The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-01-25

argument for their eflslavement, and is
still employed for their political degrade
ton. Iftrue, we can no more deny them
their position as members of the human
family than we can deny it to children
who do not exhibit the average mental
and physical capacity. Their very weak
ness awakens our sympathy, and prompts
us to desire that new hopes may be kind
led. and there be a testing of the power of
se'f-reliance.
But there were twelve Of the thirteen
States before slavery had debauched the
nation that made no mention ofthis inferi-
Oritv. ..a
Go back th 1880. There was John Jaw,
OF New York, BENJAMIN Franklin, OF
Pennsylvania; and Witherspoon, of New
Jersey, who advocated the rights of man.
and had no fears of negro equality. Two
generations pass away, and, shades of the
departed! We are refreshed with the logic
and patriotism Of the gentlemen from
New Jersey, LMr. Rogers,l from Pennsyl-
vania, [Mr. Boyer and from New York,
MIR. Chandler.] What an observation of
the great chief Justice Jay, of Wither-
spoon, the patriot and divine, and Frank
lin. the philosopher of both hemispheres!
What convincing proofof the worlds adj
vance and the periectibility ofthe human
race!
Sir, these modcrns shall not deter me
from adducing the testimony of Jefferson
10 the talents of the negro Banneker, whom
he invited to visit him at his residence at
Monticello; nor that Of DR.. Rush, who
says of DIR. Dcrhaln, a negro, II found him
very learned. I thought could give him
information concerning the treatment of
diseases, but learned more from him
than he could expect iroff' me-" ...
Edward Everett, as late as 1853, testified
that negro youth at Cambridge surpass-
ed as n scholar two youths from Georgia
and his own son in the same class, and de-
clared THAT the aptitude of the colored
race for every kind OF intellectual culture
was unquestioned." Blumenbach affirms
Of the Negro, there is no savage people who
have distinguished themselves by such
examples of perlectibiIity and capacity for
scientific cultivation.
or the sons of slaves, despite prejudice and
disability here, having risen to the highest
respec,ability in the professions. Give
them lime opportunity, and remember
that .he ancestors of the Germans was
once barbarian, that Druidism was once
the religion of The Britons. Before you
d cry the negro, rctnember that your
I, Al
Romans. and that not many centuries
since your fathers were brought and sold
with thc soil like the bruieS. IS
The State of Iowa has been used i'm this
debate as an ILLUSTRATION against negro
suffrage. 1t is true that i'm the dark night
of years nsone the proud State ofmy adOp-
ton was afflicted with negrophobia, but in
the last made Union platform the equality
OF all men before the law wa asserted, and
Governor Stone, who indorsed the platform
and took the stump in behalf of negro suf-
fIaSe. WAS elected over Union officer and
proiessed Republican by IL majority of
sixteen thousand votes. Forget her fall
and iOl.Lw il liCr rciar:lation. The Dos
ton of the colored people there reflects
lasting honor on their loyalty, and our
brave white soldiers would not have me
withhold the facts. In the Slatethere were
between nine hundred and thousand
p ople of theft class subject to military du-
~. Of that number more than seven hun
dre,f entered the Army. They put TO
blush the patriotism of the dominant race
in All Democratic dist ~ictsi Seven tenths
OF II class without the inducement of COM
missions as slieutenants, captains, colonies,
commissaries or quartermasters, Drawing
the hate and vengeance OF rebels, rushing
into the deadly imminent breach in the
darkest hour Of our struggle. Where is
the parallel to this? They had no flag; it
was nOckery. There was no pledge of
political franchise. Does history cite us
to couhtry where SO large a per cent of
the population Went forth for the national
defense? 1t was not under the Caesars;
and Harold, in the defense of Britain, left
behind q larger per cent. of the stalwart
and the strong. They were more eager to
maintain the national honor than the zeal
OTIS to rescue Jerusalem from tire profana-
ton of infidels. Not Frank or Hun. nor
Hugenot or Rnundhead, or Mountaineer,
Hungarian, or Pole. exceeded their sacri-
fees made when tardily accepted. And
this is the race now asking our favor.
Those who fought and who paw taxes
may he one half the adult male population
OF this District. Grant that the other half
are ignorant. are thev-not as safe as whites
in sympathy with rebels? Thousands
went south as officers. soldiers. and spies
rom this District. Here it WAS that a hot
headed traitor gathered his inspiration
and found accomplices to murder our
President. Loyalty here! L have heard
scores for years vent theeir sympathy with
rebels; and nothing but cowardice preven-
them entering the rebel ranks. No, will
never prefer a white traitor to a loyalist |
black.
Mr.. Speaker, it will he one of the most
joyful occasions of my life to give express
ion to my gratitude by voting a ballot to
those who owed 40 little, yet have aided us
so faithfully and well. My conscience ap-
proves it as humane act to the millions
who for centuries have groaned under a
terrible realization that on the side of the
oppressor there is power. At my
western prairie homs' for years sheltered
the fleeing bondmen. when a price was set
on my head. HumaH fiends have there, ira
sought my life since member of !
this House, but forget all the obloquy |
and perils ofthe past, flushed with the |
hope that we can, by our example, confer
blessings on the millions of
poor asking for political rights, natures /
boon to man.