The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-05-04

p,..,aens Jehussn ana the CeloreA
People.
On the cath Of October Last the colored
people Of Nashville waited upon Prssi'
den. Johnson, and in reply to their gree.
ings lie made quite lsnghty address. in
the course Of which he alluded ia the fol.
lowing language to the slave power. The
enthusiasm with which the speech Was
received was Undesirable. Mr.. john |
son said:
The representatives Of THE corrupt (and
if you win pcrmi. me almost 70 swear .
little this iamnable aris,ocncy tauat rs
With our desire 10 see justice done, and
charge Us with favoriug negro equality.
OF all living Usa they should Be tho last
to mouth that Phrase; and even when ut
tered ia their hearing il should cause
thar cheeks to 6agae and burn with
shame. Negro equality, indeed Why.
pass any day alo1g the sidewalks Of High
stFee', where these aristocrats more par
ticulsrlv dwsll-these aristocrats. whose
soas are DOW in the bands of guerrillas
and cnt.throats who prowl, aud rob, and
murder around our city-pass by their
dwellings, / say, and you will see as many
mulatto as negro children, the former
bearing an unmistakable resemblance 10
their aristocratic owners
Colored men of Tennessee this, too,
shall cease. Your wives and daughters
shall no longer be dragged into concubi-
mage compared to which polygamy is a
virtue, to satisfy the brutal lusts of slave
holders and overseers Henceforth the
sanctity of Gods holy law Of marriage
shall be respected in your persons, and
the great State OF Tennessee shall no
more give her sanction to your degrade
tion and your shame
'Thank God thank God p came from
the lips of thousand women, who, in
their own persons, had experienced the
hellish iniquity of the msnseler's code.
"Thank God u fervenily echoed the faith
ers, husbands, brothers Of these women.
And if the law protects you in the pos
session of your wives and children, if the
law shields those whom you hold dear from
the unlawful grasp of lust, will you en-
deavor to be true to yourselves, and shuu,
as it we're death itself, the path of lewdness,
crime and vice?"
owe will! We will" cried the assembled
thousands; and joining in q sublime ard
fearful enthusiasm, another mighty shout
went up TO heaven.
''Looking at this vast crowd of colored
people, continued the Governor, ssand re.
fecting through what storm of persecu-
ton and obloquy they are compelled to pass,
I am almost induced to wish that, as in
the days of old, Moses might arise who
should lead them safely to their promised
land of freedom and happiness"
"You are our Moses" shouted several
voices, and the exclamation was caught
up and cheered until the capitol rung
again.
"God," continued the speaker, "n nc
doubt has prepared somewhere an instru.
ment for the great work he designs to
perform in behalf of this outraged peo-
pie; and in due time your leader will come
forth; your Moses will be revealed to
you"
owe want no Moses but your again
shouted the crowd.
DWELL. thea" replied the speaker,
''humble and unworthy as / am. if no bet.
ter shall be found, l will indeed be your
Moses. and lead you through the Red Sea
of war and bondage to fairer future OF
liberty sud peace. speak now as one
who feels the world his country, and all
who love equal rights his friends.
speak, too, as citizen Of Tennessee. am
here on my soil: and here [ mean to stay
and fight this great bsttle of truth and
justice to a triumphant end.
Rebellion aud slavery shall, by Gods
good help, no longer pollute our State.--
Loyal men, whether white or black, shall
alone control her destinies and when
this strife in which we are all engaged is
past, trust, know we shall have q
better state of things, and shall all rejoice
that honest labor reaps the fruit Of its
own industry, and that every man has a