New-York tribune., 1867-07-27
EQUAL RIGHTS.
SPEECH OF THE HON. F. T. FRELNGHUYsEN.
At the Convention held in Trenton on the

merely give the right 10 vote 10 rev tnousand OF our
fellows important such an enactment may be- The
end and consequence OF our assembling grander and
nober than at It Is TO G5'apIn % be mere c 'G & &SQny 4I
heahepsm when most enlightened has always rejected
and Christianity has always recognized as the foundation
of All its promises The religion Of cultured Athens and
of proud Rome denying mans immortality, consisted in
the relations the nation bore TO it's gods, while mans
highest duty ana responsibility were TO the natlon such
dogma led naturally TO the reputation OF the doctrine
of mans equality; for when could such doctrine have
practical rcaZatouI Ihere was surely nothing IKE II
be found this side OF the grave. and beyond that
with his sublime powers of intellect his depth of afec-
ton and his infinite capacity for progress should he cast
into the amphhearC that his sinuOus contOrtOns might
feed the deprayed taste OF the ee was logical that
gentle women should bc degraded in social rank II was
logical that man should be pampcrcd in life. and
shrned as national duty at death, while another IN
degraded vassaage without any rights, should drag out
say TO the "Thou art my mother IL was natural
that Girls ROmGtfts sitn should be the only plea
Rome could hear, and that to the Athenians all who
not Greeks shOud be barbarans But while heathen
lat0n in the first chapter Of Genesis PrOvi-
dence declared IT, when the Jewish nation, having done
dence where the sword Of Alexander drawn for
universal conquest and sheathed because there s no
rers that centuries had been erecting between the ma
tons and clearing the for the more clear enunca
equality On the advent of Christianity one of its most
impressive lessons is taught on hogSetop in Joppa'
where trance the mandate from Heaven is heard,
"What God has cleansed call not thou common Then
again on Mars Hil surrounded by the proud ana cul
Pau boldly declares, what this assemblage now pro
claims that "GOd has made Of one blood all nations of
men for to dwell the face OF the whole eartR."
And why was this prominence given 10 the doc
trne of tRe uty and hence the equality of man Simply
because it cardinal and fundamental truth, the eX
cusOn of which the essential relations OF the man
f Nazareth with those ne would rescue and because by
destroying the brotherhood of you destroy
Az f ne Dtv az he race is essential 10 The main
tenance Of the true relations Of the race "a God and
10 the maintenance OF the true relations OF man 10
man III this unity be admitted if We all have one
ORIG
all have equal right Of those inununcs IN society
which are essential to development, elevation and hap
pness essential TO protection from oppression and de
Tense from imposition. Those patriotic men, whom the
Establishments Of Kings could not seduce or their threat
ened hate intimidatc, but who rcsOlutely placed
their signmanua to that immortal paper the Declaration
OF American Independence, drew their inspiration not
from the classic but polluted fountains Of the anccnts,
but from the Gospel, when they made the foundation
stone OF this Republic that sublime sentiment: eve hold
these truths to be sclf-cvident. that all men are
created with certain lnalenable rights, among
which life, liberty and the pursuit OF happiness
How shall a man in this country pursue happiness who
has not the balot by 10 alone he challenges the
deraton and courtesy OF society; by IT. he asserts and
defends his rights and vndicates his manhood. let be
known this land that no German Italian can vote,
and their nationality is at once degraded they and their
children would fee 70 and bow down under IT, they could
strike bargain for days labor but the overbcarug
superiority OF their voting employer would be Impressed
upon them And the Is the same with the cOl0rcd
man. Such a governmental regulation does not aid but
clogs the pursuit Of happiness IL makes man 10 him
precate the introduction of the ignorant To suffrage but
the ballot is the greatest Of educators and we must en-
ploy it, 1t carries intelligence TO the lowest
ranks OF the people BY means Of It voters
are called upon to take part in measures which
affect the interests of their country The day laborcr
though his routine be as crcuns"rbcd and ~ unvared
that Of the mill horse Is brought IN contact with pou
cal discussion which his interest IN the question aud the
address those who seek his vote longer suffer him 10
disregard. He has become national juror TO decide the
great issue He learns how far removed IN their
