The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-11-02

is EXTENDED, as L remarked before, re- |
sentmentment and revenge should sub.
side, Then what is TO follow? You
understand, no doubt, and if you do
not, you cannot understand too soon,
that simple liberty does not mean the
privilege OF going into the battlefield
or into the service of the country as q
soldier. Itmeans other things as well,
and when you have laid down your
arms there are other objects Of equal
importance before you, now, that the
Government has triumphantly passed
through this mighty rebellion, after
the most gigantic battles the world ev-
er saw. The problem is before you,
and it is best that you should under
stand it, and therefore speak simply
and plainly with you, and when you
have returned from the army of the
United States and taken the position
of citizens; when you have returned to
the avocations of peace, will you give
evidence to the world that you are ca
pablo and competent to govern your
selves2 and that is what you will have
to do, Liberty is not mere idea, a
mere vagary. Itis an idea or it is
reality, and when you come to exam
inc this question of liberty, you will
not be mistaken in more idea, for
reality. 1t does not consist in idlenoss,
Liberty does notconsistin being worth
loss. Liberty does not consist in doing
all things as we please, and there can
be no liberty without law In gov
erment of freedom and of liberty, there
must be law, and there must be obe
dience and submission to the law with
out regard to color. Cheers Lib
erty--and may l not call you my
countrymen-liberty consists in the
glorious privileges Of work, of pur-
suing the ordinary avocations of peace,
with industry and with economy; and
that being done, all those who have
been industrious and economical are
permitted to appropriate and enjoy
the products Of their own labor
TCheers.l This is one of the great
blessings of freedom, and hence VIC
might ask the question and answer it,
by saying that liberty means freedom
to work and enjoy the production of
your own labor. You will soon be
mustered out of the ranks, and it is for
you to establish the great fact that you
are fit and ready to be free. Hence
freedom is not mere idea, but is
something that exists. In fact free
dom is not simply the privilege to live
in idleness. Liberty docs not mean
simply to resort to the low saloons and
other places of disreputable character.
Freedom and liberty does not mean
that tho people ought to live in licen-
tiousness, but liberty means simply to
be Industrious, to be virtuous, to be up
right in all our dealings and relations
with men, and to those now before me,
members of the first regiment of col
ored volunteers from the District of
Columbia, and the capitol of the Uni
ted States, / have to say q great deal
depends upon yourselves you must
give evidence that you are competent
for the rights that the government has
guaranteed to you henceforth each
and all OF you must be measured ac-
cording to your merit; if one man is
more mcritorious than the other, they
cannot be equals, and he is the most
exalted that is the most meritorious
without regard to color, and the idea
of having law passed in the evening
that will make q black man white be-
fore morning, and q white man black
before night, is absurd-that is not the
standard /; it isy your own conduct, it is
your own merit; it is the elevation OF
your own intellectual and moral quail.
tiles. Let this then be your course
adopt system of morality; abstain
from all licentousness, and let me say
one thing here, for | am going to
talk plain | have lived in Southern
State all my life, and know what has
too often been the case there is one
thing you should osteom higher and
more supreme than all others and that
is the solemn contract of married life
Men and women should abstain Jrom
those qualities and habits that too fire..
|, quently follow war. He that is most
meritorious and virtuous and intelli'
gent must stand highest without TO-
gard to color. 1t is the very basis up
on which heaven rests itself, Each
: individual took his degree in the re-
: bellion and now exalted, roign in pro
portion to his merit and virtue. Then
t / say to you, having faithfully dis
4 charged your duty, retiring with the
0 determination that you will doyoul
t duty in the future as you have in thu
past, abstain from all those bickeringI
: and jealousies and revengetul feel
: ings which so often spring VI
s between different races. There is
Il great problem to be worked out
: the institution of slavery is over
Q thrown, but another part remains to b.
n solved, md hat is, can four millions 0
n people, raised as they have been, will
a all the preiudiccs of the whites, cal
I they take their places in the commu
: nifty and be made to work harmonious
: ly and congruously in our system ?
: This is q problem to be considered
n Are the digestive powers of the Amer
# ican government sufficient to receiv
t this clement in now shape, and digcs
O it and make it work hcalthfully upol
n tho system that has incorporated it
! This is tho question to be determined
s Let us make the experiment and max
J. it in good faith. If that cannot b