The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-06-07


officer been promulgated which restores to po-
litical power almost all those. engaged 10 rebel.
lion, whom Congress deemed II necessary, for the
safety Of the Republic, to disfranchise for their
attempted overthrow Of the Goysrnmenti thus
eyading the law and thuarting and everything
the wise orders Of the generals IN command,
regulating the registration Of loyal men only as
In 4 few days, unless checked BY the near ap.
proaeh Of the meeting or Congress, an executive
order will be promulgated proclaiming that the
military reconstruction act does not give 10 the
commanding otioer Of tho District any right or
power TO interfere with the civil government Of
these States. II that be 50, Il follows that the
removal Of tho rsd-handed Mayor Monroe, of
New Orleans, by Sheridan, the suppression Of
the riot-fostsring city government Of Mobile
BY Pope, and the wise and much.nsedsd legisla-
tive order Of Sioklss, reducing South Carolioa to
live under a government Of law are all illegal
and void. II must follow as q logical sequence,
now that the fear Of Immediate impeachment
seems to be removed, that the gallant Sheridan
will DO superseded TO give place TO some officer
supposed to be more plant TO the will Of the
Administration. And 10 what end : That the
present organization Of tho Government Of these
States may remain intact to perpetuate landed
aristocracy, fatal to the advance Of the cause Of
liberty and equal rights Is 10 not q sefe vident
political truth that whore the land 10 hold IN
large tracts BY the employer, TO be titled By the
employed, there cad be no Just and true fold for
the exercise Of republican oitiIenshipl And It
10 one OF the pressing exigenoiss Of the country
as the very basis Of reconstruction. that some
plan must be devised BY which the lands Of the
South may be divided among those who shall 90.
With regrets al not being able to b. with you
TO elaborate these suggestions I have made, I
have the honor to be your obedisnt servant,
iiF.I- 49, BENZ. y. BUTLER.
few remarks explanatory Of the course Of the
gentleman whom heh Vas about to introduce
said, now introduce TO you 'Mr. wm. a. Cook
Mr. Cook stepped forward and said that they
could see that thsrs vas not much Of him. He
said there was = class Of citiIsus In Washington
who supposed that, although thsy grew up In
soil, they were superior and were little cleaner
than the party that voted and won at election
day. He spoke Of the sanctity Of tho IaieHi.
geRoer aud AldermGnio proportions Of Tom Flor.
ence, and wished they were hero tonight 70 sec
the crowd and End out whore tho party came
from. he knew that the negroes, as they we're
termed, would not 60 back into Maryland or
Virginia. they were going TO stay here and finish
the work. There was q defunot Council and
Board Of Aldermen, and Dick Wsiiach would not
be the next Mayor. The speaker spoke Of the
difference between whom they were slaves and the
present time. Abraham Lincoln, IL he,swas
living, would glory In a soene like this. Con.
right Of suffrage here, and nobly had they exsr-
cised II. They had begun In GeorgetoWn, and
the intelligence had flashed over tho wires that
''niggsrs could vote. :" They repeated Il here,
and they were triumphant, and liberty had won,
and the conservatises had held their last meeting
whom you had your jubilee, The time has come
for you not only to vote but to hold Office He
advised the Conservatives to give up old fogy.
ism. This was an age Of progress, and the
leaders wero coming OUT He said he would
talk on, but there were others who wished to
speak, bat this was grand hour. He told
them to act kindly toward their foes. unless they
endeavorod to tear down the old stars and stripes,
then he wanted the concentrated wrath Of mil.
lions hurled upon thsni get treat them kindly,
but never give up one iota' Of your principles.
God, who was above the stars, would protect
them ALL and he concluded hi. remarks by ad-
rising them never to give up, and took his seat.
Mr.. John R. Elvans, alderman, elect Of tho
he felt too exhausted to address them at length,
yet ho thought few words would be necessary
for him. He said that Nheu he looked around
the lighted windows above him and thought that
now they belonged to ono party, and In n few
days would belong to another. no seemed to
think, what ~sillnE and gnashing Of teeth"
were fearful in tho contest that you would DO q
power in the land, and they were forced to give
their approval Of their conduct and behavior,
In the contest through which they had just
passed, which set at rest forever whether they
could vote or not. Tho Same provision for the
education of white children must now be made
for the black, Legislation hereafter must be for
mon, without regard to color, rich or poor, for.
eign or native born. II might be In few short
years they before him would be among our
Legislators, and II was their duty 10 prepare
themselves for 1t. By toll every man could pave
his wsy 10 independenoe.,E
~ IL l.
finished up By thanking them for his election,
and took bis seat amid great cheering.
Mr.. Robert Given tcolored) was next intro.
duced to the meeting, and said that he felt more
happy to see them here to night than he did last
Thursday night though he had no apprehension
Of defeat. They met the Conservatives at tho
polls and they defeated them God had created
but one man md one woman, and the. soiorsd
man bad been created 20 aght and vote The same
as any Other man. They, the colored msu had
been called t'gorilas." Now, then, gorillss hal.
been given the shape Of man. could read like him,
down all tho barriers which kept thsm from
schools, studying navigation, and allow them tho
privileges ofleaying II they wero not then capa-
bic Of taking care Of themselves, then put him.
the speaker, In q straight. jacket. He made an
alluEon TO Alderman Lloyd, In reference to his |
terming the colored men 'goiillas," . ,, .. Il
The speaker related numerous anecdotes, and
spoke Of Col Florence as the halter who made |
plenty Of hats for to cover other mems brains,
but never could make one al enough to cover
his own. He spoke Of election day, and Of those
who had been the pioneers that marshaled them |
Lincoln and John Brown. He oonoiud cd his re- |
marks BY proposing three cheers for the Rspub' |
loan party. .r... : .-s. .l.
General MuIIy, and other speakers, were In.
troduced, and the meeting adjourned alta late
hour. ssir, - .N =.