Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-26
pREsIDEyr JoHNsoN oN sLAyERY.

tracts from this mpo tant address. Il ihows tie Lo.
oughly anti.slayery character of President johnson
GentemenI congratulate you in the sincerity OF my
heart on the u conclusion of your labOrs. t
the greatest work Of The age In the great revolution
which is going forward you have perorme your part
nobly. This say without artery; your Work has been
well done In tins momentous struggle in the develop
ment of the principles OF human liberty you have
discharged your duty manfuliy. Who would nave
thought three or four years ago that Ienneseean,
would have been permitted TO assemble IN TINS Capitol
for such purpose without being molested or driven from
Il, halls The mighty principles Of hum tn rights
and liberty have bsen pittad against monopoly and
slavery Yesterday you broke the tyrant's ro1 and
Sc: the captive free. LOUD appause Yes gentlemen,
on Yesterday you sounded the de4tb.bne Cf negro
arsiocr4cy and performed the funeral oDseguies that
thing called slavery. You have opened the and
let the carcass down and al that remains j. fJg you
zeal tie pit on the 22d OF February, The anniversary OF
the day which gave birth to the Father Of bis County,.
Consecrate your work on that day.
feel heartfelt gratitude that have lived 70 see IL
mo and III Lay. been permitted 10 perform nv tile
mart In this great drama. The blow has been k, and
slavery lies PROSTATE. An nsolent nsncere ignorant
pnfeeling hypocrtca nefaTOus. diabolcal slave ais
Toe acy has bel tumbled 10 the ground. They who
never learned that
Worth makes the man, and want Of il the fellow,
who lived on the reai O. imaginary hontrs OF buried
ancestry have at least learned that ignorant. corrupt
aiistdcraey must go down our sessions have BEEN
on tie whole harmonious Notwithstanding some little
bckering, Which, think, will pas away with your ad.
jpurnment
While think that you nave emancpated b. n,
tell YOU that you have emancipated more wbie than
black men from the insoent domination Of the slaveho
de- Yes the time not long ago when you dar.d not
speak your sentiments Even in East Tennessee, where
there were only few slaves and always sp ke more
freely do you remember the power which the slave
holder exercised how many Of our people com
pe led live on barren ridges and cultivate the stony
spos while few Shareholders owned thousands ofbroad
acres in the fertile valleys which they titled With their
| bondsmen.
| man wear apO IN r,aal
of these things, / denOunc- as an agrarian and
demo gogue who appealed 10 the preudices of the peO
ppson'e of my State have declared themselves free.
Inrs' now ge YOU Iedouble your efforts 10 carry out
your work when you go hence. If you consummate il
with the resolution the foul blot Of human slavery
will be removed fiom the escutcheoa OF the State.
sba saw nothing of the future condition OF tn negro
nor cf the elective franchise. First ognze time and
experience will regulate tie rest. Let Us first get rid Of
slavery let there be no bcker1ng or conflict till get
that out Of the way. This being done, will take up
othcr questions and dispose o. them they arise
Who could have anticipated three years ago that We
would have progressed thuI fdI7 Let Us, like wise
men hold ourselves in readiness TO manage the new
questions which may arise in the future. There Is
no Iced OF giving ourselves trouble prematurely.
c. home no, as rivals hut friends, Jvel 10
the state aud wipe out slavery. To do this is enough
ion one man 10 live for life spent IN accomplishing
a result lk this is well spent. Though some for awhile
,y SIC r. the time will when the na ton IL b..
utterly asonshed that this great monopoly has been
submitted TO long. Let no man, then deude himself
with the dream the vague hope that he still hold on TO
slavery; let him cut the cord at and he will feel
great deal easier Nor let any man suppose that think
that any portion OF the popuace should be turned forth
as loafers without work. The ge. out OF this
transi state which is ways the worst, the better
for rs the better for the negroes. In five years from
now the labor OF the black will be more produc
tive than Tor freedom simply means liberty 20 work
and enjoyment OF the product OF ones bor Let Try
10 comprehend the times in which live and the great
principes which at work. There is breaking up OF
old combinations, and men are coming together by heI
aNfpfsa ma % md
new ideas, thrown out among men OF mind, form The
basis of nav part es.
Here Is the great contest of philanthropy CT so1nd
reason of humanity whose fou ndaton is the Christ
religion a bow of promise, whose base rests upon the
horizon aud whose span arches the universe In the
midst of the darkness which has been resting on the
land for three yeara darkness deeper than that Of the
dark ges from you, sitting in the midst OF carnage
aud of Death has gone forth light to Eumi. ats the
world and teach mankind that you can Be free. feel
that God smiles what you have done and that i
meets the appreciation OF the hosts that surround hin
Oh how il contrasts with the shreks and the cries and
waines which the institution Of slavery has brought
ON the and Look along the battledeis of Tennessee
at the made graves witness your oountrymen per
shing in battle see even the Goddess OF Liberty s:rug
cling through desolaton, carnage and blood and INST
driven from our borders ! Night ! not say with he
20 b coolest picture in the book Of time
And yet out of all this gloomy scene beams a iirht
20 illuminate the world in future years. AS your fsi
low-ctzen wi o expects in sJme oil your valleys TO de
post his bones thank you again for the tobe work
which you have done.
ANOTHER SPEECH PROM THE PRESIDENT
In re.ly to deputation of coIored men who waited
upon Presdent johnson Tuesday, he made the follow
ing remarks .,t.,.
thank you for this interview receive the Kindness
and honor which you express to me in the same
aprit would if you were OF another class.
need not state to yolm past history IL s wen IN:
derstood by you. In 1t you will lind the guaranty OF
my future conduct toward year people Where tae col
ored paoue know ME BEST they hayo confidence IN rae
No man can charge with having proved false 10 the
promises have made TO any class OF the people IN my
public life.
fear that leading coored men DO not understand and
appreciate the fact that they have friends on The south
side OF tie line They have and they are az iathoi ana
staunoh as any north OF the line II may not be very