Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-08-02

weigh on the city scales.
The Moro CELEBRATION YESTERDAY.
The anniversary of emancipation in the
West Indies was duly celebrated by the
Sons of Ham, and other colored folks yes
terday, by grand feast and dance, at
Mrs. Dennison's grove, on Vance street,
the proceedings closing with mass
meeting, at which several speeches were
made, and an election held for delegates
to the colored State Convention, TO be
held shortly at Nashville. In the morn
ing the Sons Of Ham, (which society by
the way, was established about ten years
since, and is composed of many of the
most intelligent and law-abiding portion
of our colored populatioh,) paraded
Front and Main streets and then marched
to the grounds with music and banners,
being soon Joined by large number of
males and females of their own color
and few white folks. We paid visit
to the grounds in the evening, before
the speaking and voting part of the
programme had commenced, and found
the large crowd there enjoying them
selves after the manner they liked best.
There were many dancing, a few eating
/, from the numerous tables that were
bountifully supplied, while the larger
number were looking at the dancers, in
terrupted asionally by the candidates
for delegates who would advocate their
claims for the peoples suffrage, and
present their tickets in regular style.
The whole affair passed OFF pleasantly,
without any disturbance that we heard
of, excepting that a couple of delegates
were near coming together, on account
of remark made by one in reference to
the other A colored gentleman from
the North, who has been sent here to en-
tighten the darkies as to their rights,
made speech, the following synopsis OF
which we find in this mornings Com
me7cial
This day has no parallel in the his
tory of man, it was one of momentous
Importance, it was preliminary to
grand and glorious epoch in the history
of the down trodden and prosecuted sons
of Africa. This day twenty nine years
ago, England emancipated her slaves in
the West Indies; this day twenty-nine
years ago, thousands of beings having
the human form emerged from state of
servitude, degradation too revolving to
contemplate. No people were ever ty-
rannized over as they had been, my col.
ored citizens-I say citizens-we will
soon be. We have fought fer this coun-
try, and yet are denied the privilege Of
participating in its management We
hare right 10 seats in the Legislative
hall; TO dispense justice from the bench
and 10 exercise the functions Of office as
mach as any rhite men, and more than
the traitors t1hO traiied the United
States flag in the dust In intellect we
are not their interiors. 1t has been
proved by teachers, of wide spread
and stainless reputation shat the intellect
of the colored child was far superior to
that of the white child Most Of our peo-
pie do not pretend to intelligence now,
because three hundred years Of slavery
has benighted their minds. The sixth Of
July was day 20 be celebrated instead
of the fourth. The white mans blood
flowed in his veins, but he owed his in
tellect to his African blood. One of the
= e al nd
thor of the Declaration of Independence
was an anii-slavery man. John Q, Adams
was also an anti,slavery man, and no
article had been inserted in the Consti-
tuition which protected this stain upon
Americas fair name" The same spirit
animated them that animated the white
man; the same blood flowed in their
veins. This was in allusion to Ham
descent The Constitution declares all
men equal They had never rebelled
against the Government, yet rebels
had more rights than they. Let us be
officers of the law, and battle against
the "allied powers Of the whites, or
we will never have justice melted out
to us; the white man, Northern or South
ern, Radical or Conservative, would
never give II 10 them lney might nave
a white friend, but in controversy with
a white man he ,wonld decide against
them. Applause, and cries Of hurrah
for our side 1t was their business to
represent 10 the delegated powers at
Nashville their grievances, and ask for
method of redress Immense applause
-dats what we wants Do away with
social slavery, and the sun never shone
on happier land than this would be.
Andrew johnson had said be had never
bought or sold slave Cries Of ''kase
he didn't have de spondulix j What
had Southern ehivalry done for the couR-
tryP 1t had dehged the country in
blood; had trailed the United States flag |
in the dust, but the eolored man had |
raised il again to its lofty position. The |
had attempted to tighten their
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