The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-06

tive. shall have equal protection unue, '"o
law and no State shall have power to take
This from him, and Congress is clothed WIN
mower to enforce this provision and means means
TO do II and thus is the question se'',eo
forever. 1t is not proposed as a measure
of degradation, but as a means vi l',.ins
mn and protecting the poor ana depehuen''
q. Persons who having taken an oath 10
s,nnort the Constitution afterwards en-
gsged in rebellion shall not be permitted
70 hold Office, but this can be repealed by
q two. thirds vote of Congress with regard
TO classes or persons affected BY it. say
when this question is settled, as believe
il will be very shortly, these disabilities
will rapidly disappear. have fought for
thirty years TO emancipatc the black man.
and have seen his rights planted on basis
solid and enduring. No one can take
them from him. While have fought for
them, | tell you frankly have no heart
To take rights from any Of my fellow-citi-
IONS. trust these disabilities will vanish
in \ few months. ! want TO see all tree
and protected in their civil rights. l am
in favor of schools, and the education OF
the blacks as well as the whites-of inter
nal improvements and manufactures on all
YOUR great SlTcallls. hhiih"'N" ~
sentiments. do not want TO see any IN
dividual, however he may have acted, as
franchiscd, Inundated, or degraded. In
this spirit | mean to act. l nave never
failed. since the close OF the war, when
called upon, except in single instance, to
give my name and influence to aid those
who stood in need of it. And the men OF
my Observation-Disclosures as you call them
are among the foremost in asking pardon
and forgiveness, and in blottng out the
memories of the great struggle.
| see around me everywhere evidences
of the final triumph of the cause. Less
than two months ago the reconstruction
bill was passed, and from all parts of the
country intelligence is coming up that the
people will accept it, and will form consti-
buttons in accordance with its provisions,
as well as do all other things required OF
them; and | believe that by the 4th of
March next the ten excluded States Will
be represented in Congress.
You are to discuss this question among
yourselves, and in doing this there IS one
thing YOU ought to learn, and that is that
YOU have always been too intolerant in
matters of political opinion. You have
religious belief, and you tolerate them, but
in differences of opinion on political mat
tiers YOU have been exceedingly intolcrant,
which | regard as fault, and trust this
is also to pass away forever, and that men
of all creeds and shades of opinion will be
permitted to come among You and discuss
with the same freedom on political sub
iects as on any other point OF controversy.
/ told YOU | was radical Republican,
but am not here tonight to address Re-
publican meeting, but am speaking to men
who differ with me, and | thank you Tor
your kindness in listening to me.
There are two great parties in the coun-
try. The Republican party is misrepre-
scented and misunderstood. Here the De-
mocratic party is better known and I'M
derstood. There never was party of so
much character, intelligence, Christian
faith, and devotion as can be found in the
Republican party. No party has ever &C
cepted doctrines so broad aud comprehen-
sive Of liberty, justice, humanity, and pa
triotiSm. Actuated by these principles, ii
has trumphed-in '62, in '64-when war
was upon us, and blood, and children, and
treasure were voted to carry it on, and it
will triumph in 'GS brighter than in GA,
because their principles have become
established. 1t has the most glorious his
tory which any party ever made in seven
years. II put more than 10000 900 soldiers
in the field, built up the largest navy in
the world, established a financial system
which has stood the test of war and Of
peace, and has $l07, 100000 in gold in the
Treasury. The protector of labor and toll,
and the champion of education, it fought
the battle Of human equality and eleva-
ton, and triumphed, and is now perfect
and complete, with Grant, Thomas, Sheri-
dan. and statesmen, and with the great
masses Of the middle class of the intelli-
gent of the country. The Republican
Marty are masters of the continent, and
any one who supposeS that there is party
which can cope with them is very much
mistaken. This Radical organization is to
extend until it shall reach into Mexico
il will pass over Virginia and the Caro-
linas, and hundreds of thousands of men
in these States will not only fight under
the old flag, but will give heart and votes
for men who have ever been faithful to
their country.
/ hope you all, whether Republican or
Democrat, Radical or Conservative, will
examine these questions, think, speak, and
act for yourselves, and will follow wherever
right, liberty, justice, and humanity, may
lead you.
! see before me body of colored men.
| would like to say word to them. |
shall speak frankly and kindly, but not pa
tronZingly, for the day for that has passed.
Before the law you are my equal and my
peers; you have the same rights, privileges,
and immunities that | possess. Let me
say to you in good faith that more blood
has been shed for your emancipation than
ever was shed before for the freedom of
100000 men anywhere on earth; for
Christian men and women have been pray
ing for you for more than thirty years, and
you are not forgotten now. Thousands of
our good men and women are now contri-
butiug for your improvement and educa-
ton.
now say to you that you have got your
liberty-you are as free as | am, and are
entitled to vote; and | want you to re-
member that the ballot is sacred, neither
to be bought nor sold, but to be given for
justice, liberty, and humanity. You should
forget that you were ever bondmen-you
should have no prejudices on account of
the memories of old times-you should
love all, and be just to all-walk with your
forehead to the skies, and call no one mas
ter but God Look down on no one, but
think, act, speak, and vote SO as to do good
to all Go for liberty and the men who
Il l, go, 4l n hn