The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1867-05-08
RALEIGH, N. c., WEDNESDAY,


his knees praying for your elevation was ta-
ken hold of and dealt with Thus you see
the Northern people sinned with the South
ern people in depressing the colored race,
and we have been punished together for that
sin. l am not here to defend such of my
people as were guilty of these things But
Will tell you there are some of them there
now. Dnring the war they mobbed the ne
groes in New York city, beat and murdered
them in the streets. 1t was the spirit of
slavery that perverts human reason, which
impeled such n en- to such actions.
Now when Abraham Lincoln was elected
President there were four and half millions
of you in slavery, who toiled without wages,
and had the weight of the authority of State
and National governments on your necks.
Now you are lifted up. (Cheers) The Re-
publican party, and its head, that great and
good man, Abraham Lincoln, did this.
(Cries of yes, yes) So when Helpers I'm
pending Crisis was written the Democratic
party undertook to hold us responsible for
that book they strobe the halls of Con-
gress, dared us to elect man in favor of
the abolition of slavery, and said in that
event they would shiver the Union from tur-
ret to foundation stone Well in spite of
these threats as said before, we went to the
polls and elected Lincoln. Then South Car
DINA led the dance of secession. In order
to avert further evils, Mr.. Crittenden offered
usa measure, which he deemed acompromise.
But war was inevitable This Crittenden
compromise made all the territories South
of SO deg, 80 min, slave territory-it re-
quircd US to agree to that, and we could
not do it. for then we would have become
personally responsible for slavery. Before
man and God we could not agree 70 that.
Even Mr.. Badger of your State complained
that he could not take his negroes into the
territories. Old Ben Wade told him that
he had no objection to his taking them
there, but he did Object to his selling them
there. Oaughter). Then the Crittenden
compromise also required us to sanction the
carrying of slaves all through the free States
thus making our States, slave States
Toombs would have thus been enabled to
carry out his threat to call the roll of his
slaves at the foot of Bunker Hill monument.
We could not agree to that. Then it fur
ther required us to amend our State Consti-
tutions so as to deny the colored man the
the right of suffrage thenceforth and forever.
Since 1880 the colored man had voted in
Massachusetts. We now have two intelli
gent negroes, able and gentlemanly persons,
members of our State Legislature. We could
not agree to that demand OF the Crittenden
| compromise. Then we were never to abOl-
| ish slavery in the District of Columbia with
| out asking the consent of old Virginia.
| (Laughter.) And if we did not consent to
these things, then the Southern Congress
men were going to make farewell speeches
on1 fha TIpipn
| what their purpose was in 1861, and why
they plunged into secession. They had
dream somewhat of this claracter-to estab-
great agricultural country down here. an
nexing Cuba, Mexico, and Central America.
Then they had only to say the word and
Europe would bow its head to their man.
dates. This government, my colored-fellow-
citizens, was to be founded on the bruised
hearts of four and a half millions of slaves.
0es yes.) For this they proudly rushed into
rebellion-they made the colored man build
their Notifications. made them teamsters,
cooks, &c. Thus white men were kept to do
the fighting, and enabled to shoot down a
greater number of the boys in blue. Then we
saw and knew that slavery was the backbone
of the rebellion in ten days after the proc
lamation of war, we should have declared
the slaves free. There we failed in doing our
duty. But we did this much, we passed
law emancipating every colored man, cap
tured Ivy our troops, who was attached to
the rebel army. That. my friends, was the
beginning. There were some men up North,
forty y-eight Democrats in Congress represen-
ting that party. who opposed it and denoun-
ced it; now they say that they are your
friends and ask you to trust them. laugh
ter.) The war went on until the hour of
your deliverance came, when Abraham LIN
coin issued his proclamation which has
made his name the most illustrious of the
10Th century. Then we put arms into the
hands of the colored peopleto fight for their
liberty. What did your old friends down here
do? Jefferson Davis issued proclamation
instructing his officers to turn over all officers
of colored troops captured in arms, to the
authorities of these States to be dealt with
as they pleased.
The next thing accomplished was the pas
sage of that great Constitutional amend
ment abolishing slavery in the United States
forever. Then armed rebellion was crushed
the civil rights bill passed, giving you the
equal protection of the laws as citizens of
the United States-then the Constitutional
amendment was proposed, and rejected by
your old friends down here with scorn and
indignation-an amendment which further
secured your rights as freelnen and citizens
of this nation. And last of all, despairing
OF your ever receiving justice at the hands
of your friends who ask you trust them
now, Qaughter) we have passed the
military bill, giving ample protection and
enfranchisement to every loyal man, white
and black, in the late rebellious States ZAP
plause.) Thus your right of suffrage has
been secured. Your old friends, who ask
you to trust them, after opposing this bill,
now say they can't help it, they are conquer
ed, and they acquiesce. They run about af-
ter your votes and plead for them-their
scent is keen as bloodhound's- turn
inside out and outside in. Oaughter.)-
They say they are going to accept it because
they can't help it. desire them to welcome
it because it isright, just and proper. (Cries
of yes, yes, that's SOY
Now, my fellow-citizens, I do not come
down here to dictate, but to advise you
how to vote. Vote in such "a manner as to
protect your rights, and liberties, see to it
that the Constitutional amendment is Moor
porated in your State Constitution
up and finish the work, for your own destiny
is now placed in your own hands. From
May 1885 up to this time, have battled tor
the rights of all men-I never gave a vote
without asking myself how it advanced the
cause of liberty. My advice to you is to do
the same; and to be Industrious and get
money. You wish to own houses and
land. "a voice, "yes. Lord !') That is
rght-save your money and buy land,
for now your little huts are as sa-
cred in the ewes of the law no tbe nalace of