workings affect his very home. He learns the qRghGd
of knowledge His reason works nc desire FOR nforma-
& rs well AS manly PRIDE not to be thought ignorut
urompts him 10 learn TO read and practice the acoMo
He sees too that his children learn The man &hoo &h
make him "a citizen, make mm more n man .AEin'
it injustice that ne VINO Is eVnpooH , r,ny ~ Pny
should not be permitted to cast the weight ol
his individual opinion into the great aggegae tha I,ei
democracy where there is privileged class oe thor e
TO the privilege the possession oI none ol l%u Of nh
by all Why there any opposition TO gying e eVoiSu S
man the ballot in NewJeTsey b,cauSe 'GIe Ts atpa
win he Invoked and will meet response from those Vho
we ,ided nv prciudcc rather than 10y humanity. Long
inhabltng the torFd other cause has 30 affected
him tbat thc same light makes him one color ana MAKES
ms another Want OF education through long hue OF de
ept has been unfrendy to e development Of the BRAIN
and IL had its physical ELECTS ana yet t0dy uhis
circumstances equally favorable IN moral sense, he
g. at least the equal and in intellectual capacity not
much behind the proud Saxon whether ho Dc hie-
ri0r or not God made him an Immortal man. ana me
auprOatiOn OF Heaven pledged not 10 the sycohahs
OF power, but TO those Who help the weak ana Ictpc'
Feeble they their mareatment has brought acat-
fu Judgment In this country 70 their OppressOt Leu US
give heed to the lesson Anctort to nyoke psleaiee
be made by asserting that the Da0I is ihe HIs
ward the assimilation Of races Tins Is simply iaSe
Slavery and degradation promote me ainaganaQoH u o.,
The races-bcrty and elevation oppose II; ana hls laCt
proves that anupathes on this point are WeOunded ~
win be said that this movement VIII create uhdesiraDe
social associations This false again There IL no more
reason why should make me ms assOcaie pecdsc
vote than because wear hat ~ Is poiiuc,I' NOT
social reform that deal with: III VIII De sid dt'h
they will be seeking TO I'll our Offices There Is certd
Withdrawing natare IN Inc race vav sn moi noi
hold his way with the cOlored man. let MN take lhe
prize So too they would We were iod, murder an te
day would ttarve at the South but for the superior lndu
try of the black man But Why waste tune IN an3
the arguments OF prdei Mahood shiiage 70 iIau6m
with blessings for the black men and for the nation
Here the cOlOred man Will be more yaluaDle o
society nus labor will contribute more to the comfort
and wealth OF the community while at the sooth II ~
and will be, Indispensable There the plaihlaions il Wi
be divided up and improved ana Iheasureapy oSeVP tP
by the industrious blacks II has been 80 III the Ante
where England has tried like experiment. Liberty
Education and the Gospel can work miracles, bul
we only look for natural results TO secure our
success. Let whoever is opposed 10 mans egIaI
ity and takes pleasure IN m9uglng ms ait1,V h,
cratic proclivtles go into his own e honse1dn ., pa, M
hearts desire; but Wheh ne CoIhee Oue vi p t ~,
American plain, canOped by the heavens alone lei hli
then remember that in the eye OF EOu anu nc
Constitution all men are equal mere no inun o
constitution, has right to say because your
not as daIk as tie s.an1aid' vi n G "a
is darker than the standard, yOu slai pe ~
degraded stified Of your growth IL Is crime 70 w
struct mans development Let us rise 70 the in6 @ o.
the great duty devolved upon us TINS ahd Is ds ~
where Is 10 be illustrated the universal DtotheihoO an
elevation Of man. Already we have seen gahc@ren @ nei @
grants from Germany and Spain, ana italy ana France
| and England and Ireland have come. lhey came
| many OF them, in ignorance and poverty. III wa
prophesied that they must and and would be our rum
NE trustfuy gave them the ballot and full polijea
rights and they have thus been elevated and rendefct
happy Our country Is theirs they add TO It's WGai az
uToerty: they have fought for H. and would die for i
There are few now either timd or so selfish rs not
| tell the emigrant TO come, and 10 BID nm Weleomc
! Nc are now TO take another stride The eolored man
horn and reared in midst acquainted with our haDt
and with the spirit OF our GOyernmeht II hoI WIN tn
letter OF our law having proved himself loyal ana brave
extends his hand for privilege. We have Iled he eN
pertinent of the ballot under circumstances less ay9rq
be and II has proved We cannot withhold
from him Say 10 every mser Of liberty, stand back! u
* An immortal man. lie shall have chance This vas
continent will teen with myrIads OF people elevated u
Tho iuhnence of liberty of cducatOn and OF the Gospel