The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1866-05-05
spEECH OF THE PRESIDENT

SPEECH OF THE PhES1DEN
To CoLoRED SOLDIERS AND OTHERS
Washington. April 20.-Two regiments
of colored troops, various associations
and citizens of color, numbering several
thousand. celebrated yesterday the
emancipation of the slaves in the District
of Columbia, and proceeded to the Ex-
ecutiye Mansion, where the President
thus addressed them:
Nv colored friends, have more to say
4o you on this occasion, than to thank
Won for this compliment you have paid
In presenting yourselves before me, on
this, your day of celebration. l come
forward for the purpose of indicating my
anprobation and manifesting my appre-
citation of the respect thus offered or con-
ferred, thank you for the compliment,
and mean what say; and will remark
in this connection that the time will come
and that before great while, when the
colored population of the United States
will find out who have selected them as
a hobby and pretense by which they can
be successful in obtaining and maintain
ing power, and who have been their tru-
est friends, and wanted them to partici-
pate and enjoy the blessings of freedom.
The time will come when it will be made
known who contributed as much as any
other man, and who, without being con-
sidered egotistical, | may say, contribu-
ted more in producing 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, and giving national
hot sic hon
be permitted to exist or to be reestablish-
ed in any State in the jurisdiction of the
United States. know how easy it is to
cater to the prejudices and how easy it
is to excite the feeling of prejudice and
malice. I care not that have been en-
gagged in this work in which my all has
oeen staked. was not engaged in it as
hobby, nor did ride the c0lored man
or the sake of giving power to what l
lid, but for the purpose of establishing
The great principle of freedom, and thank
God feel and know it to be so, that my
Efforts have contributed as much, if not
more, in accomplishing this great nation
al guarantee than those of any other liv-
ing man in the Uuited States. [Enthu-
siastic applause 1t is very easy for
colored men to have pretended friends
ensconced in high places, and far remov-
ed from danger, whose eyes have only
abstractedly gazed on freedom, who have
never exposed their lives OF property,
and who never contributed six pence in
the furthcraucr uf the great cause, Whlle
another periled his all, and lost every
thing sacred and dear to man; and those
he had raised and who lived with him,
now enjoy his property with his consent,
and received his aid and assistance. Yet
some others who have done nothing are
considered the great defenders and pro-
tectors of the colored man. Irepeat, my
colored friends hete to-day, that the time
will come, and it is not far distant, when
twill be proved who are your best friends.
My friendship, as far as it goes, Is not 1or
place or power, for have thes already.
1t has been, a principle with ME, and
thank God that the great principle has
been established, so that whenever
being,'' in the language of a distinguish
ed orator, ''trades American soil, his soul
swells within him in appreciation OF the
great truth that he stands forth redeemed
and regenerated by the genious of uni
versal emancipation" Applause. Then
let me mingle with you in the celebration
of the day which commenced your free
dom. do it in all sincerity and truth,
and trust in God that the blessings which
have been conferred may be enjoyed and
appreciated by you, and that YOU may
give them proper direction. There Is
something for all to do. You have sol
emn duties to perform and you are to re-
member that freedom is not an idea. 1t
must be reduced to practical reality.
Men in freedom deny themselves things
which seem to be embraced in the idea
of universal freedom. It is with you to
give evidence to the world and to the
people of the United States, whether you
are going to appreciate this great boon
rs it should be, and that YOU are freed
4 men.
Let me thank you for the compliment
you have paid me to-day. Irepeat again,
the time win come when you will know
who have been your friends, and whether
i have not been your friend.
q We have racy bit of gossip from
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