The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-09-13

THE E'zEEs. aEpEH.DEssA EsAEeECAF.
CONVEX EEOE.
Speech OF the Negro Fred Doug
E2ss.


You want me to speak my honest scnti-
ments. Cries of "Yes, yes Weask a
right to all the different boxes, to the wit
ness, to the jury box, and ballot box
[ Applause [ tell you We want the box,
for all in that box are certainly secure.
We ought to ask for that especially. Any
body denied it is in bad box, certainly.
[ Laughter. [ ask it because the negro is
a man. And We have recently become
aware that great revolution is going on
in the United States, and it is for manhood
suffrage, and the same argument by which
you urge the right o. men to vote can be
urged in its full strength for the right of
man to vote regardless of his color. We
want it not only because we are men but
because we are here in this country. a part
of it. The masses Of men in all countries
can take care Of themselves. Wherever
they move, thrones, dominions, principaIi-
ties and powers have to give way. When
they move, crowns and coronets are rent.
When they move they must be respected
We hear from Downing street that the
good people Of Old England assembled at
Hyde Park to assert their right to suffrage.
They were not black people, but white
men-Englshmcn-ani as the people they
rose in their might. When the Governs
ment did not wish to permit this meeting,
they rose, and declared they would meet,
and they did meet. Downing street turn
cd pale, as well it might, for 1t would have
cost the privilege classes Of Old England
dearly had they persisted in denying the
right of assemblage to the people
| so for this right, because the theory
of our Government is democratic theory :;
because our Government is based upon the
idea OF universal suffrage. 1t knows not,
it should not know, either country, or man
ner, or color EngIislmen, Irishmen, Ger>
mans, nations countries, tongues. or peo~
pie; and it should not deny the right to
vote, especially to a class for a peculiar
compile ion.
| have another argument. It is this /:
The black man has deserved it. do not
say that the black man fought better in
the late war than the white man [ do
not mean to say that You could not alone
have put down the rebellion I believe
you could. The white people were of
sufficient bravery and strength to cope sue
ccssfullY with the rebellion, to put down
the slave masters in the South and rescue
their hirelings. But this | DO say-that
while | do not say that you could not 90 it
alone, this | do say, we helped you put it
down. Applause. Gentlemen, let not
that fact be forgotten
We have deserved the right of suffrage,
for we were your friends durin. the whole
war, when you scarcely knew who were
your enemies. or who were your friends
Who succored your poor prisoners when
escaping from Castle Thunder. Anderson
vile and Belle Isle? They hated and
feared the sight ofthc face Of white mai
and eagerly sought the company Of a black
man. Applause
All | ask You, what the negro race asks
you, is to declare fer them the right to
live. to sue and to be sued, as some reward
for their sacrifices in the war, for many a
negro has fallen on the battle field
[Grcat applause Even while / say that
we deserve the right of suffrage, even
while plead tor my race, You must re-
member that you may want us again.
[ Applause.
A voice-"What do you think Of
Beechcr p Laughter
Douglass 1 have been asked that ques-
ton ifonce, n thousand times, and have
never been able to answer the matter sat
isfactorly to myself; but will tell \ sto-
ry. One evening Baecher was taking tea
with very pert and fiippant lady, who
said to him:
''Nr. Beecher, can you tell us in what
condition Saul was when he was clught up
to the third heaven
''Beccher, with that suave manner Of
his, replied:
Madame, if Saul did not knrw him>
self, don't see how | can know.
"Beechcr does not know himself don't
see how | can know" [Applause.
-----azs. .1,ss---