The Portland daily press., 1866-02-13
A Singular Suggestion !.

1l3ins The Springfield Republican, in order to ex-
plain what it is pleased to style less courte-i
av Gus mood than usual in President johnson, in
his interview with the coored delegation, says:
e15'h 1t is quite possible that the President may
s'ss5 sympathize with some Congressman in con-
ff m 90, sidering the establishment. of permanent
colored lobby at Washington. to advise and
direct Congress and the executive in their du-
ii--L ties, as somewhat offensive. D'fi.A -i' ~
I'm 90 No true friend of President johnson would
- ever suggest such plea as this in extenuation
i ~ of supposed lack Of courtesy to any class Of
lnn' our fellow citizens. President johnson is
Hf likely soon to be numbered among those who
'a'oa have occasion to pray, "Delver me from my
ahe' friends" s'2 ny b'ia7i So ,Ha}" sa" taa $50
iIota In the first place the colored people have
% 4h attempted no lobby influence at the federal
u l capital, either with Congressman or the Exec
utive, except in relation to a matter of vital
3b-,3 Importance to their own race and their own
1a 81 best good. In the next place, we should like
to know what possible impertinence or cause
a4aR of offence there can be in their seeking the
si.ss ear of Congress and of the President? Here
sJi9 are four millions of people-thirty-t per
3il cent. more than all who struck for Independ-
gia3b 7ence in '76-who for two hundred years have
lasd been denied all civil rights, who for three
go po fourths of century have been held in abject
d lsgs servitude under our national law, who have
ass 4l had no recognized rights which white man
" bsA or the Hwhite mans government" felt bound
to respect, but who by the fortunes of war are
a.l .sz now made free They have furnished nearly
1s e 100000 soldiers for the Union army; they
toa u have fought and bled for the g.-for flag
ssa51 which had protected their task masters and
laD no defantly waved the slave-pens of their
s..,5 race and kindred; they have done deeds of
.5 ~ r. gallantry at Wagner, Stone River and other
SD, places which the most daring might envy;
.so vi they have suffered massacre at Fort Pill
iiasir low; they have behaved well, been uniformly
a4 true and loyal, and done all that men of high
mod er privileges and better opportunities could do,
..,; and now these four millions send delegation
to Washington to look after their own dearest
s . rights-rights which others do not feel dispos
Diva ed to look after--and we are told tits ofensuel
a9 81 The more shame, then, if it be so. But we do
b. go not believe it.. 1t may be offensive to pro-
8 slavery copperheads, but it cannot be to Presi-
raii 9g dent johnson. 1os 81. easf49l eiin51 1hl ~
aa j He knows that these people have seldom
D 70 troubled Congress with their complaints
'.jonl Others have carried the negro there; polit-
clans have used him like shuttle-cock, while
ala 70 shearer. Now that he is free, emancipa.ed,
90 Ioa and has found voice and tongne of his own,
sr 81 shall it be deemed offensive for him, in the
trts name and behalf of four millions ofloyal peo-
At ed pie, to go to Washington, and have personal
ao-7 talk with members of Congress and the Presi-
a'1e1 dent? tdadeG la20ba9mE ziaI
aasacc Every form of delegation has been to Wash
ington to operate upon Congress and to get
.. the ear of the Executive, and he has received
ss, and treated them kindly, courteously, as he
G .,,.r should. Men have been there from the South
L5ll whose hands were red with the blood of trea-
., .r son, and the President received them to his
-sff audience room and talked with and treated
~ III them respectfully. Committees of disloyal
u t5 women have been courteousy received, who
B. sgd came to intercede for clemency for the arch
8qa rebel himself for whose arrest hundred thou
y--9 sand dollars had been paid from the national
aH rI exchequer. Every interest has been repre-
90 il scented there; men from the valleys and from
.- The mountains, men of gold and men of shod-
.lsn1- dy, men wishing free trade and men asking
.a1q protection, men who speculate in government
1al promises and men who ask to have those
H9 ~ promises removed from the theatre of specu-
= latlon, men with white faces and men with
ldi red faces, men who believe in one wife and
s men who believe in plurality of wives, and
sil all, all have been received pleasantly treated
i.J ,courteously, and no offence taken or given or
even dreamed Of Why, then, should it be
deemed offensive for the representatives of
~, race just coming up from the; condition Of
things to that of manhood, to go up to the
great heart of the nation, to plead their own
cause, to hold up their own recently unmana-
cled hands before the nations head, to employ
, their own newly-loosened tongues in setting
forth their claims to manhood and manhood's
rights, thus trying to enlist that head, with all
its powerful surroundings, in their BEHALF so
that in the great problem of reconstruction
$3.50. the rights of four millions of loyal people may
.uio not be over-slaughed by the clamors of twice
..Iui that number of quondam rebels? If there is
la,s just ground for aoffencen in this we confess
Ir we do not see it. a -.t.aal,o s1i5s.s
ID . alTi5la $500. -.I, i'''..i