Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-06-16

r country all Of reward that it is posi-
, ble to give. What greater boon have
! we for our soldiers than homestead
, in a genial climate and upon luxuri.
, ant soil, in the very neighborhood Of
| their sacrifices and their triumphs !?
, This division should be made not
, only as an act Of justice to the soldier,
} but as matter Of policy. After we
have subdued by force of arms the
people Of the rebellious States, there
will be still lurking strong opposi-
ton to the Government. Guerilla
bands will be organized to destroy
property and harass loyal men. Who
can so well organize for defense az
the veterans trained by long service in
the field +? ....
Again, these missionaries of liberty
will carry with them that spirit OF
freedom early taught them, and inten-
sified by the sacrifices they have made
in its maintenance. Northern thrift
and Independence will thus be substi.
tutcd for ignorance and Incidence.
Free schools and churches will take
the place of slave-pens and whipping.
posts. Labor will be dignifed, being
no longer servile. The great body Of
the people will become producers az
well as consumers manufactures will
be encouraged, the arts will flourish !;
villages, towns, and cities will spring
up in the now obscure localities. The
people will become homogeneous, our
internal and external commerce will
be increased, and with it enhanced the
wealth and glory of the nation.
This bill makes no distinction on &C.
count of color or race it recognizes
the equal right Of all who have faith
fully served in our armies to avail
themselves of its benefits. We give
all the same privilege to procure
homestead, acquire property, and en-
JOY the fruits of industry that we have
hitherto claimed for ourselves. -n
Free negroes in many of the South
ern States have always enjoyed this
right. We cannot expect that eman-
cipation will in moment destroy the
vices engendered ty long years Of blu.
initiation and oppression. Because
they have been degraded for centuries
shall we continue to Cypress them in
the name of liberty : Our Govern
ment was formed and our Constitution
framed to secure the blessings of lib
erty, not to promote and perpetuate
inequality. Thomas Jefferson said:
"The opinion that they, Tthe colored racel
are inferior in the faculties of reason and inn
agnation must be hazarded with great diff
dence. "-Jeferson's Work, volume 8, poge SS6.
He said afterwards:
al expressed these views, therefore, with
great hesitation, but whatever be their degree
of talent il is no measure of their right. Be-
cause Sir Isaac Newton was superior to others
in understanding he was not therefore lord of
the person and property of Others
1t is the duty of the Government to
give the colored man at least an equal
chance with our own race in the set.
Element and cultivation of the soil in
his native land. To this he is entitled
upon every principle Of equity and
Justice. These slaves have purchased
these lands over and over again, many
times, by their sweat and toll through
many long years of oppression, and
have been compelled to support unrc-
Quilted the aristocracy which is now
seeking to destroy the Government.
Let us deal justly with them in order
that we may claim justice for our
selves. Degraded as they have been by
long years Of oppression, the white
race need not fear them in the race
for power. Having vouchsafed to
them the boon of freedom, let us by
our policy seek to elevate them to the
condition of freemen. Do they not
deserve from us some consideration
Their blood mingled with that of our
fathers in achieving the rich inheri-
lance of freedom purchased by the sac
rifices of the Revolution. They acted
well their part in our last struggle
with Great Britain and in the war
now being waged against US, the first
moment opportunity was given they
rushed eagerly to the field of contest,
where the black flag and no quarter
awaited them, knowing that to them
the field Of battle was victory or death,
and that. too, in defense of Govern
ment that has long withheld from
them the pay due to those who wear
the soldiers uniform and defend the
emblem Of our nationality.
envy not the man who will in the
light of the heroic achievements at
Fort Wagner, Port Hudson, and Mill.
ken's Bend. and in the face of the bar
barous and bloody massacres at Fort
Pillow and Plymouth, stand up in the
American Congress and advocate the
withdrawal from our armies Of the sa-
BILE sons who exhibit such heroism and
make such sacrifices. Nor do / envy
the political party that will record its
united vote against paying to these
men the just reward of soldier of
the United States. Mr.. Speaker, they
have not only evinced willingness to
enlist in our armies but in the States
in rebellion they have been our only
reliable friends. Everywhere our gen.
erals receive their most useful aud re-
liable information from this oppressed
race. who hail the approach of our ar.
mics as the harbipger Of freedom TO
them. They have at every sacrifice
administered to the wants of our SOL
diers, whenever and wherever oppor-
tunity presented A single incident
attending the escape of our prisoners
from Richmond attests their devotion
In our canse and the brave men fight