The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-02-15
,ajgTHE PRESlDENT TALKS TO THEM
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And Tells them Something they had mo
---.--.. - Relish For. q
-iA WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.
Tho'deiegationl Of coIored represent
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with the President this afternoon, The
'1tdelegation was as follows
- Fred Douglas, of New York; Geo,
~T Downing, representing the New
England Stltes; Lewis H. Douglas, son
ssof Fred Douglas; William 3. Mathews,
of,Maryland; John Johns, of Illinois
John +. Cook, of the District OF Co.
lumbis; Al. Raynor, Of South Caro-
Ina; Joseph. E. Oates, of Florida; A,
W. Ross, Of Mississippi; VIM. Rippon,
of Pa; John M. Grover and Alex Dun
lap, ofYirginia, and Calvin White, Of
ss The President shook hands kindly
with each member of the delegation,
Fred Douglas first advancing for that
purpose GeorgeT, Downing thon ad-
dressed the President as follows:
s5,1 tsWe present ourselves to your Ex-
-hecllency To. make known, with pleas
.,ure, the respect which we cherish Tor
you; a respect which is your due, as
our Chief Magistrate. 1t is our desire
for. you to know that We come feeling
that We are friends meeting a friend.
Weshould, however, have manifested
our friendship by not coming to fur
ther Tax your already much burdened
and valuable time, but we have another
obiectin calling; we are ina: passage
ofeadalitylbcfore the law; God hath
mado it BY opening a Red Sea. We
would have your assistance through
The same. We come to you ia the
nape,of the United States, and we are
delegated to como by some who have
aniustly worn iron maaacles ON their
bodies, by some whose minds have
been manacled by class Legislation in
states called free. The eolored people
Of the States Of, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Alabama, Mississippi, Florida South
Carolina, North CArolina, Virginia
MARYLAND, PcnnsylSania, New York
New England States and the District
ofColumbia, have specially delegated
ustc cone. q Our coming is marked
circumstance, noting determined hopes,
and that We. are not satisfied with an
amendment prohibiting slavery, but
that we wish it enforced with appro-
pirate Legislation, This is our desire
We. e.ask for it intelligently, with the
knowledge and conviction that the
fathers OF the revolution intended free.
dom for every American, and that they
altshouldbe protected in their rights
as citizens, equal before the law. We
arc Americans, native born. We are
gladt 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 oi
race OF 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, no,
only hero, ia this District, but through.
out the land. '.-r ~ rel,N. "
We respectfully submit that render.
ing anything less than this would be
rendering to US less than our just due
that granting anything less than our
full rights will be a disregard of oul
just rights, Of due respect for our feel,
lngs. IIf the powers that be do 50, il
will be used as a license, as it were, OK
an apology for any community, or fol-
individuals thus disposed TO outrage
our rights and Ecolings. 1t has beer
shown, ia. the present war, that the
Governnentmay justly reach the strong
arm into.the States, and demand from
those who owe allegiance their assist
anco and support. May it not reach ou
q likea arm to secure and protect it
subjects upon whom it has claim?"
frederick Douglas advanced and ad
dressed the President, saying;
"Mr. President--We are not here Il
chlighten you, sir as to your duties a
Chief Magistrate of this Republic, bu
to show our respect, and to present il
brief the claims Of our race to your ia
vorable consideration. In the orde
of Divine Providence, you are PLACED
in position whore you have power Il
save or destroy us, to bless or blast u
Il mean our whole race. Your no
BILE and humane predecessor placed il
our hands tho sword to assist in savinI
the nation, and we do hope that yo1
his able successor, will favorably re
gard placing in our hands the ballo
with which to save ourselves. w
shall submit no argument on that point
The fact thatwe are the subjects of tn
Government, and subject to taxation
to volunteer in the service of our coun
try, subject to being drafted, subjec
to bear the burdens Of the State, make
it not improper that we should ask |
share in tho privileges Of condition.
have no speech to make on this occa
sion. Isimply submit these observo
tions as a limited expression Of th
views and feelings of the delegation
with which Iahave come. ,,ra
The following is substantially th
response OF the President: .
'iIn reply to some of your inquire
NOT to make o speech about this mat
ter, for tits always best to talk plainl
and distinctly about such questions
will say thatif have not given cv
denco, in my former career, that I al
friend Of humanity, and to that POI
ton of it which constitutes the colore
population, Hv vnans give mo- sevidenc
hereafter. Every thing that,I, ,hav
had, both SsFSgsfds life and property
has been PsriIed'in this cause; and
feel and think 'that&t understand, no
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