelled to stand guard around
his person as the white-turbaned Hindoos
range close beside the throne of their sacred
Rajahs. But the negro is wooed to accept
the gracious permission-nay, it may be,
the urgent request-and the aghast country:
beholds the terrible spectacle of white men
rudely spurned in requesting a privilege
most eagerly and anxiously thrust forward
to the blacks"