, 1865-05-16
VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT,
A Co1ored Delegation.
SPEECH OF The PRESIDENT.

C.. t1.1
President johnson to-day gave an audience
to q number Of co1ored men. They were in
troduced By Rev. E. Turner, D. D., the Presi
dent Of lhe National Theological Institute
for Colorcd Ministers, the center of whose
opcatsons is the city Of Washington. He
said, il the course Of his address, that some
Ct them were members Of the Institute, and
pastors OF churches while others had been
preaching to their own people in diGe5cnt
sections Of Virg1lia, coming in contact.
probably, with colorsd population Of moi
l:ss than eco COO or BOZ, Goo souls, thus exert
ing lealthfN1 Influence On their social and
normal condition. He gave the President
copy Of the resolutions passed BY them in re.
tcItTcc to the assassination of President
Lincoln, and expressive Of their gratitude for
the Emancipation Proclamation and their
loyalty to the constituted authorities.
PRESIDENT johnson, In response, remarked
that 10 what you have said on this OCCASION
as the representative and organ Of those col
crtd men Who stand about you, presume 1t
is hardly necessary for me to Inform them as
to what ny course has been IN reference to
their condition.. I imagine there is not col
oscd man within the reach Of information
but Las TO some extent been Informed upon,
and placed In possession Of KNOWLEDGE OF
the cour.c have pursued in the past In refer
cDce to their present condition.
Now I shall talk to thsm plainly. They
know have been born and raised IN q slave
Stale; that 1haye owned slaves, raised slaTess
hut never sold one.
They know, I presume, that my. slaves
have been made free, and that there Is a dif.
ference in thelesp2ns:bility that persons have
taken in reference to emancipation when liy-
for a man who lives neyoDd the borders to
talk abont the condition OF co]ored men.
when IL fact they know little about 1t. They
khoF they have some friends who feel as co.,
daily toward them, and WHO live beyond the
solttern lines: They know too, there are
mt msn 1.o there re. VI. who, though they have been
regard for them, and would do as much for
their elevation and amclloration, as ttosc
who live anywhere else.
feel thai 1t would be unnecessary for me
TO state Vha. have done In this great CAUSE
Of emancipation. Ihaye stood In III sir miast.
The shape Of property, life and lim5--not that
l would claim ANYTHING to myself In estat.
liFbinG. sus aiming and carryiog ou1 The artae
principle that man could not o,oa properly In
man. l WIS the first TINT stood ii slave
community and announced the great fact TINT
kame principle CT no:e seere .cho assuusd 10 orn
1tena.
know 1t is easy 10 talk and procl aim sep-
t!mentB upon paper, but 1t L. one thing to
have theories and another to reduce them to
practice; and must say here, what hare |
no doubt is Permanently hxed In your minds,
thing you ought 10 teach, and they should
thai In transition state, passing
11om bond to free, when the tyraut's rod has |
been bent and the yoke broken, we t1ud too
many In this transition state, passing from /
bcndsgs to freedom, who feel aa If they
he fyhpAtnfup11$ FIR In
clined to become loaftrs and depend upon |
the Government to take care Of them, They |
seem to think that NTH freedom everything |
they need Is to come like mamma from heaven.
:; Nov, %ant 70 impress this apon Jour minds:
:n}oy TIE p'odaef Of your oicn A4nds. This IL
enefre stnHe Of the term.
arieed that people cyoad the lines haye not i'm
pressed upon Jon this Important idea. 1t is easy
y Congress aid t1om the pulpit North and South
ebancheu Of rrElous kinds, hut there is also, one
,ieat Tact that four millions Of people lived IN
'pen asq notorious coneustnage.. The tine ha.
;now what l say Is true, and you mntt do some
I'D professions.
It iH not necessary for nc to give you any
seu1once Of what my future course will be IN
eferenee to your condition. Now, when the
,r1cal is passed, there can be no reason to
hink that shall turn back In the great
ause in which have sacrificed much and
,elf1ed all.
c1n give you no assugance more than my
:'urse heretofore, and shall Ton tinue to dj juil
hGt can fer the elevation and ameliorat1on
f your condition. I trust God will continue
o conduct Us till the great end shall be .ac-
and 1he work reach Its great
Accept my thanks for this manifestation of
our respect IND regard.