The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-10
We shall not let the people il that state

determine the depository Vi its ponHe'i
power than anybody else, and IT. Is fpr
the Legislature for the people OF Ohio
to say who shall vote and not for the
CONGRESS Of the United States. Imight
90 down here to the ballot-box to-mOr-
row and vote directly for universal suf-
o 'frrage: butifagreat majority Of the people
a'2 said 10, / should consider it would be
tyrannical in inc to attempt to force
such upon them without their will, Il:
isa fundamental tenet in my creed that
the will of the people must be obeyed
.s.isthere anything wrong orunaffaar in.
that? s,sg, a..,.il ..s. .i.+ AZ ap
Mr.. Douglas (smiling.) A great deal
that is wrong, Mr.. President, with all
"' The President. 1t is the people of the
lo states that must for themselves deter
mine this thing. do not want to be
engaged in work that will commences
war ofraces. 1 want to begin the work
lief preparation, and the states, or the.
n people in each community, il a man
: demeans himself well, and shows evil
,odence that this new state of affairs will
lo operate. will protect HMM all his rights,
Rand give. him every ossible advantage
in when they become reconciled socially
ar. and politically to this state of things.
III Then will this new order of things work
raw tremendously; but forced upon the people
IN before they are prepared for it, it wilIbe
tIe resisted, and work inharmoniously !
feel q conviction that driving this mat
-ni ter upon the people, upon the communi-
.ri.ty. will result in the injury. of both
b races, and the ruin Of one or the other.
God knows I have no desire but the
+. rood of the whole human race. IwOuld
,,,t Il were so that all you advocate could be
done in the twinkling Of an eye; but it
lis not in the nature of things, and do
-st not assume orpretend to be wiser than
Providence, or stronger than the laws of
.5anature.y sgaA ] a3C 49,, ~
governing this thing. There is great
law controlling it; let us endeavor to find
out what the law is, and conform our
actions to it.. All the details will then
properly adjust themselves and work out
well in the end. .fN
God knows that anything can do
will do. In the mighty process by
.it.y which the great end is to, be reached,
anything / can do to elevate the races,
to soften and ameliorate their condition
III / will do, and to be able to do so is the
VI sincere desire of my heart.
5sr,l. L am glad to have met you, and thank
h you for the compliment you h ave paid
s me. el la41 N. +l5JGje Nv tA.n
-eI Ar. Douglas. have to return to you
v our thanks, Mr.. President, for 50 kindly
ID granting us this interview. We did not
lt..s come here expecting to argue this ques.
81 ton with your Excellency, but simply
o. Il to state what were our views and wishes
Il in The premises. five were, disposed 10
argue the question, and you Would grant
1d us permission, of course, we would en-
deavor to controvert some of the positions
. you have assumed. sHoG Tn ~
Mr.. Downing. Mr., Douglass, I take
1e il that the President, by his kind ex-
and his very full treatment OF
rsfi the subject, must have contemplated
4, some reply to the views which he has
q :. advanced, and in which we certainly do
sdi not concur, and L say this with due
~ respect. ng iH Ia. oao, 5sialoa ~
iov ine President. Thought you expect
iiloi ed me to indicate to some extent what
-0q my views were on the subjects touched
upon in your statement. 9g.4t ii... III -,
uei Mr.. Downing. We are very happy,
AZ indeed. to have heard them. hsaf In
HesfiiaMr. Douglass. If the, President will
ais allow me, would like to say one or two
-9b words i'm reply. You enfranchise
ri your enemies and disenfranchise your
-oo friends. a % atsl ol4shlt =,
iuabfslhea President. All have done Is
-n simply to indicate what my views are,
va AS supposed you expected me. to, from
.Ia.ls Mr.. Douglass. My own impression is
3 that the very thing that your Excellen-
en- cy would avoid in the southern states
+ +. can only be avoided by the very measure
aah that we propose, and | would. state to
n, my brother delegates that because
3 perceive the President has taken strong
eli, ground in favor of a given policy, and
sd distrusting my own. ability to remove
r. any Of those impressions which lie has
expressed, thought we had better end
the interview with the expression of
M thanks. addressing the President
But il your Excellency will be pleased
9s; tohear, would like to say word or
lil two in regard to that one matter of the
Id; Acknowledgement Of the blacks as a
as4 means of preventing the very thing
b which your Excellency seems to appre-
jahend--that is q conflict of races. f,,a
President. | repeat, merely
y wanted to indicate my views in reply to
i your address, and not to enter into any
general controversy, as l could not well
rad do so under the circumstances, arl. III
difsi Your statement was a very frank one
.ass and thought it was due to you to meet
.ae it in the same spirit. i-..sa bu
,o4r Mr.. Douglass. Thank you, sir. IA
ia The President 1 think you will find,
SO far as the South is concerned, that If
you will all inculcate there the idea in
connection with the one you urge, that
n !. the colored people can live and advance
in civilization to better advantage else
where than crowded right down there in
the South, it would be better for them.
10 Mr.. Douglass. But the masters have
the making of the laws, and we cannot
get away from the plantations 4
The President. What prevents you? 4
T Mr.. Douglass We have not the |
single right of locomoton through the |
southern states now. te'-.' Ell
The President. Why not; the Gov
eminent furnishes you with every fa-
cility. isisf-..g. l,, t..,t.f ..-... ( 1
Mr.. Douglas. There are six DAYS i'm
the year that the negro in the South
now, and his master decides for hin,
where he shall go, where he shall work
how much he shall work-in fact, he is
Invested of all political power. He is
absolutely in the hands of those men.
The President. If the master now
controls him or his action, would he
not control him in his vote? ~
Mr.. Douglas. Let the negro once nm
derstand that he has an organic right to
vote, and he will raise up a party in the
southern states among the poor. who
will rally with him. There Is this con-
T. i