The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1866-02-21


you have the power 10 save or destroy rs;
10 bless or blast Us. mean our whole
race. Your noble and humane predeces.
sor placed in our hands the sword to assist
IN saving the nation, and we do hope that
you. his able successor, will fayorabiy re-
gard the placing in cur hands the ballot
with which To save ourselves.
We shall submit no argument on that
point. The fact that we are the subjects
Of Government, and subject To taxation.
subject to volunteer in the service Of the
country. subject to being drafted. subject
TO bear the burdens Of the State. makes il
not improper hat we should ask TO share
in the privileges Of this condition.
have no speech to make on this occa-
sion. simply submit these observations
as limited expression ofethe views aud
feelings Of the delegation with which have
come. A
RESPONSE or THR PRESIDENT.
In reply 10 some of your inquiries, not
10 make speech about this thing. for il is
always best TO talk plain and distinctly q.
bout such matters. | will say that il have
not given evidence in my course that am
friend Of humanity. aud to that portoin
Of il which constitutes the calored popula-
tinn. can give no evidence here. Every
thing that have hal. both as regards liie
aud pruperiy. has been periled in that
Cause. and feel aud think that I under
stand (not to be egatistic) what should be
the true direction Of this question, and
what course of policy would result i1 the
ameliaraloa and Ultimate elevation. not
only ol the colared. bat Of the great mass
ri the people Of the United States. say
that il have net given evidence that am
friend of humanity, and especially the
friend Of The lcolored man in my past con-
duet. there is nothing that can now do
that would. repeat. all that possessed,
lie. liberty. and property. have been pu,
up IN Connection with that question when
I had every inducemeni held out TO take
the ",her course. W adopting which would
have accomplished perhaps all that the mus,
ambitious might have desired. ifI know
myself. and the feelings of my own heart.
they have been for the culored man. |
have owaed slaves aud bought slaves. but
| never sold oae. might say, however,
that practically. 50 Ear az my connection
sith slaves has gone, l have been their slave
instead Of their being mine. Some have
even folluued me here, while others are
occupying and enjoying nv property with
my consent. For The cnlorrd race nv.
means. my time. my all has been periled !;
and now a, this late day. after giving evil
dence that is tangible. that Is practical. 1
am Tree TO say TO you that dc not like TO
De arragned ty some who can get up hand
somely rounded periods and deal 10 rheto-
ric, and talk about abstract ideas Of liber-
". who neser prriIrd life. liberty, or pro-
perty. This kind 81 theoretical, hollow,
Impractical friendship amounts TO bu, verv
little. While | say that am friend Of
the cnlorrd man. DO not want 20 adopt a
policy that believe will end in a eoniest
between the races. which il persisted in
will result in the determination Dit the one
or the other. God forbid that should be
engaged in such wmk!
N"w. IL is Away best 20 talk about things
practically. and IN a rommun sense way.
Yes. have said. AID repeat here, that If
the colorsd man in the United States could
lind no other Moses. or any Moses that
wUuld be mnre able aud efticien, than my
self, would be his Moses to lead him from
bondage TO freedom; that would pass
him iruin land where he had lived in sla.
very TO land Gf il we're in our reach) Of
freedom. Yes, would be willing TO pass
him through the Red Sea 10 the Land OF
Pronise--to Tie land of liberty--but 1 am
not willing. under either circumstance. TO
adopt q policy which I believe will only
result ia the sacrfice OF bis life aud the
shedding Of his blood. think | know
what | say. feel what say aud | feel
we'll assured that il the policy urged by
ssne be persisted in, twill result IN great