The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-01

OF slavery still hung black and heavy. Her |
husband heard that his children wanted to see |
him, and he started to 90 10 them: and then |
word came to this mother and wife that her |
husband was dead.
Before he started he had contracted debt of |
twenty-five dollars. When the news came to |
the mother of his death, what did that woman |
do' She went and paid off the obligation, by
working at nine dollars week. and living In a
house where she was charged five dollars q
month. Look at the dignity of soul in that
woman Her husband dead, no one could have
forced her to pay that debts yet with such
keen sense OF honor and dignity of soul she
takts up the obligation, aud pays 1t off. tnte-
rested friends, let me tell you Andrew JohnsOn's
hands were not clean enough TO clasp that
womans hands, to be her Moses, and lead her
up to freedom.
When sec this faith and trust it is beautiful
But there is another feature OF life among this
people which might impress you just as plea
sanity, aid that is the tender humanity displayed
among them. l have gone into the little cabins
where the light of the sun came through single
window without pane of glass, and yet in that
humble home, they we're taking the children
and sending them to school, and it is thing
you will often see In many of these little homes.
This people, that have gone through this weary
night OF suffering, have come out of 1t with a
tender humanity, clasping in their arms poor
little orphan waits, giving them shelter, school
ing, ana home. (Cheers
And then there is another feature and that Is
their greediness for knowledge. A few weeks
since / was in Louisville Kentucky. They had
just opened school for cOored people, charging
twenty-five cents amonth, believe. The people
were so eager that their children should have
schooling, that by half past nine o'clock it was
necessary for the superintendent to lock the
door because they were oYercrowded with appli-
cants and many OF the parents went away Ia
tears because their children could not enter the
school, This greediness tor knowledge on the
part OF the cOlored man is an element of hope
and of future strength in this Government.
(Appause.)
The ancents had an idea that there was
giant chained under Mount Etna, and that the
eruptions OF the mount tain were caused by his
turning over. So when l go down South, and
see and hear of their eagerness for knowledge,
| see the rising brain OF the colored man. and
hope, my friends, that If any OF the enemies of
humanity shall attempt to build any system of
despotlsm with an idea to the DISTINGUISHING q
lace-m aking it in the name of freedom, and
tortUriDg il with the essence OF slavery-that
the rising brain OF the Colored man will be
evoked and quell the despOtlsm at the start.
In treating this question, think OF the legend
OF ancient Rome, of the chasm that yawned
there, and OF which the sorcerers predicted that
whosoever should bring the most precious gift
should be the means OF closing 1t and OF saving
the CITY, Cassus, thinking that he himself was
the most precious gift, leaped INTO its yawning
jaws. The legend has been repeated in part in
this country. Slavery has made Chasm in our
American republic. 1t has N ade you two people
in the midst of one nation "a people for free
dom and people for slayery--a people for
knowledge and a people for ignorance! And
what have you tried to do? You have been
trying 10 bridge 1t ever by compromise, until
! the history or American poltics is the history
! OF compromise and concessions, from the hour
that Georgia ard South Carolina demanded the
slave trade, down to the last Constitutional
amendment.
Slavery wanted more room, and you gave it
| land enough for an empire. 1t wanted the
power to hunt the trem mbiing fugitive, and the
| Fugitive Slave bill was passed, and the tren.
bling victim was thrown into the chasm. Silll
| II yaWned, and slavery was not satisfied. For
itself il wanted white mans government, and
you made a trial of a white mans government
in this country Tor four years, and the prayers
OF the freedmen are ascending that we may
never have another such government as long
as the world may stand. (Applause.) You
threw into this cha m few million lives warm
with the rich tlood OF your patriots. You threW
into it the lite OF your loving, honored chief
Abraham Lincoln. (Applause.) And yet to-
night the chasm yawns You are still two peO-
Piles in the midst of one nation.
Would you close over this chasm? Do not
try any more compromise or concession; you
might AS we'll try to bridge with egg-shell5 the
Potomac river. What you need tonight IS to
take the shaCkle from the wrist of the colored
man, and 10 put the ballot in its stead. Gap
plause When see the streets of New Orleans
and Memphis red with the blood of unexpiated
murders, and hear OF tnat miserable Recorder
counselling them to burn and hang the Niger,
/ ask that the colored man should have that
much power in his hands to turn all such men
out of office. lApplause.)
Lock at New Orleans. Whose fault was 1t
You should ask that OF Andrew Johnson. Let
NE tell you Andrew johnson is not the most
guilty man IN this republic. | don't know but
that we have needed him. have, in the course
OF my hie, had to put a mustard plaster on my
self. Now, don't like a mustard plaster, and
yet | would ra'her suffer an hour with 1t than
suffer a pam in my chest for week. don't
know but what we have needed Andrew john
son in this country as a great national mustard
plaster, TO spread himself all over this nation
so that he mic hit bring to the surface the poison
OF slavery which still fingers in the BODY pohtic
But when you have done with the mustard
plaster, what do you do with it Do you hug it
to Your bosom, and say it s such precious
thing that you cannot put it away? Rather,
when you have done with it, you throw 1t
aside.
Now, my friends, why do you not do the
same with Andrew Johnson, aud impeach him
(applause), and bring him before the bar OF the
can nation is so strong, and SO powerful, aud so
! wise, that the humblest servant beneath It's
care, or the strongest, IS not to behave without
It's restraint.
was in Boston few days since, and heard
! gentleman speaking of an accident that had
insane suppose that the people did not Know
mat he was insane, He got on the locomotive,
ana he imagined that he was gong TO the moon.
lie was not swinging around the circle, 0ut was
going TO the moon, and he was dashing away
a Wlldly Death was of no moment to hun; he
- was gong TO the moon. Now what dld the
people do Did the people stop o ask his friends
e about him, or try HIM little longer until he
r had done some mischief? No, no; the case was
100 In mlnent for that. student picked up
L olock OF wood TO try and dash him of So to-day
e Ahurew johnson stands at the head OF the
e government, man who is striking hands Wl(h
> Ine heoels OF the South. Is there not IN THIS
q hand stlong enough and earnest enough TO
e throw at him the billet OF lmDeechmert and let