Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-17


doing oil things as we please and there can be
no liberty without law. In a Government Of
freedom and OF liberty there must be law and
there must DO obedience and submission to the
law, without regard to color Cheers Lib
erty land may ! not call you my cOuntrymen)
consists in tho glorious privilege OF work. OF
pursuing the ordinary ayocaliOns OF peace with
industry and with economy, and that being
done, all those who have been industrious and
economical are permitted to appropriate and
enjoy the products of their own labor. Cheersl
This is one OF the great blessings Of freedom
and hence we might ask the question, and an
swer ii by stating that liberty means freedom to
work and enjoy the products OF your own la
Dor.
"You will soon be mustered out Of the ranks.
IL is for you to establish the great fact that you
are fit and qualified to be free Hence, freedom
is not mere idea, but s something that exists
IN fact. Freedom IS not simply the privilege to
live in idleness liberty does not mean simply to
resort to the low saloons and other places OF dis
reputable character. Freedom and liberty do
noI mean that the people ought TO live in licen-
tousness, but liberty means simply to DO indus
trons, to be ylrtu0us, TO be upright 10 ell our
now before rel me rsG ms%bSTfs 6 TGg T&S a thsss
of Coored Volunteers from the District Ut Col
umbla and the capital Of the United States,
have to say that great deal depends upon
yourselves You must give evidence that you
are competent Tor the rights that the Govern
ment has guaranteed you. Henceforth each and
all of you must DO measured according to your
merit. II one man 10 more merlt0rlous than
the other, they cannot be equals and he is the
most exalted that is the most meritorlous with
out regard TO color And the idea of having
law passeI in the morning that will make
white man a black man before night, and
black man a white man before day, IS absurd.
That ls not the standard It is your own con-
Duct 1t l9 your own merit 1t Is the develop
ment ot your own talents and OF your own in-
telleotualtty and moral qualities.
+" Let this, then, b9 your course; adopt
system Of morality abstain from all licentIous-
ness. And let me say one thing here, for am
going 70 talk plain. have lived in a southern
state all my lite and know what has too often
been the case. There Is one thing you should
esteem higher and more supreme tnan almost
all others and that ls the solemn contract with
all the penalties in the association OF married
life. Men and women should abstain from
those qualities and habits that too frequently
follow war. lnoulcate among your cnlltren
and among your associations, Notwithstanding
you are just back IRON the army oil the United
States that virtue, that merit, that Intelligence
are the standards 70 be observed, and those
which you are determined TO maintain during
your future lives. This Is the way to make
white men black and black men white. Cheers.
" He that il most meritorous and virtuous
and intellectual and well informed, must stand
highest without regard to color IL is the very
basis upon which heaven itself rests. Each
individual takes his degree ln the sublimer and
more exalted regions in proportion to his merits
and bis virtues. Then | shall say to you on
this occasion in returning to your homes and
hresIdts, after feeling CONSCIOUS and proud OF
having faithfully discharged your duty, return
with the determination that you Will perform
your duty IN the future as you have in the
past abstain from all those chickering's and
e tlousIes and revengelul feelings which TO often
sprng up between different races. There is
great problem before u.s. and may as well al
uds to It here in this connection; and that is,
whether this race Can be Incorporated and
mixed with the people OF tho United States,
TO be made harmonious and permanent ingre-
dent in the population. This is problem not
yet settled, but We are in the right line to do
80. Slavery raised its head against the govern
ment, and the government raised its strong arm
and struck Il to the ground. so that part Of
the problem is settled the institution OF sla-
very is oyerhrown But another part remains
to be solved and that ls, can four millions Of
people, raised as they have been with all tho
preiudIces of the whites, can they take their
places in the community aod be made to work
barmonlously and congruoCsly in our system
This is u problem to be considered Are
the digestive powers OF tho AmerIoon govern
ment sufficient TO receive this element in a new
shape, and digest and make il work BEAUTIFULLY
upon the system that has incorporated up This
is the question to be determined Let us make
the experiment, aud make it in good faith. IL
that caunot be done, there is another problem
before US II We have to become a separate
and distinct people (although trust that the
system can be made To work harmoniously, and
the great problem will be settled without going
any lurthet) il it should bo 80 that the two
races cannot agree and live in peace and pros
perty, and the laws Of Providence require that
they Should DO separated-in that event, look
ing to the far distant future and trusting that
1t may never come IL it should come, Provi-
dence that works mysteriously but uneTringly
and certainly, will point out the way, and the
mode, and the manner by which these people
are TO be separated, and to be taken to their
ands OF inheritance aud promise for such
one is before them. Hence we are making the
experiment.
- Hence let me impress upon you tho impor-
tance of controlling your passions, developing
your intellect, and OF applying your physical
powers to the industrial interests OF the coun-
! try aud thus is the true proc IS by which this
question can be settled. BE patient, perseyer-
ing and lorbearing and You will help to solve
the problem. Make Tor yourself reputation
IN this cause as you have won Tor yourselves
reputation in the cause ia which you have been
engaged. Ia speaking to tho members OF this
regiment want them 10 understand that so lar
as aia concerned do not assume or pretend
| that am stronger than the lave, oi course, OF
natur5, OF that em wiser than Providence IT.
sell. lt Is oUr duty u try and discover what
thnse great laws are which are at tho tounda-
ton Of all things, and having discovered what
they are, eunlurm our actions and cur conduct
to them, and TO the will Of God who ruleth all
things. he holds the destinies of nations in
the palm OF HIS hand; and lie will solve tho
question and rescue these people from the diff
oulties that have so long surrounded them.
Then, let us be patient, Industrious aud perse-
yereing, Let us develop any Intellectual and
moral worth trust what have said may DO
understood and appreciated. Go to your homes
and lead peaceful, prosperous and happy lives,
in peace with all men. Give ulteranoe to no
word that would cause discussions but do that
which will be credtablo to yourselves and 10
your country. 10 the oficos who have led
aud 80 molly commanded YOU 10 the field, also