Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-03-20
THE CHRONICLE.
= UFFR AGE.
SPEECH OF
LID. GRISWOLD,
oFLoRANE COUNTY.
Delivered in the Ohio Senate, March 8, 1857.

Mr.. PREsIpENT:-I can hardly hopt
that any remarks Imay be able to make
upon the important question before the
Senate will influence any Senator il
casting his vote.
And yet feel it duty to myself as
well as to my constituents to give my
reasons for supporting the pending
resolution. l therefore ask your in
diligence while urge the right of our
disfranchised colored citizens to an
equal participation in the elective fran
chise.
And first, l maintain that it is just
1t is Just, first, because they are taxed
equally with ourselves TO sustain the
Government.
1t was principle for which our faith
ers fought in the war of the Revolution,
that there should be no taxation with
out representation, and it WAS one of
the reasons urged in the Declaration of
Independence for taking up arms
against the mother country, that the
King of Great Britain taxed his sub
jects without their consent.
Any discrimination founded upon
race or color is unnatural and unjust.
If a man could determine for him
self of what race he should be born, or
the color of his skin, it might be right
and just to inflict certain penalties or
disabilities upon those who had the bad
taste to be born black. But as this is
a matter entirely beyond the control of
the black man, l maintain that it is
unjust to hold him responsible.
1t may be urged that the colored peo.
pie of the State are not as well educa-
ted or as intelligent as the white peo-
pie. This is doubtless true in part, and
yet there are very many of them who
are more intelligent, and better educa-
ted than thousands of white men who
enjoy the elective franchise.
What opportunity have they enjoyed
to obtain an education Have they
been permitted to enjoy the benefits
of our public schools +? In some Sec
tions of the State they have to limi-
ted extent, but not generally through
out the State. How many of our col
leges and other institutions of learning
higher than the common school, have
they been permitted to enter, on terms
of equality with the whites? l know
of but one, though there may be more,
and yet it affords me pleasure to say
that no class of our people is making
such rapid progress in obtaining an
education as our colored people.
1 have always thought that the best
way 10 elevate men, and create in them
. feeling of self-respect, is to treat them
as human beings, and as such, to con-
fer upon them equal rights. You can
not expect men to rise socially, or NOR
ally, while you keep your foot upon
their necks. think 1t was Daniel
Webster who declared himself a level
ler, but that he was in favor "of level
ling upwards"
The immortal author of the Declara-
ton of American Independence an
nounced this glorious principle: CAN
Governments derive their Just powers
from the consent of the governed" J"
and yet there are in Ohio &c, 900 color
ed citizens, with taxable property
amounting to Sis, ,000,0 900, who have
no voice in the State or National Gov
ernments. There are in Ohio, as shown
by the enumeration taken in Septem-
ber 1865, of cofoIed children OF the
legal age, emitting them to the bene-
fits of our common schools, 2L706.-
OF this number, 8, t62 are enrolled in
colored schools. / think it a satisfac-
ton that at least {, 900 more are admit
ted to the schools for the education of
white children and youth, making over
$1,000 who are obtaining at least the
elements of an education. 1t is doubt
full whether a greater proportion of our
white youth are availing themselves of
the benefits of our excellent common
school system.
But, Mr.. President, l propose to base
my argument principally upon the uni
form good conduct of the colored peo-
pie, whenever our country has been
involved in either foreign or domes-
tic war.
What, then, has been their conduct
in the times ''that tried mems souls ?"
If they have allied themselves with the
enemies of our country if they have
at such times been turbulent; if they
have formed combinations either Sc
cret or open, to resist and embarrass the
government, and give aid and comfort
to its enemies, we may well hesitate in
conferring upon them the full rights of
American citizens
But assert, without fear of success
full contradiction, that in all such times
of trial they have been true TO the gov
ernment, and in this respect they con-
trast very favorably with a large class
of our white fellow citizens. 1 shall
now proceed 70 prove my assertion by
the presentation of few historical
facts which may be familiar to all the
members OF this Senate. The first
of American liberty was Girls
pus Attucks, a colored man, who was
shot down in the streets in Boston, by
British soldiers, on the 5th of March,
ITO. Three white men were killed by
the second voliey, but Attucks was the
first victim of the Boston massacre
The fifth of March was celebrated an
nually, until superseded by the ami
Of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. In IVA, John Hancock
invoked the injured shades of MAYER
ick, Gray, Caldwell and Attucks. In
HIS, Judge DAVIS thus alludes to that
important event: "The provocation
of that night, must be remembered
among the master springs which gave
the first motion to vast machinery
q noble and comprehensive system of
national independence" And when
on the 5th of March, 17T6, Washing
ton repaired 70 the intrenchments, he
said: Remember it is the 5th of
March, and avenge the death of your
brethren" Many colored soldiers par
ticipated in the battle of Bunker Hill.
Among them was one named Salem,
who, when the British Major Pitcairn
mounted the works and cried exulting-
ly. 'The day is ours" 'tshot him
through, and he fell" We have the
authority of the late Gov. Eustis, of
Massachusetts,, for saying, that free
colored men entered the ranks with
the whites, and that the time of those
who were slaves was purchased OF their
masters, and they were induced to en-
ter the army by the promise of freed
ON at the close of the war. There was
q company of colored soldiers, called
the Bucks of America, which was pre-
sented by John Hancock, with a BAN
ner bearing his initials, as tribute to
their valor during the struggle.
might mention the names of many
colored soldiers of Massachusetts,, who
fought bravely through the seven years
struggle, and who, while they lived,
drew pensions from the Government.
But time will not permit.