North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-07-12
Celebration at Lynn.


the recent anniversary of our national inde-
pendence, and having understood that Req.
Mr.. Wilbur was appointed to deliver a nL-
tiOnal address at the old Camp Ground near
Lynn, in Susquehanna Go. l visited that 10,
cality with the view of participating in a
national celebration of the deeds of seventy
six, and joining in demonstration OF respect
for the memory of our lldstrious Fathers
On arriving upon the ground I learned that
the speakers were one Vim. Belcher and
Rer. Mr.. WorreH; Mr.. Wilbur not being
present. The eloquent Becher had conclu
ded his belching before my arrival. was
informed, however, that his theme was "cop-
pcrheads," and that upon that novel and in
teresting subject he belched with "hls usual
ability Whether he applied his choice ep
tibet to the illustrious Washington, and oth-
ers Of the mighty dead" who were unfortu-
nate enough to have inherited the owner
ship, together with the responsibility of car
ing and providing for negro servants, l did
not learn. If he did not, he probably forgot
that part of his programme, aud therefore
should not be blamed by the "fathful."- =
Next came Req. Mr.. Neirel, who was an
nounced in due form, to deliver national
address. The inevitable gentleman from
Africa" came in for very large share of his
attention. The question with Brother New
ell was not what we shall do with the "freed
men" now that VIC have got them on our
hands, feeding them from the public crib :;
1t was not how they are to be induced to
leave the cities and towns to which they
| hocked by thousands, and tens of thous ands,
and where they can possibly be Of no manner
of use, and to return to the country where
their service would be ben eficia to them
selues, and to society it was not in what
manner the terrible mortality among them,
growing out Of their gregarious habits, and
their notorious dislnclination to labor, en-
be mitigated it was not whether IT,. two
races can exist On terms of equ ~ in i'm
mediate contact without one mr. Tho o,bar
perishing from the face of the EARTH as did
the original inhabitants of this continep,
when brought into contact with a superior
race; none of these great philanthroplc and
philosophical quest ions were worthy of tn,
orator and the occasion. But the question
Of negro uoting Was. Why this particular
question claims SO large a share of the atten
tion of a certain class of politicians, o tn,
exclusion of those subjects that common hu
manity demands should be first considered
is 200 plain to need comment. What do the
famishiug and perlshing masses of black hu
manity that are now thronging the centre.
of southern population care for the privilege
of voting, unless they can be induced to be
lieve that by such means they may pIac,
their own race in power, and reduce th,
white race to a subordinate position q
What they now demand is bread. Wha
they now need is to be taught that freedom
does not mean idleness and debauchery =
that liberty does not mean license to rove a
will and appropriate whatever they can find
What the government needs now is to be re
lieved from the terrible burden of their sup
port, and from the danger of leaving them IL
vastly worse condition than it found then
The day for rejoicing has not yet come. Th,
. emancipation experiment is not yet success
By inaugurating that experiment the party
in power assumed the responsibility of max
ing it a success-a benefit rather than a
misfortune to the inferior race. To do this
the great questions to which have referred
must be first considered and promptly acteC
upon. The question of negro voting is, tt
that race, at least, one of secondary import
ance. 1t is important now only to pohti
clans, and even they may reckon withou
their host for that their votes would b,
controlled directly or indirectly by Leading
southern men, is vastly more probable thar
that they would vote in body against the
mass of the southern white men, and thereby
inaugurated an issue between the two race.
that could only end in the determination o.
the one or the other.
But had not intended to discuss thi.
+ question with Brother Newell. In couclus-
Ion will only mention bis statement tha,
unoer the law as it stands, the slave owner
mas three rotes for ererg fire negroes belong
ing to him. Occupying position near the
speaker, and assuming that he had not in
tsntionauy made misstatement in reference
to this subject, quietly suggested to him
the propriety Of correcting IL, which he re.
fused, or at least, declined to do. Now