The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-05-02
The Presidents Speech to the COlored Sol

DIERs
WAsnlSGToy April 2O.-Two regiments of colored
troops Yarous associations and citizens of color num-
berng several thousand, celebrated, yesterday the
emancipation Of the slaves in the District Of Columbia
and proceeded to the executive mansion, where the
presidens thus addressed them:
Ry C@lored Friends: have more to say to you Oil
this occasion than to thank you for this compliment
you have paid in presenting yourselves before
this your day of celebration.
camp forward for the purpose of indicating my
appreciation and manifesting my appreciation Of the
respect tRus offered and conferred.
/ thank you for the compliment, and mean what
sag and will remark in this connection that the time
will come, and that before a great while when the
coored population of the United States will find out
who have selected them as a hobby and pretcnse by
which they can be successful in obtaining and maintain
ing powef and who have been their truest friends and
wanted them to participate and enjoy the blessings of
freedom The time will come when it will be made
known vino contributed much any other man,
and Who, without being considered egotistica l may
say contributed in procuring the great national
guarantee Of the abolition Of slavery all the States
by the ratification of the amendment to the constu
ton Of the United States, and giving national guar
ance that slavery should longer be permitted to
exist tie reGstabshed in any State in the urisdic
ton Of the United States.
know how easy it is to eater to the preiudces and
how easy it is to excite the feelings Of prejudice and
malice.
care rot that have been engaged in this work in
which my all has been sttked. | was not engaged in
it as hobby, did / ride the colored man for the
sake Of giving power to what did, but for the pur-
pose of establishing the great principle of freedom,
and, thank God, feel and know it to be SO that my
efforts have contributed as much if not more, in
accomplishing this great national guarantee than those
of any other living man in the United States. En-
thusiasc applause. 1t is very easy for colored men
TO have pretended friends ensconced in high places
and far removed from danger, whose eyes have only
abstractedly gazcd on freedom, who have never
posed their lives property and who never contrbu-
ted siXpenCe in the furtheranCe of the great cause
while another perled bis all, and lost everything
sacred and dear man and those he had raised and
who lived with him, now enjoy his property with his
consent and receive his aid and assistance.
Yet some others, who. have done nothing are con
sidered the great defenders and protectors Of the
coored man. I repeat, my coored friends here to-
day, that tie time will come, and it is not far distant
when it viii be proved who are your best friends.
Ny friendship, so far as it goes is not for place or
power, for / have these already. 1t has been
principle with me, and | thank God that the great
principle has been established, SO that whenever a
being, in the language of distinguished orator. treads
American soil, his soul swells within him in approba-
ton of the great truth that he stands forth redeemed
and rerenetated by the genius Of universal emancpa
ton. Applause.
Their let me mingle with you IN the celebration Of
the day which commenced your freedom. l do it in all
sincerity and TRUTH and trust in God that the blessings
which have been conceded may be enjoyed and appre
ciated by you, and that you may give them proper
direction.
There is something for all to do. You have solemn
duties to perform, and you to remember that free
dom is not an idea. 1t must be reduced to practical
reality Men in freedom deny themselves things which
seem to be embraced in the idea Of universal freedom
It is with you to give evidence to the world and to
the people Of the United States whether you going
to appreciate this great boon it should be- and that
you are freedmen.
Let ne thank you for the compliment you have paid
me here to-day, and paying your respects to me-
repeat again, the time will come when you will
know who have been your best friends, and whether
larn not been ynur friend.