The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-10
GhAGntelEplerrrer
RATFs or SUBSCRIPTION.
An Interesting Publication.

Interview BetwesnP PresIdsnt Johnson
and 4 Delegation or COIored Men,
Views of NegEoSuRrage and the Ne
gro Status Generally, as Expressed
ON Both Sides.
wAsHfIggoN, Feb, ORA delegation
consisting of representatives OF colored
people of variousJ States, called this
morning at the Executive Mansion and
had an interview with the President for
the purpose of depressing their views on
tonchinR their General interest, and of
ascertaining the ideas of the President
in this connection.
George Downing, United States lCol-
ored) Representative for the SIX New
President; Sitting the Beneft l which
would accrue Fl ON conferring the rights
and privileges of Citizens OF the United
States upon the colored people. He
asked for the right of suffrage, not only
in this District, but throughout the
Iand. e-IAHOlL.IAd }IIElN
Fred. Douglass next spoke, and said
they were potaahere to enlighten
the President as to his duty,
but to show respect, and to
present in brief the condition of the
colored race. The eamepdment abolish
ing SLAVERY he desired shohld' be en-
forced. He said the ,colored race were
subject to government taxation, to draft
and to bear the burdens of the State;
and they desired to be endowed with
the Notwithstanding some OF Che priv
iliges cf citizens of the government.
The President replied that he would
make no speech. The best way was 10
talk plainly and distinctly. If he had
not given evidence in his past course OF
his friendship for the coloGed race, there
was nothing now he could do to that
end. He had said, and he repeated
here. that If the colored man could find
no Moses to lead him out of bondage
he would be that Moses, and lead them
TO the land of promise and liberty, but
he was gHt RaF tSS EaIId Ss%m
lead TO the sheddinglof their blood and
the sacrifice of their lives n
He believed that II the policy which
some e.are-persisting in=-at-the present
time was carried out it would result in
reat,dapger. the olofed EmanT BE
said, suppose the colored men now in
the South could by a magic wand, be
ehfrancH totn1orfow, What good
would IL result 70 him?
He then expressed the grounds on
which heswas opposedfto aslaNery, and
said it had now been abolished, and
national guarantee given in regard to
it, that could not be revoked. He sta
ted the evil results which would accrue
by forcing the principle of the exten-
sion of suffrage upon the peop1e'o eth
er this District or a State, in opposition
to the expressed, will OF the maSority.ol
At the conclusion of his remarks, Mr..
Douglas said he would have to tefefthe
great question TO the people.
The following is Substantially the re-
sponse 9f the n FRFesidept.g11 reply to
some OF your Inquiries, not to make a
speech haboutzthiSsmatte for it is al
ways best to talk plainly and distinctly
about such questions, i Will say, if
have not given evidence in my former
course, thatlIamra friend to humanity,
and to that portion of it which consti-
tutes the coloredp populatiop u can give
no evidence hereafter. Everything that
/ have had, both as regards life and
prosperity, has been perfled' In this
cause, and L feeII and think that un-
derstand, MOTTO be egotistic, what would
be the true direction of this Question.
and what course of policy would iresulb
in the amelioration and ultimate eleva-
tion, not only 9fT the eolered, blt 21the
great mass Of the people of the United
States. j sayythat if, / have not given
evidence that am a friend of humans
ty, and especially a friend of the color
ed man, in nv past conduct there is
nothing that 4 eamCd do that Iwnnld re-
pent. All that 1 possessed lie, 1lperty
and property have been put In connec,
tion with that question, When 4 had
other course, by radopting Yhiehi
would have accom- plished- perhaps all
that the most ambitious might have de-
sired.
If 1 know, myself, and the feeling of
my own heart they have been for the
coIored man. I have owned slaves and
bppghsEsi lbgs 1sEE s9id e; 9Hs;A y
SO far as my connection with slaves
has gone, CIIha$6 been their ASlave in
stead of their being mine. Some have
even Followed me here, VIII lie .others
are occupying and enjoying my pro-
perty, with my consent. For the col3 Oh,
have been peril ed and !, pow NJ this late
day after giving evidence that is tangi=s
BILE, that is practical, am free TO say
that IBdoInot.lik6 itoi be- arranged by
some who can get up. handsomely.
Y6fded periods, and deal in rhetoric
and talk bout abs tEact tideas of liberty,
who never perilled life, l1ibertyi oorspro-i
pertys This kind OF theorhetic1 hol!
low ftieh dship amount to- but very
gWhile say 1iamoa ffriend to the COLI
ored racesT do notrwanb TO adopt poliai
CIV that believe will end in q contest
between tie races which, IL persisted
in, will result in the determination of
one or the other. God forbid that /
itiwas always best to talk ipract cttcallY
and in q common ,sense,way.i = Lax
i have said and 1Irepeat here, thRtd6
the coloned men lin thegUnited rStatesi
could find no oGother Moses nor any
other; Moses that would he more
able and - dicient than myself 4
would be their. Moses, Ito Head thema
from bondage TO freedom ( SlnIid that i
pass them from d land 'where
they had lived in slavery, to AZ land, ,if
it lsWere in1our reach, of freedom.
would hbe Willing to pass " It'll them
through the Red Sea, to the .Iand of
promise, TO the land Of liberty,
to adopt FolieY which
/ belfeTe VIII LoIiIy result IN Sacrificed of
his life and shed ding his blood. = LhinlsT
4 know what u say, II feel hat 1Lsayy
and iTfeel well INSURED That If The poll
cy urged by some be persfsted in, ut
IA great Injury 70 ths5S6 bite
hsE we'll as colored man. There Is a
great deal of talk IRbout Ithet sword in
one hand, accom- fishing an end, and
the lba Hot acco imp ishing another at me
81 Hot 1 DO X These things are allYeryl
yFelIiand sometimes 5shRVe .forcible zap-
10 Ts1t-sF issrss 70 - Z AZ si5t
-WetiIlS about rstice. we talk about
right, we say that the NYnlhe man mas
bean, in the ewrong in Keeping the blReks
inslavery as long as he has; that is u
true: again we talk about the decfaFa-
tiSh iof inSie epend ent equAlfty before the
lau. Won Understand all that you know
how 70 appreefate: now let us look each
other in the fEce,i9oSa 1auk
/ let MS go to the great mass of coioredT
nSan throughout the Sonthern States.4
I,eens take the ditton INV |h1cts they
49, -! fTfsfSh less liaf n fotiorfi tt.
sifsSh 6TTI6 hd sfipppos lbH some magic