The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-30


true sentiments of his heart. at this the prou-
dest moment of his life, when all men meet
tree and equal for the first time beneath the
dome of the Capitol of the Old North State
What is the real object of this Convention
gentlemen Why are we here assembled
Not to devise the machinery of reconstruc-
ton, but to enquire into the best means oil
working under the supplemental bill, which
Congress has enacted for our benefit To
organize for that purpose is the great
object of this Convention. But just
here interposes the negro question, which
has vexed the minds of the most dis
times past and tile present. For two
hundred and fifty years the negro and
white man lived together rs friends
such friends as master and slave could be
Now that the negro is free, all Of a sudden
the whites and blacks become unacquainted
with each other. For the first time they do
not know what to do each with the other,
Laughter and cheers. How is this Why
is it that the white man does not know
what disposition to make of the negro, OF
the negro of the white man, after they have
lived together in the same country for SO
many years. 1 can tell you, gentlemen, it il
because they become strangers to each other
Let us get acquainted once more, and all
luC VIII NC ICiHofCO lfAppiduSc
But it is said by some that it will never
do to enfranchise the colo1ed man. They
desire to see him colonized-sent back to the
wilds of Africa, beyond the blue waters OF
the great ocean, How is that. Has
the surface of America contracted-grown
smaller? so that there is no room for those
who have lived here for centuriesi Shall
we be expatriated for lack of broad acres
the acres which our torefathers cleared and
have rendered beautiful and fertile? ap-
peal to your reason. Is it possible that
such thing has been seriously considered
III this country, where the bones of our an
cestors are laid, and around whose altar the
warmcst affections of our hearts are en-
twined 2 [Applause.]
But let me illustrate the objection to the
REIMBURSEMENT of the colored man in my
feeble way. 1t reminds me of the young
man, who owns fine horse which he is in
the habit of driving although he is very
much afraid of him, so that he cannot con-
ceali it. All, says friend to him, that is q
fine horse of yours, but you seem afraid
of him, will you sell him No, re-
plies the young man, I'm afraid of him,
but he is valuable and can't sell him. So
they seem to be afraid like the young man
of this horse, that if they put us in the po-
litical harness we will run away with the
concern and damage the body polite
Laughter and applause.] That is the way
they regard US, they are afraid of us-but
we arc not going to fulfil their fears We
are going to work in the political harness
with good will-we are going to help to
pull the State back into the Union-but all
we now ask is that the buckles may not be
drawn so tight sensation and cheers] for
we have grown little corpulent, politically
speaking. Continued applause)
But we have these prejudices to overcome.
Yet one moments candid reflection would be
sufficient to remove such wrong impressions,
SO much INDUCED Now let us look at it.
What has been the history of our race during
the late rebellion? Can any nation on earth
present so grand record {. With all their
wrongs and sufferings upon them, with
a knowledge that their Union friends
were battling for their freedom, they
we've absent fighting to keep them IN sa-
very, and protected the defenceless females
with wonderful fidelity What other peo-
pie under the canopy of Heaven would have
done this thing? What nobler exhibition of
selt-sacritice can be furnished in the history
| of mankind? True to their instincts, they
continued on the farms, filling the soil
and in doing so, they raised to themselves
monument high as the Heavens and deep
as the great sea !! Prolonged cheering. Wha
man can now tolerate unworthy prejudices
against our racei
So you see, sir, that We understood each
other in our old relations; and if we get tho
roughly acquainted in our new, we shall sue
coed as we'll in the future as we did in the
past. In conclusion allow ME to repeat that
this is the proudest moment of my life
When 1 behold these Star-Spangled banners,
III 81
people without regard to race or color, this
motto of '' Union, Liberty, Equality" carried
into practical operation, sir, upon this the
first occasion in the State of North Carolina,
my heart swells with emotions, which can
scarcely find Ineligible utterance (Cries
of go on 90 on ! and loud cheers)
Well, Mr.. President and gentlemen will
trespass a while longer on your patience.
l hold, SIR that the sin of slavery was a
national sin. But hold, sir, in addition
that. we must bury that dead past Let US
sink Its memory thousand fathoms in the
ocean ofoblivion and look only to the bright
future! (Cheering)
Recently 1 have travelled in the Northern
States and consulted with the first gentle
men of the nation. One thing is t1ed.-
They have determined to reconstruct these
States on a thoroughly loyal basis. They
nave Sl(leu lie aLu ScuL IHc HeTc tO COIlSOil
| date my people and organize them. Fer the
colored people are loyal race. They are
not too ignorant to be so. Go to any planta-
ton, wake up the most stupid negro and ask
him if he loves liberty, and he will an
swer you, yes Cheers. Now do not run
the ignorant ticket. tell you the negro
knows enough to distinguish friend and foe.
The man who goes on the ignorant platform,
will certainly go down! [Applause.] The
cnlored people will vote all right-for they
will stand by the Union and its friends
Mr.. President, 1 have said that the future
is bright lean see, sir. the beacon sun OF
liberty rising overthe dissolving storm cloud
of war, gliding the whole nation with the
light of its splendor! [Cheers. Though
the political waters have been disturbed and
shaken to the dregs, I can behold the old
Ship of State still breasting the pillows tri
umphantly, her PROV pointed homeward
over the now subsiding waves of great
commotion, no longer bearing the foul car
cass of slavery upon her shining decks, but
which, thank God, has been washed over
board in the tumult, and sunk forevermore
in the fathom' ess watersl Great sensation
I can behold the Eagle of America, the free
bird of the freest government of earth shed
ding from his pinions over every section OF
our beloved country, peace, protection and
prosperity! Whence come these visions of q
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