Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-02-13
NO. 13.

/ eAS Noi9 ehihb tudt yOWI GACeleuCy WOulQ
avoid in the southern States can only be
averted by the very measure that we propose
and would state to my brother delegates,
that because l perceive the President has ta-
ken strong ground in favor of given policy,
and distrusting my own ability to remove
any of those impressions which he has ex-
pressed, thought we had better end the in
. teryiew with the expression of our thanks.
addressing the President) But, if your
Excellency would be pleased to hear, would
like to say word or two in regard to
that one matter of the enfranchisement Of
the black as means of preventing the very
thing which your Excelency seems to ap.
prehend-that is a conflict of races
! The President-I repeat, merely wanted
to vindicate my views in reply to your ad
dress and not to enter into any general con.
troVersyi as could not well do so under the
circumstances. Your statement was a very
frank one, and thought it was due to you
to meet it in the same spirit
Mr. Dougass-Thank you, sir.
The President-I think you will find, so
far as the south is concerned, that if you
will all inculcate their ideas In connection
with your own, that the colored people can
live and advance in civilization to better ad-
vantage elsewhere than crowded together in
the south 1t would be better for them
Mr.. Douglass But the masters have the
making Of the laws, and we cannot get away
from the plantations.
The President-What prevents your
Mr.. Douglass-We have not the simple
right of locomotion through the southern
States now
The President-If the master now controls
him or his action, would he not control him
in his vote?
MIR. Douglass-Let the negro once under.
stand THAT he has right to vote, and he will
raise party in the southern States among
{ the poor who will rally with him. There is
this conflict that you speak of between the
wealthy STAKEHOLDER and the poor man
The Presdent-You touch right upon the
point there, There is this conflict, and
hence | suggest emigration. If he cannot
get employment in the south, he has it in his
power to 60 where he can get it.
In parting, the President said, that they
were both desirous of accomplishing the
same ends, but proposed to do so by follow
ing different roads.
/ Mr. Douglass, on turning to leave, re-
marked to his fellow-delegates, "The Presi-
dent sends us to the people, and we will
have to go and get the people right"
The President-Yes, sir; have great faith
/ in the people. believe they will do what
Is just, and have no doubt they will settle
! this question right, and hope that it will be
} submitted TO them for final action.
The delegation then bowed and withdrew.
REPLY OF THE CoLoRED DELEGATION TO THE
PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON, Feb s.-The following IS
the published reply of the colored delegation
to the President after they had had their in.
terview with him yesterday:
Mr.. President:-In consideration OF a deli.
cate sense Of propriety, as well as your own
repeated intimations of indisposition to dis.
0 cuss or to listen to reply to the views and
opinions you were pleased to express to US
: IN your elabolate speech to-day, the under
, signed would respectfully take this method
Ut replying thereto.
q Believing as we do that the views and
opinions you expressed in that address are
nlirely unsound, and prejudicial 10 the high
ST interests OF our race, as well as our coun.
ry al large, we cannot do other than expose
ne same, and, as far as may be in our bower
arrest their dangerous influence 1t is not
n, necessary at the present time, to call atten-
ion to more than two or three featurps of
your remarkable address. The first point to
{ which we teel especially bound to take ex.
ieplon is your attempt to found a policy op.
iosed TO our entfanchisement upon the al
eyed ground Of an existing hostility on the
- lart OF the former slaves towards the poor
Il white people OF the south.
l. We admit the existence of this hostility
). and hold that it is entirely reciprocal; but
you obviously commit an error by drawing
s an argument from an incident OF a state Of
e slavery and making ii basis for a policy
n adapted to a state of freedom.
The hostility between the whites and
blacks OF the south is easily explained It
v mas its root and sap in the relation of slavery
1t and was excited on both sides by the cum
:, ming of the slave masters These masters
1, secured their ascendancy over both the poor
= whites and the blacks by putting enmitv be-
II tween them. They divided both to conouer
e each. There was no earthly reason why the
h blacks should not hate and dread the poor
whites when in state of slavery, for il was
rom this class their masters received their
ID slave-catchers, slave.drivers and overseers.
.e They were the men called on upon all occa-
n slons by the masters when any fendish out
u" rage was to be committed upon the slave.
lie Now, sir, you cannot but perceive that the
)r cause of this hatred removed, the effect must
,r be removed also. Slavery is abolished. The
:, cause OF antagonism is removed, and YOU
70 must see that is altogether illogical, and put
is ting new wine into old bottles, mending new
Ig garments with old cloth, to legislate from
n saveholding and slayedriving premises for
a people whom you have repeatedly declared
az your purpose TO maintain in freedom
s. Besides, even if it were true, as YOU al
vs. lege, that the hostility of the blacks toward
u the poor whites must necessarily project
itself into state of freedom as il did in a
TO state of slavery, in the name of Heaven we
te reverently ask how can you, in view of your
n. protessed desire to promote the welfare Of
;s the black man, deprive him of all means of
- defence, and clothe him who you regard as
10 his enemy in the panoply of political powerg
Ii Can 1t be that you would recommend a poll
cy which would arm the strong and cast
~ down the defencelessg Can you bv anv
possibility OF reasoning regard this as Just,
u fair or wiser Experience proves that those
re are ottenest abused who can be abused with
lr the greatest impunity, Men are whipped
re ottenest who are whipped easiest. Peace
-. between the races is not to be secured by de-
II grading one race and exalting another, by
I'd giving power to one race and Withholding Il
We from another, but by maintaining a state of
"a equal justice between all classes, first pure
1t and then peaceable.
On the colonization question you worc
at pleased TO broach, very much could be said
I'd 1t is impossible to suppose, liz view of tht
=, usefulness OF the black mad in time Of neacf