The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1866-02-21
Important Expression Of Views
by the President. .lI
[Erom the Wsshinglon Star oi The 7sla.l

From the Wsshinglon Star Of The 7th.l
This ai,ernson. the delegation of colored
representatives, from different States Of thr
country. now in sWashingioh To urge the
interests Of the colorrd pcople before the
Government had nm interview with the
President. The delegation was made up
as follows; ~
Fred. Douglas. New York; George r..
Downing. representing the New England
States; Lewis II. Douslss (son aT Fred.
Douglss) and Wan. e. Matthews, Of MARY.
land; John JuEes. of Illinois; John, y.
cook. Of the District Of Columbia; !; A. J..
Raynrr. OF South Carolina; Jos. II. Gates,
III Florida; A. w. Ross. &c Mississippi; /;
VIM. Ripper. of Pennsylvania; John NJ.
Brown and Alexander Dunlnp, Of Virgins;
and Calvin Pepper, lwhits) of Virginia.
The President shook hands kindly with
each member Of the delegation.
ADDRESS or oroRGg =. DOWNING.
Mr.. George I. Downing then addressed
the President as fallows:
We present ourselves 10 ysur Excellen.
cy, to make known with pleasure. The re.
sptet which We are glad To cherish for yau
"a respect which is your due. rs our Chief
Magistrate. IL Is eur desire for YOU 10
know that we come feeling that we are
friends. meeting irirnd. We should.
however. have manifested our friendship
BY not csn,inx 70 further tax your already
much burdened and valuable time bur We
have another object 10 calling. We are in
passage equality before the law. Gsd
hath made II by apening He'd Sea. We
w1uld have yoar assistance through the
same. We come 20 yoa IN the name of the
United States. aad are drlesated to comr
OF snme wh" have unjastly wsrn irun man.
aeirs on their bodies-by snme whuse minds
have brrn manaelsd by class legislation in
ssaiss called tree. The colorrd people Of
The States OF ILLNESS. Wisconsin. Alabama,
M,sslssippi. Florida. South Carolina. North
Carolins. Virginia. Maryland. Pennsyl,a.
sia, New York. New England States. and
District Of Columbia. have specially dele.
gaird us ts conc.
Our coming Is . marked Circumstance.
noting deierminrd hope that &c are mol
satisfied with an amendment prohibiting
slavery, bot that NC wish IL enforced with
appropriate lrgislation. This is our de.
s,rs. We ask Tor il intelligen,ly. with the
knawledse aud eonsieiion that the Fathers
alihe Revolution intended freedom Tor g,
rry American. that they should be protect.
ed IN their rights as citizens aud equal BE-.
fnre the Law. We are Americfns. native
born Americans. We are cIiizens, we are
glad to have u known to the world, rs bear.
ing no doubtful record ON this peint. 0u
this tact. aud with confidence 10 the tri.
umph of justice we base our hope. We
see no rreugnitiun OF color or rsce in lhe
arsanie law Of the land. Il knows no pri.
vilsged class, and therefore we cherish the
nope that we nav be fully eniranchised
not only here in this District but through
out the land. We respectfully submit tha
wandering anything less than this will be
rendering TO " less than our just due; tina,
granting anything less than our full rights
will be disregard VI our Just right. ol due
respect ivr our feelings; u the powers tha;
be d. so twill be used as license, as j,
were. or an spalogy Tor any comnunity,
nr fnr individuals thus disposed, To outrage
osr rights and feelings. u ha. bcen sh.wn \
~ the present war that the Go.erumrn,
asay justly reach the strong arm inc. States,
aud demand frun, them, from those who
eve d sllegiance. their assistance aud sun
pcrt. May II DOT reach ou, like arm 70
secure and protect its subjects upen whon,
u has q claim
ADDRESS or rRrp. DOUGLAS.
Following upon Mr.. Downing. Mr.. Fred.
Douglas advanced and addressed the Pres
ident, sayingi
Ma. PassipEsr.--we are not here 10 en-.
tighten you. sir, as 10 your duties as the
Chief Magistrate Of this Republic; but 10
shuw our respect, and to present in brief