Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-10-20

| realIty. 1t does not consist in nidleness;i il
does not consist in being worthless !; it
does not consist in doing all things we
please; and there can beino liberty without
law. In government of freedom and Of
liberty. there must be law; and there must
be;obedience and Submission to law with
out regard to color. (Cheers.)lel adi eai
LibertyA-and may / mot call you my
countrymen s--liberty consists ofths glo-
rious privilege of work, ofpursuing theio
dinary ayocations of peace, with industry
and economy, and that being done, all who
have been industrious are permitted to ap-
propriats the fruit of their own labor
Cheers. Thisis one ofthegre blessings
Of freedom, and hence we might ask the
question, and answeruit byii stating
that liberty means freedoms to work and
enjoy the products, of our own labor oe. S
You will be soon mustered out, and 1t is
for you to establish the great fact that you
are to be free!5 Hence freedoanilis not a
mere idea butts something that exists.a-
In fact freedom is not simply aprivilege
to live inidleness. Liberty does not mean
Simply to- resort to saloons and other
places of disreputable character. Freedom
and liberty donot mean that people ought
to live in licentiousnessj Liberty means
simply to be industrious, virtuous, upright
in all our dealings and relations with men,
and those now before me, members of the
lst regiment of colored volunteers from
the District of Columbia and a Capitol of
the United States.uaI have to say that a
great deal depends upon yourselves. lrsfo'
You must give ievidence that you are
competent for right that the Government
has guaranteed to you.al Henceforth each
and allofyoipmust be measured according
to your merits Ifone man is more mef-
itoriousl than another, they cannot be
equals, and he is the most exalted that is
the most meritorious, without regard to
color, and the idea of having al law passed
in the morning that wilb1 make white
man black man before might, and a black
man white man before day, is absurd.
That is not the standard. Itis1 your own
conducts 1t is your own merit. 4 It is the
Development of your own talents, and Of
your own intelligence and lmoral qualities!
Let this, then, be your course. Adopt a
system of morality Abstain from all IL
centiousness,I and letnme say one thing,
for l 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 esteem higher and
more supreme than almost all else; and
that is the solemn contract, with all PEN
aIties, in the association of married life. -
Men and women should abstain from these
qualities and habits that too frequently fol-
low a war. Tnculcate among your chill
dren, and among your associates, notwith-.
standing you are just back from the army
of the United States, that virtue, that mer-
it, that Intelligence, are the standards to
be observed, and those which you are de-
ltermined to maintain during your future
lives. This is the way to make white men
black and black men white. Cheers. He
that is most meritofious and virtuous and
and intellectual, and well informed must
stand highest without regard to color
Each individual takes his degree in subli-
mer and more exalted regions in propor-
ton to his merit and his, virtue. Then l
shall say to you on this occasion, that in
returning to your homes and lfresides, af;-
ter feeling conscious and proud Of having
faithfully discharged. your, duty, return
with the discrimination that, you will per-
form your duty in the future as you have
in theipast, abstain from all, those bicker-
ings and jealousies and reyengeful feelings
which M too often spring up between differ
ent races sra..d .ii e3oi hinow stii9
/ There is "a great problem before us, and
| may as well alludeito it., here in this con
nection. lis whether thissarace can be,
incorporated and mixed with the people
of the II United States, to be madea har-
monious and permanent ingredientIin the,
population. q This is asproblem not vet
settled, but we are in rt the right way to
do so. j gpH J sdj ie s99,He ati igaj iiM
Slavery raised its head against the Gov
|ernment and the Government raised its
strong arm and struck it to the ground, so
part of the problsmisi settled. The instiz
tuition of slaNeryfis o1erthrown, but anoth-
er remains to be, solved, and that is: Can
four millions of people raised as they have
been, with all privileges of whites, ocah
they take their places in community and
be made to work tarmoniously' and CON
gruousIy in our system. This IS a problem
to beconsidered. Are the digestatiVe pow
|ers of our government sufficient to receive
this element in new shape, and digest and
make it work beautifully. upon the system
|thathas Incorporated it; this is the ques-
|tion to be determined. Let Us make an
|experiment, and make it in good faith
If that cannot be done there is another
problem that is before us ID nb 5,s
If we have to become seperate and.
distinct people, although trust that sys-
tenn can be made to work harmoniously,
and the great problem settled withoutgo-
ing any further; ifit should be so that the
two RACES cannot agree and live in peace
and prosperity, and the laws of Providence
require, that it should be so;in that event,
looking to the far distant future and trust
ing it may never COME; ifitshould come,
Providence that works Inysteriously but
unerringly will point out the way, and the
mode and the manner by which these
people are to be separated, and they are to
be taken to their lands of inheritance. and
the promise of Such a one is before them,
hence we are making experiments ao
Hence let me impress upon you the inn
portance Of controlling your passions, de-
veloping your intellect and Of applying
your physical powers to the industrial in
terest of the country, and that is the true
processby which this question can be set
tied. fBepatient, persevering and forbear-
ing and you viii help to solve the prob
lem and make for yoursefvesa a reputation
in this cause as you have won for your
selves areputation in the cause which you
have been engaged. In speaking tome1n-
bers of this regiment | want them to tn1
Ii -, to,,,si ,,o,,<a-v.aI Ia