The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-06-10

From the N. Y. Times, sdinst.l

rrea. Douglass sn Presidsns Lincoln
from the n Y. Times, Sd instl
The announcement that Frederick Dosg-
lass would deliver an Grafton on the life,
administration and death OF President
Lincoln, drew an immense mixed audi
euce to Cooper Institute last evening"
Dr.. Tying, President Acton, Of the Police
Department. George w. Blunt, and other
prom nent citisens, occupied the stage.
Tie chairman introduced the orator OF
the evening, Mr.. Frederick Douglass, in
few complimentary words. Mr.. Doug.
lass was warmly applauded on advancing
to the front of the platform. He said
that he felt certain degree of embarrsss-
ment in appearing before the audience on
this occasion. 1t was q time when the
rarest gifts, the highest eloquence and
the greatest genius the country had pro-
duced might fall under the dignity and
grandeur Of this occasion. 1t was one of
the principal themes which was destined
to interest and thrill the hearts Of men in
the coming ages. If Abraham Lincoln
had died by an ordinary i'll by which men
are ordinarily removed il after 9 sue-
cessful life, be had reached the good old
age Of which his constitution gave prom.
Use; If be had lived to see the work he
had inaugurated completed in certain
degree, bis death would have been grand.
But Abraham Lincoln died by the red
hand of violence, without warning. He
was Observation-Disclosures without per-
sonal hate-for no man that knew Abrs-
ham Lincoln could hate him. He died
because he was the President of the
United States duly elected. For this he
was killed - murdered assassinated -
This is the great, all commanding reason
Why We pay homage to his memory. For
this reason men everywhere pay homage
to his memory as glorious martyr of free.
dom and human rights. In this view we
should consider him. The most the peo-
pie could do in time like this, when the
press, the pulpit and the platform are EN-
ployed on this one theme. was to give
back to the country the thoughts and feel
ings derived from the country The
speaker was but as the wave of the ocean
deriving his strength from the sea. All
over the country men are thinking of
Abraham Lincoln, their martyred Presi-
dent. Statesmen, scholars, poets, as
never before, are paying tributes to our
martyred President. Il was proper as it
was we'll deserved on his part, and it was
beautiful on our part.
MIR. Douglass said that ii was we'll that
the colored people should have voice in
these marks of respect to our martyred
President No people as a class have
more reason to lament his death and re-
we're his memory than the colored people
OF the United States. They were the only
people prohibited from publicly express.
Ing their regret and sorrow at the death
OF the President. 1t was hardly worth
while for him TO deuounce the action of
the authorities of New York in excluding
the colored people from the procession,
but II be should say anything it would be
that II was the most disgraceful and scan
dalous proceeding ever shown BY people
Gaining themselves civilized. [Applause1
The speaker inquired, what was Abraham
Lincoln ts>tbe colored people? And what
was he to them compared to the long line
OF his predecessors, who were the servile
and AFFECT devotees of the slave power ?
Abraham Lincoln was unsurpassed BY
any In his interest for the white man. and
was emphsticaliy the black mans Presi.
; dent. tie was the first Of the long line
to show any respect oethe rights of the
black man, or to acknowledge that he had
any rights the white man ought to res.
pect. Let the white man do all that is
possible to perpetuate his memory, but lie,
the colored people have space for one
stone to give some intimation of the great
reverence and love the colored people have
for Abraham Lincoln. Those love most
who receive most. Applause. The
lecturer said the most affecting incident
he had heard was that of a poor colored
woman who was found weeping near the
Presidential mansion. When asked WHY
she wept she replied owe have lost our
Moses The answer was given, "Cod
will send you another The woman
quickly said, II know that, but we had
him already" Applause
The speaker continued and said tho
colored people believed in A brsham Lin.
coin, had loved him even when he smote
and wounded them. They thoroughly
trusted and believed in him; bu. it was no
bind belief unsupported By reason. They
caught glance of him in the beginning.
and viewed him in the light of his great
mission; they trusted as men seldom trust
They would have been pleased if he bad
confined his reasons to other motives than !
Pxpediency or military necessity, but they !
wanted to see the grand fact that slavery
vas being abolished. They saw good in
'he fact that he was plucking out the !
writing OF ages-prejudice; they saw
'hree millions made free and given the
light to defend their freedom with the
ME and cartridge-box. They sav good
a the fact that the power Of the rebellion
las been ground to powder and bIovnt
way as dust before the North Wind Z
.ney took no captious exception to inc;. l.
tents connected with their transition tron
iavery to freedom. Mr.. Douglass ss;d
'e would not speak to them As oolo,sd