American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-10-18

| also, W nat uotil IL pfont hatioh - ~
gain the whole world, but lose its honor Z
| hold that the American government has
taken upon itself solemn obligation of
honor, to see that this war--let il be long
or let it be short, let it cost much or let it
cost little-that this war shall not cease
until every freedman at the South has
the right to vote. (Applause,) 1t has
bound itself to it. What have you ask
ed the black men of the South, the black
men of the whole country. to do ? Why,
you have asked them to incur the deadly
enmity of their masters, in order to be-
friend you and to befriend this Govern
ment. You have asked us to call down,
not only upon ourselves, but upon our
children's children, the deadly hate of
the entire Southern people. You have
called upon us to turn our backs upon our
masters, to abandon their cause and es,
pouse yours; to turn against the South
| anu III idfof VI tHe NoIth W sHooe uoHh
the Confederacy and uphold the flag
You have called upon us to expose our
selves to all the subtle Vaccinations of
their malignity for all time And now,
what do yon propose to do when you come
to make peace2 To reward your enc
mics, and trample in the dust your friends 7
Do you intend to sacrifice the very men
who have come to the rescue of your ban
ner in the South, and incurred the last
ing displeasure of their masters thereby?
Do you intend to sacrifice them and re-
ward your enemies? Do you mean to
give your enemies the right to vote, and
take it away from your friends 7 Is that
wise policy? Is that honorable? Could
American honor Withstand such blow ?
do not believe you will do it. l think
you will see to it that we have the right to
vote. There is something too mean in look
ingupon the negro, when youare in trouble,
as citizen and when ouare free from trou-
BILE, as an alien. When this nation was in
trouble, in its early struggles, it looked upon
the negro as citizen. In 1776 he was
citizen. But the time of the formation
of the Constitution the negro had the
right to vote in eleven States out of the
old thirteen. In your trouble you have
made us citizens In 1912 Gen. Jack
son addressed us as citizens-9fellow- cit
izens" H. wanted us to fight. We
we're citizens then! And now when
you come to frame a conscription bill, the
nsgro is citizen again. lie has been
citizen just three times in the history of
this q vernment, and it has always been
in time of trouble. In time of trouble
we are citizens. Shall we be citizens in
war; and aliens in. peace2 Would that
be just ]? n e
ask my friends who are apologiziug
for not insisting upon this right, in this
country, for the assertion of this right, if
he may not look to the Massachusetts
Anti-Slavery Society," Where under the
whole heavens can he look for sympathy,
in asserting this right, if he may not look
to this platform Have you lifted us up
to certain height to see that we arc men,
and then are any disposed to leave US
there, without seeing that we are put in
possession of our rights? We look natu-
urally to this platform for the assertion
of all our rights, and for this one especi-
ally. | understand the anti-slavery socie-
ties of this countcy to be based on two prin-
eiples, FIRST, the freedom ofthe blacks OF
country; and, second, the elevation of this
them. Let me not be misunderstood
here. am not asking for sympaty at
the hands cf abolitionists, sympathy at
the hands of any. | think the American
people arc disposed often to be generous
rather than just I look oyer this coun-
try at the present time, and see Edu-
catioral Societies, Sanitary Commissions,
Freedmen's Associations, and the like,
all very good but in regard to the col
ored people there is always more that is
benevolent, perceive, than just, mani
tested towards US. What ask for the negro
is not beneyolence, not pity, notsympathy,
but simply justice. fApplause) The
American people have always been anx-
ious to know what they shall do with us.
Gen. Banks was distressed with solicit
ude as 10 what he should do with the ne
gro. Everybody has asked the question,
and they learned to ask it early of the
abolitionists, "What shall we do with the
negro?' I have butsone answer from
the beginning. Do nothing with ns.-
Your doing with us has already played
the mischief with US. Do nothing with
us, IF the apples will not remain on the
tree of their own strength, if they are