The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-04-25
Address ss the zPrcsident to tho Coz
IorcHSRooDle. -, 49,. =

i iorcd~Ec0ple. a..
aThe1 regiments of .colosesl troons
and various coloretl civic association
WITH many other colored citizens. as
semblefl III front of the Executive
Mansion, making q dense mass of
coiored faces, relieved here and there
by few white ones y.
After the firing of cannon and the
4 playing Of several martial airs, three
cheers were given for the President of
the United States, who, having been
escorted to prominent position by
United States Marshal Gooling, and
his Private Secretary, Col. VIM. G.
Moore, addressed. the assemblage as
/ follows: : /,
Nix! CoLoRED FIaENps: have
nothing more to say to yon on this
OCCASION than to thank You for this
compliment you have paid me in pre-
scntlng yourselves before me on this
your day of celebration. leone for
ward for the purpose of indicating
my appreciation and manifesting nv
appreciation of the respect thus OF
fered or conferred. | thank YOU for
the compliment, and / mean what l
say and ] will remark in this con-
| lection that the time will come, and
that, too, before !. great while, when
the colored population Of the United
! States will find out who have selected
them us Il hobby and prctcncc by
which they can be successful in OBJ
taimng and maintaining power. and
who have been their trucst friends.
and wanted them to participate and
ENJOY the blessings of freedom The
time Will come when it will be made
known who contributed as much us
| any other man, a:-d who, without
beng considered cgotistical, I may
say, contributed moro in procuring
the great national guarantee Of the
abolition Of slavery. in all the States,
by the ratification of the amendment
to the Constitution of the United
States, giving Il national guarantee
that slavery shall no longer bc per-
mltted to exist OF be re-cstabIishcd
within the jurisdiction of the United
States. know how easy it is to
cater to prejudice, and how easy it is
to excite feelings of prejudice and
unklndness. [ care not for that. 1
have been engaged in this work, in
which my all has been perillcl.
was not engaged in it MS IL hobby.
nor did l ride the colored mcn for
the sake of gaining power What
did was for the purpose of establish
ing the great principle Of freedom;
and, thank God, 1 feel and know it
to be so; that my efforts have contri-
buted as much, if not more, in ac-
complishing this great national guar
antec than those of any other living
man in the United States. t,nthu-
slastlc applause. 1t is Very easy
Tor colored men to have pretended
frends cnsconccd III high places. and
lar removed from danger, whose ewes
have only abstractly gazed on free
uom, VII" have never exposed their
limbs or property, and who never
contributed Il siNpence in fultherance
OF the great cause, while another
pcrilled his all, and put everything
sacred and dear to man, and those
whom he raised and who lived with
hm now enjoy his property with his
consent. and receive his aid and as
sistanre. Yet some assume. ard
others who have done nothing are
considered the great defenders and
protectors of the colored lnan I
repeat, my colorcd friends, here to-
day, the time will come, anl that not
far distant, when it will be proved
who is practically your best friend.
My friendship, rs far rs it has gone,
mas not been for place or power forT
had these already. 1t has been n
principle with me, and. thank God,
the great principle has been estab-
llshed, that whenever amy individual,
III the language Of y distinguished
orator, trcads American soil, ''his
soul swels within him in appreciation
of the great truth that hc stands
forth redeemed, rcgenerated and dis
enthralled by the genius of universal
emancipation" Applause. Then let
me mingle with You in celebration of
the day which commenced your free
dom. l do it in sincerity and truth,
and trust i'll God the blessings Which
have been conferred may be enjoyed
and appreciated by You, and that you
may give them Il proper direction.
There is something for all to do. You
have high and solemn duties to per
form, and yon ought to remember
that freedom is not II new idea. 1t
must be reduced to practical reality.
Men IN being free must deny them
selves many things which seem to be !
embraced in the idea of universal
freedom. 1t is with You to give cvi- !
ucncc to the world and thr ,,on,l. re !