The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-06-19
TEXAS.
GOV. HAMILToN's ADDRESS TO THE LOYAL
CONVENTION.
TEXAS.

delivered an address to the Loyal Con-
vention of Texas and an assemblage of
citizens at Austin. He reviewed the
Rebellion and inveighed with great ear
nestness against the criminal folly OF the
ex-Rebels. Referring to them, he said
You have an account to settle before
the people yet. You have not done
with this. You shall confront them,
and shall answer to them, and if God
spares my life pledge myselfto go be-
fore the people of the State and draw
these men up and make them answer
Applause.
1 may not get through, but the same
precautions will not be necessary as two
years ago. The ready rope and conve-
nient limb will not be used as they were
then. There is power in the Govern
ment that will protect the people, what
ever may be their opinion or color, and
the power cannot be exercised now to
suppress the utterances of any honest
man in the country.
1t is no disparagement to the people
| to say that they have had no opportun-
ity to hear the trnth. 1t has been kept
from them for five years. No man dar-
ed to utter it. No paper containing 1t
could circulate. The great heart OF the
people will be responsive to the Govern
ment of the United States whenever
they understand, it generous policy, noble
purposes, and magnanimous amnesty,
extended to all except a few ,and l might
say to many more than deserved it /;
those who accepted and took the oath
and then dcleaim against it and yet
speak of friends of the government rs
public enemies.
Public enemies of whom To every
traitor in the land, of course. That is
the measure of my treason. ] was a
traitor to treason, disloyal to disloyalty,
and that was ALL You want peace and
you want the offices. You wish to con-
troll the destinies ofthe people. [ do
not believe you will do it. Rest assured
you will not do it without struggle,
not only now but in all time to come,
and which will never close until loyal
men attain success, or until the Govern
ment of the United States is broken in
to pieces and destroyed. While that
is a free Government, and it's votaries
can get up and explain to the people,
you will never again be done with it.
1t has been fashionable for men here
to sing hosannas to our brave dead
l.
say about the fallen. Ipresume [ have
as much charity as most men, but if they
are permitted to sing hosannas to their
dead, who are so impatient about the
honor of those who have fallen victims
of the fearful strife, the lovers of the
Union will be permitted to speak ofthe
who have perished in an ignominious
manner on account of their devotion to
the Union.
Some of their bones are still bleach
ing upon the plains or still hanging from
the limbs of trees. 1t has been said
this should not be permitted to be
brought up because it produces unpleas-
ant feelings and if it is brought upit
will produce strife and is q clamoring
for blood Protect those who commit
ted these deeds, as you will by your ac
tion, the Government is powerful enough
to bring them to light and to mete out
to them justice, and l intend to see to it
that this is done. (Applause.)
THE FREE NEGRO.
Democracy and Slavery could not ex-
ist ogether-where could take my
stand ? Upon the side of my boys OF
your slaves? Upon the side ofyour
slaves that my children might be slaves
to slave idol I will tell you that
the masses of this country will be eman-
cipated from the fetters that surrounded
them.
They had been told that if the negro
was made free and elevated above the
/" mudsills' of society it would bring
them down to an equality with the ne
gro. We have now seen that tried
They are no more placed upon an equal
ity with the negro than before. 1t has
not changed their position one iota, but
will tell you what it has done,
By making the negro free you have
secured the freedom ofthe poor white
man, and without it you could not have
done it, Their cause is common one,
whether they believe it or not. Now
you tell me it does not matter so much
about making him free but if you per-
nit him to testify in The courts, then you
are deceived.
Is it necessary to talk about this ? Go
and tell the people the truth-unless
Gods eternal word is untrue-that you
cannot injure any one by elevating poor
fallen humanity. 1t is the noblest work
man can engage in, not only to elevate
himself, but to elevate others.
GRO SUFFRAGE.
You cannot talk patiently about his
voting at all. And now recurring once
more to the position ofmy friends upon
this subject, l will announce nay views
upon it. [ would make a qualification
for voters, and make it applicable to all
black or white, and permit all who come
up to it to vote. You say am radical
upon this subject.
You profess to be great friends of the
President, and are about to appropriate
him noJe,as vote'as, and never permit any
one else to have any interest in him. 1 I
agree with him precisely in this, and do
you ? He says he Is in favor of giving
suffrage to the negro under certain con-
ditions, and you know it. Can you go
before the people of Texas and make
them believe you are better friends to
him than L am? In the face of all this
the people are not as big fools as you
take them to be. They know do not