Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-01-26
The { oioIed Men of the District Of Col
hmbiu.

The Coiored Men of the District Of Col
nmbia.
Among the last speeches before the taking
OF the vote on the suffrage bill for the Dis
trict Of Columbia, was that Of Mr.. Van
Horn. of New York, and the itatrments
made by him concerning the amount Of III
tclhgeucc, thrift and patriotism among the
colorcd population Of tie District. doubtless
had something to do with the strength Of
the vote by which it was carried. We copy
from his speech, as reported in the Congres-
fional Globe:
Mr.. VAN Hons said Ilearn that
a large portion Of all the taxes paid into the
national Treasury in this District Is paid by
colored property holders and business men;
some whom pay taxes on sums as high as So
900; whose enterprise and business thrift 60
very far toward giving this District its present
advanced condition Of prosperity, and Shsse
high moral character, as a class, does not sat
for bv COMPARISON with any ether, when we
take into account the favor with which It has
been treated by those who have been superior
to them in point Of privilege.
One Of the colored people o. this District
NAYS faxes on S2O0,00 worth Of property az
cumulaiel by himself; and when we abolished
slavery in the District one Of them, a laboring
man, held mortgage aga INST the estate Of
Senator Douglas for $4,000, and a mortgage
against the adjoining house also, the property
of Senator Rice, for $1,000
-. h.g rf-Ls 70 ia
heard in the administration Of affairs in this
District, to protect itself against injustice and
secure for itself proper direction and share
of the public charities and public expenditures
Ii is remarkable fact, which | hope does not
now exist. that up TO quite recent period this
unfortunate class Of people were prohibited
from forming and sustaining schools by their
own efforts, and at their own expense, for the
education Of their children
What record do these colored people il the
District present to the country? According to
the census Of 1860 the cOloTcd population was
a little les than fifteen thousand. Il has been
somewhat increased Of late, as one Of the con-
sequeuces Of the war, but the statistics which
| hear submit present state and condition Of
things produced by the enterprise, intelligence,
aud thrift Of the population above referred 10,
and before the war
1.-The value Of real and personal property now
owned by them IS over one million two hundred
and hfty thousand dollars.
The value Of church property held by them
is about one hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars, consisting If tweuty-three churches,
which are supported at a cost Of over twenty
thousand dollars per annum. The number Of
church COMMITMENTS Is four thousand three
hundred, while the average Attendance upou
religious services s nine thousand, some Of these
being attendants upon service at Catholic and
Episcopal churches controlled by whites. The
number of Sabbath schools for colorCd PERSONS
is twenty-three, attended by between three and
four thousand pupils.
"Of other schools for colored children there
are thirty-throe, and thu number Of pupils at
tending them during the month Of November,
1865, was four thousand and thirty. SIX Of
these schools are entirely supported bT the col
ored people, others are supported by the gener-
osity Of northern benevolent societies, though
the pecessary books stationery, &c, are furnish
ed chiefly by the colorei people themselves.
Pour thousand Of the colorei population Of
the District can read aud write. They subscribe
for about forty-ive hundred copies of news
papers, a large proportion Of these being daii-
lee.
"Of societies for literary, benevolent, and
other purposes, they have over thirty, and
through the agency Of these they,to a very great
extent. provide for and support the needy and
infrm Of their race in the District. the city gov
eminent having but very small PER cent. Of
coored pauPers to support.
This is the record Of a class Of citizens in
this community, ninety per cent. Of which were
slaves or the immediate descendants Of slsves,
many having purchased their Own freedom and
that Of their families
And what record, sir, have they made dur
ing the war, and since they were allowed to re
enforce our armies, and share in the trials and
honors Of the ''great conflict?
The colored population Of this District. as a I
class, have shown as much devotion to cur /
country during the severe struggle through |
which it was passed as their white neighbors /
They have exhibited, to say the lesst, as high I
order Of loyalty, and IS much of II, as the white
population. They were always true, always .
the friends Of the Government, in sunshine or in
storm, in victory or defeat. While many with
a whittier skln we're plotting treason and con-
spring to overthrow the Government which had
male them all they were, and given them their
daily bread, no treason or conspiracy was ever
found IN their ranks, or stained their hands with
the innocent blood Of the loyal ard faithful de-
fendors Of the Republic.
Out OF a population to which | have referred,
they contributed three full regiments, over three
thousand five hundred enlisted men. while the
white population Of upward of sixty thousand
'ent only about fifteen hundred men fer the sup
port Of the Union, the Constitution. and the
Avs. In all our country's TT ais their loyalty
las never been questioned, and their patriotism
las been unbounded. They volunt, cred with
Ilacri'y " thout the incentives of high pay,
'ounties, or promotions. lei By white officers,
With 10 expectation Of any Advancement in the
anks for gallantry or heroic conduct
Who snail say that this record Is not a good
ne, How dare We turn our backs upon these
eople in view of these facts, when We must
now too, that through all the way we have a
assed the hand Of the invisible has led Us on
D this glad hour Of triumph, that We may do
lsiice. and for the future work the works Of !
gh;eousness that we may be exalted indeed.
ut it is said that the people Of the District are
opposed to the principle of impartial suffrage, /
I'd voted against it by a large majority So !
ere they opposed TO the Government in the
lrk days Of the early part Of the recent var,
Id If they had voted then would no doubt have u
tied down the Government by = large ma
riry.