Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-02-28
A COIOred Delegation at the
White House.
The Views OF the President on the
Suffrage Question.
WASHINGTON. Feh. 7th.

| The delegation VI tuo COlOTcu repre-
lsentatives from the different States of the
country, now in Washington, to urge the
Interests of the colored people before the
Government, had an interviw with the
President this afternoon. The delega
ton was as follows:
Fred. Douglas, of New York, Georgt
T. Downing, representing the New Eng
land States; Lewis II. Douglas, son o.
| Fred. Douglas, William E. Mathews, o.
MARYLAND, John Johns, of Illinois, John
F. Cook, of the District of Columbia, A.
J. Raynor, of South Carolina, Joseph E
Oates, of Florida, A. W. Ross, of Missis
sippi. VIM. Rippon, of Pennsylvania, John
NJ. Grover and Alex. Dunlap, of Virgin
ia, and Calvin White, of Virginia.
The President shook hands kindly
with each member of the delegation,
Fred. Douglas first advancing, for that
purpose. George T. Downing then ad-
dressed the President as follows:
1--WE present ourselves to your Excel,
lency to make known with pleasure the
respect we cherish for you; respect
which is your due, as our Chief Magis-
trate. 1t is our desire for you to know
that we come feeling that we are friends
meeting friend. We should, however,
have manifested our friendship by not
coming to further tax your already much
burdened and valuable time, but we
have another object in calling; we are IN
passage of equality before the law, God
hath made it by opening the Red sea-
We would have your assistance through
the same. We come to you IN the name
of the United States, and We are delega-
ted to came by some who have uDJustly
worn manacles on their bodies, by some
whose minds have been manacled by
class legislation in States called free
The colored people in the States of Hi
nois, Wisconsin, Alabama, Mississippi,
Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Mary
land; Pennsylvania, New York and the
New England States and the District Of
Columbia, have specially delegated US to
come. Our coming is a marked circum-
stance, noting determined hopes, and
that we are satisfied with the amend
ment prohibiting slavery, but that we
wish il enforced with appropriate legis-
Iation. This is our desire. We ask for
it lntelligently, with the knowledge and
conviction that the fathers of the revo-
luton intended freedom for every Amer
ican, aud that they should be protected
in their rights as citizens, equal before
the law. We are Americans, native born.
We are glad to have it known to the
world as bearing no doubtful record on
this point. On this fact, and with conf
.dence in the triumph of justice we base
our hopes We see no recognition OF
race or color in the organic law of the
land. 1t knows no privileged class, and,
therefore, we cherish the hope that we
may be fully enfranchised, not only here
in this District, but throughout the land.
We respectfully submit that rendering
anything less than this would be render
ing TO us less than our just due, that
granting anything less than our full
rights will be disregard of our just
rights, of due respect for our feelings
If the powers that be, do so, it will be
used as license, as it were, or as an apol-
ogy for any community or for individuals
thus disposed to outrage our rights and
feelings. 1t has been shown in the pres
ent war, that the Government may just
ly reach the strong arm into the
States, and demand from those who owe
allegiance their assistance and support.
May it not reach out a like arm to secure
and protect its subjects upon whom it
has a claim?
Frederic Douglass advanced and ad-
dressed the President, saying:
'Mr. Presideut-We are not here to
enlighten you, sir, as to your duties as
Chief Magistrate of this Republic, but to
show our respect, and to present in brief
the claims of our race to your favorable
In the order of Divine
Providence, you are placed in a position
where you have power to save or destroy
US, to bless or blast us-I mean our
whole race. Your noble and humane
predecessor placed in our hands the
sword to assist in saving the nation, and
we do hope that you, his able successor,
will favorably regard placing in our hands
the ballot with which to save ourselves
We shall submit no argument on that
point. The fact that we are the subjects
of the Government, and subjects to tax
alton, to volunteer in the service of our
country, subject to being drafted, SUBJ
ject to bear the burdens of the State,
makes it not improper that we should
ask to share in the privilege of the con-
dition. 1 have no speech to make on
this occasion. l simply submit these OBJ
seryations as limited expression of the
views and feelings of the delegation with
which l have come.
The following is substantially the re-
sponse of the President:
"In reply to some of your enquiries
not to make a speech about this matter, |
for it is always best to talk plainly and |
distinctly about such questions-I will !
say that if have not given evidence, in |
my former career that / am a friend to
humanity, and to that portion of it
which constitutes the colored popula- |
ton, can give no evidence hereafter
Every thing that have had, both as re-
cards life and property, has been periled
n this cause; and / feel and think that
understand, not to be egotistic, what
should be the true doctrine of this ques-
lion, and what course of policy would re-
,ult in the amelioration and ultimate ell
ovation, not only of the colored, but of
The great mass of people of the United
States. l say that if have not given
evidence that am friend to humanity
and especially friend of the colored, In
my past conduct, there is nothing that l
IAN do that would. l repeat that all
that possessed, life, liberty and prosper
ty, have been put in jeopardy, when l
ldu cNCIl ACA0 Oub W 6dAS
he other course; by adopting which, l
would have accomplished, perhaps, all
hat the most ambitious might have de-
ired. If know myself, and the feel
ngs of my own heart, they have been for
he colored man. 1 have owned slaves
md bought slaves, but never sold one. l
night say, however, that practically, so
ar as my connection with slaves has
zone, 1 have been their slave instead of
heir being mine. Some have even fol-
owed me here, while others are occupy
ng and enjoying my property with my
'onsent. For the colored race my means,
ny time, my all have been perilled. And
low, at this late day, after giving ev-
dence that is tangible; that is practical,
am free to say that l do not like to be /
rraigned by some who can get up hand
omely rounded periods, and deal in rhet-
'ric and talk about abstract ideas of lib (
rty, who never perilled life, liberty or ,
This kind of theoretical fell
owship amounts to but very little.
While say that am friend to the
olored race, l do not want to adopt ,
,olicy that believe will end in a contest 1
L. /