The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-09
Reply ef:the Colerea Delegation - the
PrestAsn&.
WAmxoros,F Feb. 8

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.
The following is the published reply of the
colored delegation to President johnson,
prepared after they had their interview with
him yesterday:
Mr.. PREsIDENr-In consideration of del
icate sense of propriety, as well as of your
own repeated intimations of indisposition to
discuss or to listen to reply to the views and
opinions you were pleased to express to us in
your elaborate speech to day, the undersigned
would respectfully take this method of reply
ing thereto. Believing, as we do, the views
and opinions expressed IN that address are
entirely unsound and prejudical to the highest
interest of our race, as we'll as of our country,
we cannot do otherwise than oppose the
same, and as far as may be in our power, arrest
their dangerous influences. 1t is not necessary
at this time to call attention to more thantwo
or three features of your remarkable address.
The first point to which we feel especially
bound TO take exception is your attempt to
found policy opposed to our enfranchise-
ment, upon the alleged ground Of an existing
hostility On the part Of the former slaves to-
wards the poor white people Of the South.
We admit the existence of this hostility, and
hold that it is entirely reciprocal but you OBJ
viously commit an error by drawing an argu-
ment from an incident of a state of slavery,
and making it basis for policy adapted to
q state of freedom.
The hostility between the blacks and whites
Of the South is easily explained. 1t has its
root and sap in the relation of slavery and was
encouraged on both sides by the cunning Of
the slave masters. Those masters secured
their ascendency by putting enmity be-
tween them. They divided both to conquer
each. There was no earthly reason WHY the
blacks should not hate and fear the poor whites
when IN state of slavery, for il was from this
class that their masters received their slave
catchers, slave drivers and overseers They
were the men called upon on all occasions by
the masters when any iendish outrage was 10
be committed upon the slave. Now, sir, YOU
cannot but see that the cause of hatred be-
ing removed, the hatred must be removed
also, slavery is abolished, the cause so out
ragged is removed. and you must see that it is
altogether illogical-putting new wine into
old bottles, mending new garments wieh old
clothes, to legislate from slave holding aud
slave driving premises, for a people whom
you have repeatedly declared your purpose
to maintain in freedom. Besides. even If il
were true, as you alleged, that the hostility of
the blacks toward the poor whites must nee
essarily be the same IN a state of freedom as
In a state of slavery, in the name of heaven.
we reverently ask, how can you. in view Of
your professed desire to promote the welfare
ofthe black man. deprive him of all means of
defence, and clothe his foes in the panoply of
political power! Can it be that you would
recommend a policy which would arm the
strong and cast down the defenceless? Can
you by any possibility of reasoning regard this
as just, fair or wise? Experience proves
that those ofenest abused are those who
can be abused with the greatest impuni,y
Men are whipped ottener VII are whipped
easiest.
Peace between races is not to be secured
by degrading one race and exalting another;
by giving power to one race and Withholding
1t from another.
On the colonization subject which you were
pleased to broach, very much could be said.
1t ls impossible to suppose, in view of the
usefulness of the black men in time of peace
as laborer, in the South, and in time of war
as a soldier at the North, and the growing re-
spect for his rights among the people, and
his increasing adaptation to high state of
civilization in this his native land, there can
come time when he can be removed from
this country without a terrible shock TO its
peace and prosperity. Besides, the worst en-
emy of the nation could not cast upon its fair
name greater infamy than to suppose that
the negroes could only be tolerated among
them in a state of the most degrading slavery
and they must be cast away and driven into
exile for no other cause than having been
freed from their chains
Gro. L. DOWNING, JoHS JOKES,
wv. WHIPPER, FRED. DOUGLASS,
LEWIS ii DOUGLASS, and others.