The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-10-13
HE SAYS NO Law CAN MAKE A
WHITE MAN OUT OF A BLACK
MAN.
HIS VIEWS As TO THEIR FUTURE
STATUS.
THE TRUE DEMOCRATIC DOCTRINE
AS TO THE NEGROES.

| their quarters, in Campbell's Hospital, Il
she Executive Mansion, where they were re
ceived by the president, who addressed them
as follows:
My FRIENDS: My object in presenting
myself before you on this occasion is simply
to thank you, members of one of the colored
regiments which has been in the service o.
the country to sustain and carry its banners
and its laws triumphantly in every part Of
this broad land. L repeat, that L appear be
| fore you on the present occasion merely tc
| tender you my thanks for the compliment
7 you have paid me, on your return home, to
| again be associated with your friends and
| your relations, and those you hold most sa.
| cred and dear. | repeat, | have but little &c
say, it being unusual in this government and
| in most of other governments TO have colored
troops engaged In their service.
| You have gone forth, as events have shown,
and served with patience and endurance in
! the cause of your country. This is your
| country rs well as any body else's country
| Cheers. This Is the country in which you
| expect to live and in which you should sx-
pect to do something by your example in
civil life, as you have done in the field This
country is founded on the principle of equal
ity, and at the same time the standard by
which persons are to be estimated is accord
ing to their merit and their worth, and you
have observed, no doubt that for him who
does his duty faithfully and honestly, there
| is always just public Judgment that will
appreciate and measure out to him his proper
reward. l know that there is much we'll
calculated In this government since the late
rebellion commenced to excite the white
against the black and the black against the
white man. These are things you should
Ill nd IA III =.
yourselves for what is before you.
Upon the return of peace and the surrend.
er OF the enemies of the country, it should be
the duty of every patriot and every one who
calls himself a christian to remember that
with the termination of the war his resent
ments should cease, that angry feelings
should subside. and that every man should
become calm and tranquil, and be prepared
for what is before him.
You have been engaged in the effort TO
sustain your country sn the past but the fu-
ture Is more important to you than the period
In which you have just been engaged. One
great question has been settled in this gov
eminent, and that question is the question of
slavery. The institution of slavery made
war against the United States and the Unit.
ed States has lifted its strong arm in vindi-
cation of the government and of free govern
ment, and in lifting that arm appealing to
the God of battles 1t has teen decided that
the institution of slavery must 60 down.
Cheers. This has been done, and the
Goddess of Liberty In bearing witness over
many of our battle fields since the struggle
commenced, has made her Hottest flight, and
proclaimed that true liberty has been estab-
lished upon more permanent and enduring
basis than heretofore. Applause
But this IL not all, and as you nave paid
@h IL
take the privilege OF saying one or two words
as am before you, | repeat that it is not
all, now when the sword is returned to it's
scabbard, when your arm is reversed and the
olive branch of peace is extended. As re-
marked before, resentment and revenge
should subslde. Then what is to follow :?
You do 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 battle field or into the service
of the country soldier. 1t means other
things as we'll, and now when you have laid
down your arms, there are other objects
of equal Importance before you.
Now that the government has triumphant
ly passed through this mighty rebellion, the
most gigantic battles the world ever saw, the
problem is before you, and it is best that you
should understand it, and therefore | speak
simply and plainly, and tell you, now when
you have returned from the army of the Uni
ted 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 capable and competent to gov
ern yourselves? That is what you will have
to do. Liberty is not a mere idea a mere va
gary. 1t is an idea or reality, and when
you come TO examine this question of liberty
you may be mistaken in a mere idea for re-
atty. 1t does not consist in idleness. Lib
erty does not consist in doing all things as
we please, and there can be no liberty with
out law. In government of freedom and
liberty there must be law, and there must be
obedience and submission to the law without
regard to color. Cheers. ::Liberty-and
may L not call you my countrymen liberty
consists In the glorious privilege of work of
pursuing the ordinary avocations of peace
with industry and with economy, and that be-
ing done, all those who have been industrious
and economical are permitted to appreciate
and enjoy the products of their own labor -
Cheers. This is the great blessing of free
dom, and hence we might ask the question
and ansewr it by stating that liberty means
freedom to work and enjoy the products of
your own labor. You will be soon mustered
out of the ranks. 1t is for you to establish |
the great fact that you are fit and qualified 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
ldleness. Liberty does not mean simply to
resort to low saloons and other places of dis