The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-07-24
CEN suxLEs, SPEECH.

the residence OF Iile OOluuidhuiuS Ooh-
eral on Charlotte street, and in re-
Spouse to loud and repeated calls from
the assembled multitude, General Sick
i les appeared and addressed them as fol-
lows
Ny Friends II am happy to re-
ceive your demonstrations ofregard. 1t
is gratifying to observe your hearty APP
probation of this anniversary. For
YOU the declaration of Independence
had peculiar significance. To the ma
ton it brought liberty but to you it
restored manhood. 1t is true enough,
.your race has awaited almost hun
idred wears for the fulfilment of the
pledge made to civilization by the i'm
mortal authors of the Declaration OF
Independence. Jefferson and his col
leagues had more faith in humanity
than their immediate successors. The
statesmen Of the epoch of the revolu'
ton desired to form permanent union
of States, to establish justice, to insure
domestic tranquility, and secure the
blessings of liberty to all the children
of the Republic. To day the musical
bells of ST. Michaels celebrate in fitting
chimes our progress in the work, begun
acentury ago by the fathers of the Re-
public. To-day, the flag which floats
unchallenged throughout the Carolinas,
is the symbol OF justice and liberty to
all, loud cheers. +
Your old masters and you begin to
4 know each other better. 1t is with
you and them, as with North and
South, better acquaintance promote
good understanding. Every day more
kindly feelings are expressed towards
you as freemen, as free laborers, and as
citizens. Errors and illusions are pass
ing away. In 1s65--66, l was admon-
ished not to permit you to celebrate
your holidays in multitudes, with pro-
cessions and banners, and music, and
marshals, and bonfres, and firearms,
and fireworks. Why? Because it was
said you would rise in Instruction
Against whom ? for what ? I demand
ed. Not against the authority of the
United States for that authority has
made them free. Nor against their
former masters for as slaves they did
not rebel. Not against me for I am
here to protect them from injustice.
No; ] was told the colored people
would have land, and they would seize
it, and drive away the lawful owners
of the soil. Times have changed, insur-
rection is only remembered as night
mare. Whenever colored man
: wants land, it is seen that he buys it
from any one willing to sell or hires
land, if he can find any one willing to
let it to him. (Cheers.) ruu n.
Here / will offer suggestion. There
are many plantations in these States
not cultivated at all, or only half Guilt
waited. If the owners, who can neither
plant nor afford to keep their lands idle,
would divide their useless lands into
small farms Of twenty acres each, and
sell them at fair prices to honest, indus
trious and thrifty laborers, the cry of
confiscation' would soon be lost in
the glee of busy labor-the noise of
landless agitators would be hushed in
the repose of a contented, happy peas
antry. (Cheers.)
When was sent to the Carolinas, in
the autumn of 1865, | was told that the
freed people would never work for wa
ges-that they could not be made to
understand what it was to work for wa
ges. Now, I hear different complaint
that the freed people would not work
without wages. Loud cheers and
laughter.)
e. / was told, also, that it would never
do to admit eolored people to the courts
of jnstice to assert their rights by suits
at law; or to give testimony in contro-
versies between man and man for it
was said you could not comprehend the
meaning and obligation of an oath, OR
the forms Of judicial proceedings. Now
hear that unless colored man has
lawyer and a lawsuit, he does not con-
slider himself a respectable citizen.
Oaughter.)
| was told, also, that it would be USE
less to establish schools for the instruc-
ton Of the blacks it was insisted they
were not capable of learning-their
heads were too thick, and their brains
too small. Loud laughter.) Now I
hear that SO many free schools for col
ored children are filed with colored
pupils, taught by colored teachers, that
public opinion is aroused to the impor-
lance of providing for the education of
the poor whites Nay, more; in some
places the school houses for the colored
race need the protection of my bayo-
nets and am assured if colored people
could not learn, society would not hate
their teachers, nor fear their schools,
and mobs would not attack and de.
stroy their school houses. (Sensation.)
| was told, also, that it would be alb
surd to make citizens of freed people,
because they would never know any
thing about politics that they would
be led to the ballot box like sheep to
pasture, without caring whether they
were voting for friends or foes. Now
l hear that the colored people divide
their spare time about equally between
religion and politics; and that they are
almost as particular about the politi-
clan they trust as they are about the
preacher they choose to pray for them.
(Applause and laughter.)
Here, my friends, is the lesson
wish to impress upon your minds. You
have to prove, that your race is capa-
able of progress; and then you will
have the right to share, in all that be-
longs to civilization. And to those
who look with distrust and fear upon
your advancement, let me say to