Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-11
As~.-.s q enc rre.,a.n, 10 coror.a
Troops

Columbia coloTed regiment marched from thsiI
quarters 10 Campbell Hospital 10 the Executive
MANSON, where they were received by the Presi-
Hes rho dreed shem as folIoss;
NY FTfesds-Ny otjsc, ~ presenting myself
before you on this occasion. is simply 10 thank
you, members Of one OF The colored regiments
which has been IN the service Of the country to
sustain and carry ia banner aud lie laws ui-
umphautly N every part oil this broad land. |
repeat. that appear before you on The present
occasiou merely % tessder you nv thanks for the
compliment you have paid ne on your return
home 20 again be associated with your friends
and your relatives aud those you hold most ga
cred and dear. repeat, have but little TO say
il being unusual in this Government aud most
Of oSher Governments 20 have colored troops en-.
gagged in their service You have gone forth, as
events have show9. aric .erved with patience and
endrr q CO in The e.use Of yom couulry, This Is
your country a. veil a. any body eIse's country.
Cheers. This il the country in which you ex
pect to live and in which you should expect to DO
something by your example in civil life - you
have done in the field.
This country ia founded upon the principles OF
equality and At the same time the standard by
which persons are 20 be estimated IL according
10 their merit aud their worth, and you have OF
we'd. no doubt, that for him Who does his duty
faithfully aud honestly there is alwsysfs just
sure out 70 him bis proper reward know there
is much wsii calculated in this Government and
since the rebellion commenced, TO excite the
Hhts sgSiust the black and the black against
the white man. These are things you should All
understand, and at the same time prepare your
self for what is before you. Upon the return Of
peace and the surrender of the enemies of the
country. it should be tue duty Of every patriot
and every one wlD calls himself a Christian, to
remember that with the closing Of the war his
resentment should cease, that angry feelings
should subside, and that every man should be-
come calm and Tranquil and be prepared tor
what is before him This ia another part of
your mission You have also been engaged in
the most gigantic battles the world ever saw
The problem IS before you. aud il is bes, that
you should undersi and a.. and therefore speak
simply and plainly VIII YOU Tow. when you
have returned from the army OF the United
81 ltes and taken the place of citizens, when you
have returned TO the ayOcations OF peace, will
yoa give evidence to- the woi "a that you are ca
pable aud competent 10 govern yOurselsesY That
is what yos viii have 10 DO Liberty Is no,
mere idea mere vsgsry; IL is an idea. OK il as
reality. hen you come 10 examine this gem
Of liberty, you will not be mistaken IN mere
idea. for reality. Ii does uoi consist ia dsness
Libei ~ does rot consist ia being wSFthless; lii
eity does not consist in doing all things
please, and there De no liberty
without Law ia a Government 0i freedom and OF
liberty There must be Ian AID there must DE
obedience aud subDsrog 10 tie law without re
gard Ia color teheers Liberty, and may not
call YOU nv country mef.. liberty consists IN the
glorious privilege VI The work Oi pursuing tho
ordinary avocaiions OF pesce with Industry snt
With ecOuomy, and that Oelng done all snosr who
have bean industrious and economical are per
mitted TO appropriate and ENJOY the products Of
their own labOrs cheers This Il. one VI the
great blessings OF freedom, shd leice We might
ssk tire question aud answer IL ~, SAILING that
liberty means iTeeaonl 20 woIk and eIuy tie pro
ducts oi Your own labor. 81 ls0a will be soOn mu,
terst ont ot the isnk You have gained
IN the efoit 20 sustain y0ul eoauirs IN the past
but lie fuiuleyIs more important to YOU rhta the
peIiod Ia which you have lust been engaged.
