The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1867-05-08
tongues of our best and wisest statesmen an

hand. A new class of men came into power,
representing the interests of slavery, and the
words of the great men of the past were eff
faced from the memory and hearts of the
great mass of the people. Then anti-slavery
societies perished. From 1920 to 1910 it
was equivalent to banishment from public
life to oppose the influence of slavery, for its
dark and malignant spirit fiercely pursued
the advocates of freedom. But, in spite of
this opposition, there were those who brave
ly proclaimed their sentiments. Your own
distinguished CASTOR protested against the
disfranchsement of the free colored men of
this State in 1885, they having enjoyed the
right of suffrage since 1776. Some few God
fearing men and women, however, still de-
termined to use all means, sanctioned by
law, for the elvation of the colored people.
TApplause They held that emancipation
was the duty of the master and the right OF
the slave; that slavery was local instltu-
ton; that Congress had right to abolish
it in the District of Columbia, and keep the
Territories of the United States forever free.
But how were these doctrines received9 All
over the country the passions OF the people
were aroused-everywhere were they de-
nounced, and everywhere the naughty, dom
ineerng, defiant, and aggressive spirit ofslave-
ry pressed upon the nation. This went on
to 1860, when, in spite of threats to break
up the government, the Republican party
went to the polls and elected Abraham Lin
coin President of the United States. Then
South Carolina, who led in the interest OF
slavery from the days of the revolution down
to that hour plunged into rebellion, and old.
North Carolina was dragged after her. Yes,
after the old flag went down on Fort Sum-
ter, she drew the Old North State reluctant
ly into the contest Now, slavery was the
cause of this rebellion. 1t poisoned the very
air; it perverted human reason; it made
the Southern people hate the old flag and
despise the nation. Slavery, then, was the
traitor-the giant criminal that plunged US
into the fires of civil war,-and slavery has
died traitors death, leaving a criminal
name behind it. Cheers. 1t has gone
down to the hell from whence it came, and
shame shall sit by its side forever. [Cheers
The white working men of the South were
degraded by slavery. Carlyle said that if
a savage on the great lakes strike bis
dusky brother, the world feels the blow
And so it is with labor You cannot de-
grade any portion of it without degrading
all. Slavery set mark on the brow of the
poor working man, and the laboring men,
the world over, felt it. But here the white
aborer seemed content. He was put upon
and degraded, and, in turn, he put upon the
poor bondsman-the negro. He was Con-
tent because there was a class below him.
But such things have passed away. No
more shalt the colored man be bought and
sold; the wife torn from the husband, the
baby taken from the cradle; or the strong
father tied up and lashed, or fetters put upon
his limbs, for the negro is free-free as any
man who walks the soil of this State to-
night. Rapturous applause. In order to
protect this freedom, you have been invested
with the ballot, my fellow citizens. No
body can take that from you hereafter-it is
your possession for all time to come. Keep
it, use it in the fear of God for your count
try. for those who made you free, for the
liberty of every man who walks Gods green
earth, for justice to the poor and dependent
and humble, to establish schools and
churches, and to dissemenate education, and
above all, to sustain your country and your
countrymen. [Appause.] 1 know you will
use it in that way. have faith in you.
had faith in you when the Copperheads said
'if you put musket in the negro's hand,
he wont fight, for he wouldn't if he could,
ard he couldn't if he would" Laughter
But we did arm you, and you fought heroic
ally. remembered that in the days of the
first revolution, that it was black man who
shot Maj. Pitcairn of the British army on
the field at Bunker's Hill; that it was
black regiment which five times repulsed the
English at the battle of Rhode Island, which
Lafayette said was the severest fight of the
war; that it was black regiment which
stood ut Red Bank on Delaware river, and
that the colored man did fight bravely
through the seven years war. remembered
that in the war of 1912, your blood flowed
in defence of this country, and remembering
these things we offered you liberty, put the
musket in the hands of 10000 of your col
or, and sent them forth to battle. They
fought as well as any other men in our army.
or any other army, and this night $4,000 of
them sleep beneath this Southern soil. Sub
dued cheers) And while these brave col
ored men were. fighting their way to you, I
thank my God that your race here behaved
so well-that there were no instructions
that you bided your time and trusted in
God. But many poor federal soldier, run
ming from Andersonville or Salisbury, re-
ceived help from ysu-they bless your name
to-day, for yOnr hearts were ever with US,
and we knew it. (Cheers.)
Those same individuals, who opposed
your freedom, opposed your right to vote
they said you did not know how to VOTE
Now they are running you down for votes
lCheers) They say you must trust your old
friends. Qaughter) tell you to vote for
liberty and education, for men who are COM
mitted thoroughly to the Republican party
those who go in for equal and exact JUS
tice to all men, for the preservation of your
Liberties, your right to vote and be voted
for, (cheers.) and in favor of making the
Constitutions of these States read SO that no
man can tell whether there is any difference
OF color at all among the citizens of these
States. (Applause) When they stand
squarely on that platform, and unfurl the
banner of the Republican party, inscribed
with such glorious truths, then trust them.
and not before. | wish to call your particu-
lar attention to those, who say we are Con-
servatives, trust US. Where have they been
for the last seven years9 What did they
do towards securing the inestimable privi-
leges of freedom to your down-trodden
race9 One of them, who ran for Vice Presi-
dent in 1860. Mr.. Fl. V. johnson, of Geor-
gia, said in Pennsylvania seven years
ago that "capital ought to own labor" now
he says to the colored people, 1 am an old
friend, trust me- daughter and cries of nev-
er) ltell you these are not all. When slavery
existed down here its poison spread beyond
the line, and impregnated the hearts of
Northern men. Some of them learned to
hate the negro, to deny him any right what
ever to liberty, and in 1885 they mobbed
your friends-a meeting of anti-slavery