The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-04-20
The CoIored CeIebration--speech OF
President johnson.

L mASHISGTOS, April lS.-Ihe ce1eDru-
ton of the emancipation of slavery in
the district of Columbia, took place to-
day. Two regiments of colored troops
| and various colored civil associations,
with many other colored citizens, as
sembled in front of the Executive Man
sion, making dense mass of 4colored
faces, relieved here and there by few
white ones. After the firing of cannon
and the playing of several martial airs,
three cheers were given for the Presi-
dent of the United States, who having
been escorted to a prominent position
by United States Marshal Garding and
his private secretary Col. William q.
Moore, addressed the assemblage as
follows:
My colored friends: I have nothing
more to say to you on this occasion than
to thank you for this compliment you
have paid in presenting yourselves be-
fore me, on this your day of celebration.
I am proud for the purpose of indicat-
ing my appreciation and manllestlng
my appreciation of respect thus offered
or conferred. thank you for the COM
pliment, and mean what 1 say, and
make. the remark in this connection,
that the time will come, and that too
before great while, when the colored
population of the United States will
find out who have selected them as
hobby and pretence by which they
can Do
tanning power and who have been their
truest friends, and wanted them topaz
ticipate and enjoy the blessings of free
dom, The time will come when it Will
be made known who contributed as
much as any other man, and who with
out being considered egotistical, may
say contributed more in procuring the
great national guarantee and the aboli-
ton of slavery in all the States by the
ratification of the amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, CIV
ing a national guarantee that slavery
shall no longer be permitted to exist, or
be re-established in any State or 1urlS-
diction of the United States. know
how eaSy it is to cater to prejudice, ana
how easy it is to excite feeling OF
prejudice and unkindness. care not
for that; have been engaged in this
work. in which nv all has been peril
ed. 1 was not engaged in it as hob
by nor did 1 ride "a colored man for the
sake of gaining power WHAT l dio 1
was for the purpose of establishing the
great principles of freedom, and thank
God 1 feel and know ii to be so, that
nv efforts have contributed as much, If
not more, in accomplishing this great
national guarantee than those OF any
other living man in the United States.
Enthusiastic applause.l
1t is very easy for colored men
to have pretended friends ensconced in
high places, and far removed from dan
ger: whose eyes have only nbstractedly
pazed an freedom, who have never eX-
posed their limbs or property, and also
never contracted sixpence in turther--
ance of the great cause, while another
periled his all and put everything sa-
cred and dear to man, and those whom
he raised, and who lived with him now
enjoy his property, with his consent, and
receive his aid and assistance, yet
some assume, and others who have
done nothing, are considered greater
defenders and protectors of the coloreu
man. I respect my colored friends
here to-day. The time will come and
that not far distant when 1t will be
proved who is practically your best
friend. My friendship has as far as II
has gone, not been for place or power,
for had these already. 1t has been
principle with me, and thank God the
great principle has been estaDilshed,
that wherever any individual, in the
language of n distinguished orator,
treads American soil, his soul swells
within him in appreciation of the great
truth that he stands forth redeemed, re-
generated and disentbralled by the ge-
MUS of universal emancipation. Gap
plause.)
Let me mingle with you in the celebra-
ton of the day which commenced your
freedom. do it in sincerity and truth,
and trust in God that the blessings
which have been conferred may be en-
joyed and appreciated by you. and that
you may give them a proper direction.
There is something for all TO do. 9on
have solemn duties to perform, and you
ought to remember that freedom is not
n mere idea. 1t must BIO reduced to
practice in reality, when in being free
to deny themselves many things which
seem 10 be embraced in the idea of
universal freenom. II is with you to
give evidence to the world and the peo-
Pile of the United States whether you
are going to appreciate this great boon
as it should be, and that You are worthy
of being freemen. Then let me thank
YOU with sincerity for the compliment
you have paid me by passing through
here to-day and paying your respects
to me. L repent again that the time
will come when you will know
who have been your best friends and
who have not been your friends from
mercenary considerations. Accept my
thanks.
The bands then struck ups lively
tune. Meantime the President re-
manned and many of the colored per-
sons approaching and shaking hands
with him. The procession then re-
formed and took up the line of march
along Pennsylvania avenue. When
passing the Capitol cheer after cheer
rent the air in compliment to their leg
islator friends. Never before has there
been such a demonstration of the col
ored population in this city, who were
Joined by friends from other localities
There were probably four or five thou
sand ,colored men in the procession,
while ten thousand of the same race
were interested spectators, manifest
ing their joy and gIadness by waving
their hats and handkerchiefs,. and
cheering Justify the passing procession.
ChoIera ON Board the steamer Vir-
ginia.
NEW York. April 19.-The disease on
the steamer Virginia is pronounced to
be Asiatic cholera by the health officer.
She remained at the upper quarantine