American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-11-01


have rendered homes to twog generals, and
have made provisions for the families OF
come who have died And we are re-
lgious people, being most Of US what the
world calls orthodox, believing that the
unconverted soul is punished after death
but Notwithstanding these high qualities,
the majority of the people OF Phlladei-
phia would rather, during the whole war,
have seen the colored population so just
-ly Indignant, that, instead of the eleven
regiments they gave US at Camp William
Penn, (applanse,) } they would not have
given us man; would rather sec the
lick and wounded suffer would rather
be branded BY the world as harshly un
grateful to the manned soldiers OF the
l2epubiic and would rather see the
awning pit Of hellswarm with wborn
demons, than the sanctity of our street
cars should be pro famed by the presence
Of a eoiorcd clergyman fastening to bap-
tie a dying infant, or a pious wife or
mother hurrying TO a hospital to sanctity
she last moments of her dying husband
or sou (Appauso)
% Thisls the melancholy truth. There
Is no denying it; there is no concealing
it, There is not a man among us-un-
less it be ono like myself, who has been
accustomed to riding in the cars OF other
cities, where all races ride together
who does not fael something ola prejudice
on this subject. If you come to Wash
ington, the capital of your country, you
will get used to riding in the cars with
Gods children of every complexion. L
make no arraignmept Of my native city,
[ love her. | cherish her for all hel yir-
tues. | boast Of Philadelphia at all
times but / cannot help seeing her
weaknesses. / cannot help seeing that
she is immensely hypocritical, when she
talks about the importance Of getting re-
Sigous instruction to ignorant and dying
people, and will allow every white strum-
1pet and thief whose crime furnishes them
with the means of paying fare to ride
in a car, and will, as she has recently
done, turn out the colored clergyman and
other pious people Fastening on the holi-
est errands Of philanthropy and Christ,
ianity. (Applause.)
Are we not, in all this traitors to our
own cause and principles? Ere We not
giving aid and comfort to orr onemies,-
those who are not yet willing to accept
the truths of the Declaration Of lude-
peudence, or be citizens Of truly demo-
cratic States? l pray you reform it al
together, and secure your own rights by
protecting those of the humblest citizen
OF the Commonwealth Make him Sc
cure, aud your own rights can never be
infrnged r.s ast1,-
This is not a mere abstract suggestion
/ is the practical question of the day.
The government of the insurgont dis
tric.s are to be reorganized When
States are organized, they must be dis
tricted upon the census of 1860, anG
they can only be restored to g their prac
teal relations to the Union" 90 borrow
an expression from our late lamented
ProsilenD by the admission of their
representatives into the Congress of the
United States and the only manner in
which you can maintain your right to
citizenship and to free travel over the
million Of Square miles of territory, is
to see that their governments are organ
lied in harmony with the truth that all men
are equal before the law, aad those pro-
visions Of the Constitution which guar
antee the right of citizenship to the
citizens Of each and every State, aud
the right of freedom Of speech and of
the press Can we 10 this? Yes!
But you say that President johnson
has called only upon the white people of
the insuTectionary districts to reorgans
izc State Governments / grant it; and
while J donoton that account doubth his pa
tciotism, or assert that be has made mis-
take, | know that | would not have done
just 50. (Applause.) If the people to
whom he has committed the charge have
the wisdom and sense to frame truly re-
publican Constitutions, they viii not only
ylndicate his wisdom, but crafty his per.
,sonal wishes, for his democracy is broad
enough to embrace mankind, But you
ask what would you have done / would
have maintained military government
dong enough to have come 70 understand
che people, and let them understand their
new relations to the government some
what. would at the proper time have
had an enrolment of the people made /
would have had the oath administered
to the whole people, and in doubtful ca
ses would have taken testimony as to the
loyalty ofthose who took the oath. When
had ascertained who were loyal, Iwould
either, in accordance with Congressional
provision to be made in tho meanwhile,
or in the method which has been lcpt9d
by President johnson, have called upon
dhe loyal people to elect delegates to a
convention to frame constitution =
This would have been in accordance with
an6cnt precedent, so far as precedent
. exists, for the Fathers recognized every
man who fought and paid taxes as a cit
izen frs4 yua "
You can nowhere find in the 0onstitu.
ton anything like discrimination be-
tween white and black When it was
adopted. the colored freeman was voter
in every State in the Union except South
Carolina. 1t is denied that he was such
in Virginia aud Delaware, where the c1-
ercise of suffrage was regulated by legis-
sinlive s,royisio,, lh,ft THAR Rills of ptcrh+e