Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1866-02-22
Important Hse.ul;trlks by the Pres.
.rident-GOiered citizenship.

Wash nlton, Feb. THE delegation IF
colored Representatives from different States
of the country, now in Washington, to urge
tho interest of the ,coIored ppopIe before the
Government, had an interview wth the Pres.
,rlrlu this afternoon The delegation WAS as
follows: Fred, Douglass, Of New York; George
f. Down ny, representing the New England
States; Lewis II, l'ouglass son of Fred
Douglass; Wm l. Matthews, of Maryland;
John Johns, of Illinois; John L: Cook, ,of the
District Of Colpmba;,A. j, .Raypor, pf1Soull
Carolina; Jos T. .Oatrs, of Florida; A. W.
Ross Of Mississippi :; Wm, RippomIot Penn:
sylvania; John NJ Crown and Alex. Dunlap,
If Virginia; and Calvin White, of Virgnn
The President shook hands kindly with caclr
member Of the delegation, Fred. Eong ass
lr,t advanced for that purpose. Geo. f.
Downing then addressed the. President as fol-
lows; I'VE present ourselves to,yolir Excel.
ency to make known with pleasure, the n :
spect which we cherish for tyou-,l- respect
which is your due as our Chief Magistrate =
1t is our desire for youto know that we come,
feeling that we. are friends mee,ing a friend
We should, however have, manifested our
friendship by notcoming to, further tax your
already much bnrdened and valuable ;lmc,
int we have another, Object, in calling. We
ire in passage to equality lelorr the,law.-
G,d hath made it BY openinga Red Sea We
come to YOU in the name of the unit d States:
delegated to come by some who have uh.
iustl, worn the iron manaclcs on their bolicsi
" some whose minds have beef ,maimcled by
class legislation in States called free The
'olorcd people of The States of illinois, Wis
ronsn, Alabama, Mississippi. Florida South
Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland
Pennsylvania New York, the New England
States and the District of Columbia, have
specially delegated us to come. Our Coming
is marked circumstance, noting the de;er-
mined hopes that we are not satisfied ,wnh an
amendment prohibiting slavery, but that we
" sh it enforced with appropriate legislatloil
This is our desire. Weask tur it int lIigci tly,
With the knowledge and conviction that me
't,lhcrs Of the revolution intended trt edom for
/ very American. and that they all should he
nrot ttcd in their rights as citizens, equal be
fore the law. We are Amt ritans, native
born; We are glad to have it known to the
world, as leaving no douhtfIl record on this
point" On This fact, and with confidence in
the triumph Of justice, we base our hopes
We see no recognition Of race or color in the
| or. .anic law Of the land; it knows no privi-
legged class, AMI, therefore we cherish the
hope that we may be fully enlranehsed. not
1nlv here in this District, but throughout the
land We respectfully. submit that, rend' ring
anything less than this would be rendering 0
ns less than our stdue; that granting any
thing less than our fill rights, will be \ disre-
.rd OF our Just rights Of due respect for our
ceilings II he poners that he d. .,vs a.';
Ne used as license, as it we're or an t.,r,
0r any community. or for in lfv 1lpls,l thns
disposed, to Outrage our rights and ferlinrs
Il has been shown in the present war that the
government may Justly reacb tbs. strong arm
INTO the States and demand from them those
Who owe allegiance their, assistance and sup
,htr may It not reach ont a, like arm to 50
IRE and protect its subjects. upon whom j:
ns claim?
Fred Douglass advanced and. addressed
The president. saying. "Mr. President, we
IRE not here to enrghten you, sir, MS 10 your
lnties as the Chief Magistrate, OF this Repub
lie, but to show our respect and TO present, In
brief, the claims Of our race to your favorable
considerations In the order of divine provi
dence, you are placed in n position where you
iave the power to save or destroy us, to bless
r blast us; mean our whole race. Your
noble and humane predecessor placed in our
ands the sword, to assist in saving the ma
ion. and we do hope that you, his able sue
cessor,Fwill fi,vorably regard placing in our
rtnds the ballot, with which to save ourselves
We shall submit no argument on that point
rhe fact tlthat we are the subjects of the Gov
Ill
aer in the serviceof the country subject 10
eingi drafted, subject to hear the bnrdehs Of
.e State--makes it not improper that We
hDuld ask to share in the privileges of our
,n,lition9 4 have no ospeech TO make ON this
s.cas;on simply suhmiit these observations
il 4 limited experession Of the views and
feelings Of the delegation With which ! have
come" ...