The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-28

Negro suHea9e-speech Of Pref. The
oDhIHus Parsons in as favor.
q. ,he rest meeting in Fsneuil Hall,
in Boston, a few days since, on the subject
of Southern Reorganization, Prof. Parsons,
Of Harvard University, n of the most
eminent lawyers in the country, delivered
the following speech:
GMr. Parsons, taking the chair, ssid they
had met to consider questions Is momentous
as any that a nation was ever called upont TO
answer, so momentous that our destiny Tor
ages probably depends upon our answer to
these questions. They are numerous but
they all cluster around the central question.
What shall we do with the emaneipsted
slaves2 What have we the right TO DO Z
What is it our duty to do2
HWe have defested the rebels, and have
the right to impose upon theri any terms
we msy please. By emancipation we IN
crease the Congressional force Of the South
ern States. They will act IS an unit, and
with a little aid from the North Will be
able TO rule the country once more, and
repudiate the nstionsl debt.
HOan n rational man believe we have
no right to lessen, so far as we may, this
danger; to demand, TO insist upon, n TO
have ali the security We can have against
an in~eff4csble disgrace-an ntolerable Ca
lamity7
~ believe our rights may well be estab-
lished on this argument.
TThe rebellion has compelled us to abol-
| ish slavery for our security. We have
done this. But the slaves were always TO
a considerable degree protected, supported
and defended by the s~elf-interest Of their
owners. All this we take utterly from
| them. And then if wewithhold from them
all political right, we withhold from them
all mower of self-proteetion and self-de-
tense. We give the whites with whom
they live the whole power of legislation
over the freedmen and against the freed
men
off we take from the slaves all the pro-
lection and defense they found in slavery,
and withhold from them all power OF self
protection and self-defense, the race must
| perish, and we shall be their destroyers.
HThis question of right disturbs some ex'
cellent persons. Let them then ask, have
not the rebels compelled US to emsncipate
the slaves, and thereby made it our imper'
aklNb d0u sOlSHn uubJ W pAOflOO bHHs sNAH
emancipation shall not be disastrous &c
them; and have they moi, therefore and
necessarily, given US full and perfect
right to do al that this duty requires o.
us2 And what is this2
81 cannot doubt that it is to hold those
States in our military possession unit
their constitutions provide that political
right shall not depend on race or color, Oh
until Congress shall pass an amendment Il
the national Constitution to the same effect
Then We msy wait safely; for State sftel
Stata will be sure to come up, and the wOrl
will be done.
GThis nation must choose between tive
alternatives, for there is no third one. o
these two, one is to give to the men WHIT
were slaves and are nows.by u act free, t
give them by the right of suffrage becaus'
It cannot be given otherwise-adequatl
power Of self-Protection and defense.
"The other alternative is to cast OF from
them the chains of slavery, and bind then
anew, hand and foot, by the chains of dis
frsnchisement; and TO deliver them thu
bound, hopeless and helpless, into tn
hands of those who were their owners
whom we have made in good part at least
their bitter and ~exsspersted enemies"