One great question has been settled iu this Gov
erimcat. and that question IS the question Of
slavery The Institution OF slavery maze war
against the UBatsd StUes. sud the United States
mas lifted rs strong arm In vndcation of the
GOV, rnnent, and ia lifting ths, atm, aud NJ
pe4ling 10 lie God oi Bittles, II Ia. been deei
died. tia the nsutuJion of slavery tnu.t 20 down
Cheers This has been done. aud the Goddess
Of Liberty. in bearing witness over many al oar
battle fields since lhe Struggle ommcnced. has
made her ioisisst a. sht. ahdJHoti timed that In
city UbS Dc-n cStattlirneu upon 4 upit cTms
nent and enduring basis than heretofore Ap
plause
But This is ROT all. anu "a ,eu nave paid me
the compliment - call upon ne. shall take the
privilege eI laying one or Two words, as | am
before you. repeat, TIA. IS hot all. Now.
when the sword IS returned 20 1t scabbard, when
your arms are reversed and the olive branch of
peace is extended, as remarked before, resen,
uen aud revenge should. subeide Theu, what
is 10 follow Yeu do understand, no doubt, but
if you do not. you cannot understand too soon,
tia, simple liberty does not mean the privilege
OF going into ihe battle field, or into the service
of the country az Z soldier Ii means other
things as well, and now " hen you have laid down
your arms, there are other objects OF equal i'm
portan-e before you. Nov, that the Govern
meBl las tFiumphaItly passed through this
mighty rebellion, after the great tact that Won
are 1T aud qualified TO be iree-hence freed IN
is not mere idea, but is something that exists.
III fact, freedom Is pot simply the privilege 10
live in ideuess, liberty does not mean sinpl, 10
resort to the low saloons and other places of
a disrepu,able character Freedom and Liberty
DO not mean tLsl the people ought TO live ia
RIGHTEOUSNESS, but Iioerty means simply 60 DE III
dusTiOus, 10 be ylTu0us. - be upright in all our
dealings anu relations With men. and 10 those
nov before me, members Of the frs. R9gi neat
OF Colored Volunteer from Tue Ds,tie; OF
Columbia ana the capital ct tbe nted
States. have Ia say that great deal
depends upon yourselves Ios must give evil
dence that yOa competent tor the rights
which tie Government has Guar tn,eet 10 YOU
Heneeiort.. esch ana NJ. oi yo, mus DC mea
suicd according - your merit IL one man IL
more neritorions than the other they cannot be
equals and he ! tso mo- exalted wac ~ the
most IaerltOri0us, Niiaoni regard 10 color aud
the idea Of having 3. ~ ys=,ei "a the morning
that viii make a yit- man DitcS before night
and a black mah white before day IS absurd
That e not the standard Il = your own con-
Gucr It Is .our Uwa :..sii; NHG yoEr Own
intelligence aE1 mo'a. gGt.lf,e- LIT this then,
be Your course Adopt sys.sGl q nloT~Lty. A.
Stain from al iiceo!ouSLs-si s;sd ieI me say one
thing here, .Or ana gong 10 talk plain
1 have Ived is southern Sac ali
my life. nnG knew whss as TOO often 6eel The
case ther, j. one thing 80 saoG.d esteem his her
Snd more supreme ;haa aimcs. a.. Others and
IhAt is the solemn c0afset. NIL I'll ,ae penalties
in iae associations ~ married lie. Nen and wo
iucn ShOaid abst ain hOm those qaAiiie. and
h.Lils tba: I0V isequeEuy i9i0n a war; lhculcate
among your Children aai zusou- your >s-ciztes
Notwithstanding you are Jus. back !roai I've army
Ot the Uuiled S:ate-, ,hat situe t6li merit. that
intelligence gre the standards 10 6r observed aud
those which YOU arc determined 80 maintain. iu
iiue ,our ivt.ie lives. THIS - sac way 10 make
waite n,er black .sd black mel white lChesrs !
lie TIA, Is most mesitorioU- srG r:itaous and in
Ieleesuai AID usi.-rfcrE.sd must stand highest
without iegsfl 10 color Il i tie very basis
takes b., desIss IA Tie satl;Der anu more
81.