Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1865-05-25
Visit of Colored Delegation to Pres.
ident Johnson-Reply of the Pres
Frsm the wnshington Chronicle, Mav Ian.


From the Washington Chronicle, May 18th.
President Johnson to-dty gave an audience to a
number of colorel men. They were introduced by
Rev. E. Turner, ID. d the President of the M
tional Theological Institute for COlored Ministers,
the center of wiIcse operations j. the city of Wash
ngton. IIe sud, in the course of his address, thai
some Of them were members of the Institute, and
pastors of churches; while others had been preach
ng to their own pc pie in different sections of Vr
gini, coming in contact, prob ,bly, with cDlored
population of not less thtn 2O0.000 or 5000 )0
sous, thus exert!ng a healthful influence on their
social an. n Drm,l condition He gave the Presi-
dent copy of the resolutions passed by them in
reference to the ass lssinition ,of President Lin
coin, and expressive of their gratitude for The
Emancipation PROCLAIM ,ton and their loyalty to the
constituted authorizes.
President Johnson, in response. remarked that
to what you have said on this OCCASION rs the rep
resenia,ive and organ of those coored men who
st,nl about you. presume it's hardly necessary
for me 10 inform them to what my course h,s
heen in reference ID their condition. | i'm Iginc
ere is got / colorcd man within reach Of iniorma.
ton but has to some extent been informed upon
AMI placed in possession of a knowledge of tn,
course hive pursued in the past in reference to
their present condition
Now shall talk TO them plainly. They know
have been bora and raised in a slave State; that
have owned slaves, raised slaves, but never sold
one.
They know. ipresume. tint nv slaves have been
made free, and that there is difference in the re.
possibility that persons have taken in reference
10 emancipation when living in or out OF slave
States Ii is very easy for mn who lives be-
yond the borders 10 talk abou, the condition OF
colored men, when in fact they know little about it,
They know they hive some friends who feel as
cordially toward ihcm. and VINO live beyonl the
Southern lines. They know too. there are men
there who, though they have been masters. yet
feel rs deep an interest in and regard for them,
and would do as much for their elevation and
ameliorstion, "a those who live anywhere else. Il
feel that it would be unnecessary for me to
state what have done in this great cause OF eman-
cpation. | have stood i'm their midst net their
tiunts and jeers; and risked ali in the shape Of
property. life and limb-not that woald claim
anything to myself in establishing, SUBSTITUTING and
carrying out the great principle that could not
oma property in mIn. ] was the first that stool in
a slave community and announced the great fact
that the slaves of Tennessee were free upon The
SINE principle those nere rho assumed % opa
hsm.
know it is casv to talk and proclaim sentiments
upon p,per. bat it is one thing 10 hive thcorie s
and anoth,r to reduce them to practice; and |
must say here, what have no doubt is permanent
ly fred in your minds, and the impression deep,
that there is one thing you ought to teach, and
and they should understand, that in transition
state passing from bond tn free, when the tyrants
rod has been bent and the yoke broken, We find
too many in this transition state, passing from bond
age to freedom, who feel if they should have
nothing to do. and fall buck upon the Government
for support; TOO many inclined to become loafers
and depend upon the Government to tikc care of
them. They seem to think that with freedom
everything they need is to come like mmna from
heaven.
Now. want to impress this upon your minds
that freedom simply means liberiyfo ,rork and en-
joy the prodnct ofy1ur hrndst This is the correct
definition OF freedom, in she mast extensive sense
OF the term
4 There is another thing; and hlve been surpris-
ed that people :yond the lines have not impressed
upon you ihisimportant idea. Ii is easy in Con-
grcss and from the pulpit North and South to talk
about pol gamy, and Brigham Young, and debauch-
ery Of various kinds but there Is also, one great
fac, that four millions of people lived in open
and notorious concubinage. The time has come
when you must correct this thing. You know
what say is true, and you must do something to
correct II by example as well as by words and
professions.
Il is not necessary for me to give you any assur.
ance Of what nv future course will be in reference
to your condition. Now when the ordeal is pissed.
there can be no reason to think that shall turn
back in the great cause in which have srcrifced
much and periled ALL, soK
| can give YOU no assurance more than nv
course heretofore, and | shall continue to do all
} that can for TIE elevation and ameoration OF
your condition. trust God will continue to con
duct Us till the great end shall be accomplished,
and the work reach its great consummation.
Accept my thanks for this manifestation Of your
respect and regard.