Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-02-22
Visit Colore TO the ent--Speech
Fred. Douglass--Reply of the President.


Fred. Douglass--Reply of the President.
The telegraph has already briefly announced
the views of the President on negro suffrage, as
expressed to delegation of colored men, who re-
Gently had an interview with him. The delega-
ton consisted of thirteen persons, from different
portions OF the union---amopg the Calvin Pepper
fwhite,) and John NJ. Brown and Alexander Dun
lap (colored) from Virginia The president shook
hands kindly with each member of the delega-
tion-Fred. Douglas first advancing for that pur-
pose George T. Downing then addressed the
president saying:
NJ. President We come to you in the name of
the colored people of the United States. We are
delegates from Illinois, Wisconsin, Alabama,
Florida. Maryland. Pennsylvania, New York, the
six New England States, and the District OF Co
lumbia. We are not satisfied merely with an
amendment prohibiting slavery, but we want it en-
forced. We are Americans and citizens OF fhe
United States and bear no doubtful record. On
this fact we base our hope. We also cherish the
hope that we may be fully, enfranchlsed, not only
here in this District but throughout the land
Fred Douglass then said Mr.. President, we
are not here to eniighten you, sir, to your du-
ties as the chief magistrate of THIS republic but to
show our respect, and to present. III br1e1, the
claims of to your favorable consideration;
Tn the order of Divine Providence you are placed
in a position where you have the power to save or
destroy ,,s-to bless or blast mean our whole
race Your noble and humane predecessor placed
in our hands the sword 20 assist in saving the ma
ton, and we do hope thatyou, his able successor
will favorably regard the placing i'll hands the
ballot with which 20 ourselves. 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 it not improper
that we should ask to share in the privilege of this
condition. ] have no speech to submit on tins
occasion / simply submit these observations as
a limited expression of the views and feelings OF
the delegation with which have come.
The president said If have not given evidence
in nv past course that [ am friend to humanity,
and especially to the colored population. then l
can give no evidence for what may DO hereafter.
EVERYTHING that have had, both as regards lie
and property, has been per1ed III tins cause ana
T feel and think that I understand what should
be the true direction of this question, and what
course of policy would result in the ameloration
and ultimate elevation, not only of the colored,
but the great mass of the people of the United
States say, that if I have not given evidence
that am friend of humanity, and especially the
friend of the colored man III my past conduct,
there is nothing that [ can do now that would be
guarantee for the future I repeat, all that l
possessed in life. liberty and property have
been put up in connection with that
question, when I had every inducement
held out to take the other course. by adopting
which T would have accomplished, perhaps, all
that the most ambitious might have desired. If
they have been for the colored man. 1have owned
slaves and bought slaves, but never sold one. l
might say, however, that practically so far rs my
connection with slaves has gone, have been their
slave instead of their being mine. Some have
even followed me here, while others occupying
and ENJOYING my property with my consent. For
the colored race, my means, my time, my all have
been peTilled and now, at this late day, after CIV
ing evidence that is tangible, that is practical,
am free to say to you, that do not like to be ar
,oS Inv wi n oct
rounded periods and deal in rhetorical talk about
abstract ideas of liberty, who never perilled life
liberty or property. This kind of theoretical
hollow impractical friendship, amounts to but
very little While say TINT I am o friend Of the
colored man, do not want to adopt policy that
Lelieve will end in contest between the races
which, if persisted in, will result in the extermi
nation Of one or the other. God forbid that
should be engaged in such work
Now it is best to talk practically and IN com
mon sense way Yes, I have said and repeat
here, that if the colored in the United States
could find other Moses that would be more able
and efficient than myself, would be his Moses to
lead him from bondage to freedom ; that would
pass him from land where he had lived in slave
ry to a land-if it were in our reach-of freedom
Yes, would be willing to pass with him through
the Red Sea to the land OF pronllse--the land OF
liberty But am not willing, under either cir
Icumstance, to adopt policy which believe will
only result in the sacrifice of his life and the shed
ding of his blood. I think l know what I say, I
feel what say, and 1feel well assured that if the
policy urged by some be persisted ill., it will re-
suit in great in Jury to the white as well as to the
colored man. There is great deal of talk about
the sword in one hand accomplishing an end and
the ballot accomplishing another.
We talk about justice, and say that the white
man has been in the wrong i'll keeping the black
man in slavery as long AS he was. That is all true
Again, we talk about the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence and equality before the law. We under
stand all that, and know how to appreciate it. Let
us look each other in the face: Suppose we should
by some magic, tell every colored man he could
vote tomorrow, how would that amellorate their
condition to-day? But let get closer up to this
thing. WAS opposed to slavery on two grounds
First, it great monopoly, enabling those who
controlled and owned it to constitute an arlstocra
cy-enabling the few to derive great profits and
rule the many. I was opposed to 1t secondly up
on the abstract principle of slavery 1t has now
been abolished A great nations guarantee has
been given on the subject, and cannot be revoked
In Tennessee there are twenty-seven non-slave-
holders to one Shareholder, yet the slaveholding
power controlled that State. Have you never
lived on plantation? addressing Douglass.
Douglass. 1 have, sir.
The President When you looked over and saw
la poor white with a large family of children
did you not think less of that man than of your
masters negroes? Don't we know, furthermore
to get at this great idea and it out distinctly
that on New Years day they would hire to man
who owned slaves in preference to one who did
not own them?
We all know that such the with large
majority of YOU i'll those sections. Where such is
the know there is enmity, know
there is hate The poor white man, on the other
hand, opposed to the slave and his MASTER for
the colored man and his master combined kept
him IN slavery by depriving him of fair partici
patton in the labor and productions of the rich
land of the country. Don't you know that col
ored man is going to hunt MASTER as they call
it? For the next year they will prefer living with