Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-01-02
Emancipation Anniversary Celebration
Addresses BY senator Pomeroy, Generals
II. v. Butler and q. O. Howard, ami
Professor Wilson fcoloredl

I T.. IN. y ID
/ Howard, senatOr Pomeroy, of Kansas, and
Professor Wilson, (colored,) cashier of tue col
or q Savings BANK. The body OF the church
was well hiied With auditors, among whom
| were number OF white ladies and gentlemen
At half past seven o'clock the meeting ~ .s
| opened with prayer by Rev. DR.. Nourse. after
| which Dr. e. Il. Purvis (coloreci) briefly adj
dressed the audience upon the occasi IN W hi n
! brought them together, 1.-The anniversary of the
! nObiest declaration OF independence that ever
ernanated from mortal man" The effect OF
| this proclamation, liz said, was to liberate
| 100000 OF human beings and strike from them
| the shackies OF slavery. Thereby a nation
| was Tedet d, and from the hour of lis pro-
mitigation the days OF the gigantic rebellion
were numbered Its cause was gone, its slaves
We're no more. Two hundred thousand cOlored
men had fought side by side with Ayneri can
white men III the great struggle. for freedom
through which We mad passed only two short
years since. and II was eninently BETTING tuat
We should now commemorate the occasion OF
our dehverance by rejoicing and praises. Ia
conclusion, the speaker introduced 20 the
meeting Senator Pomeroy, of Kansas.
Mr.. PomerOy, In beginning, expressed his
qualification At being present on the occasion (
this celebration, and being able TO offer his con-
gratulatlOns for q fJw moments TO the colored
people "a citizens of the United States. They
We're no longer simply citizens OF 4 district, but
OF the whole United States, and he thought this
boon OF universal freedom carried with il heavy
responsibilities, which should be yindicatei ~
a faithful compliance with pledges they had
made. i he speaker then recapltulated ais own
n. q
cited MS oW acts IN the Congress of the nation
To bring about the desirable result. For seven
years had he lived and IaDor,'d IN this cicy 10
make the eoiorcd population citizens, -
get them into the street ears, 81. He
had seen them sold the auction
block At eight doliaas per pound, and had fol-
lowed them step by step up ~ the ballot oox
The dogma III races had now passed by; there
but one freedom and one God Tor all
Having espou~, the cause OF the eolOred man,
ne could not ana wOnid not go back, and in the
approaching elections the colored men must
make the contest as light as possible, and COM
nit no mistakes whereby the effgrts " the
EepubllCan party might be trImmeied. or OBJ
Sticies thrown IN their way. They must
not commit mistakes 1T the ballot box
by going over To the enemy, but should
be found side by side with the men with
whom they fought in the late rebellion.
lie should address the freedmen of Richmond.
Va, on Saturday night, and should on that &C.
casiOn stipulate no t.rIus of education for the
ballOt-bOX. The soutncr IN people were in favor
OF compromise, granting the right of suffrage
10 all persons who had certain educational
qualifications. BY this sJipUlItIon a large
number ofthe poor whites OF tbe South "a class
OF persons, n said, whom TIE southern law
makers cared little for) would also he deprived
of the rights Of citizenship. The speaker
adyerted 10 the PROJECT Of changing the
charter OF thus city, and turning over
n legislation Ia I've trustees: and opposed IL
bt cause he thought ~ enanated from those who
DE sired 10 take tine selection of municipal affairs
out of the hands OF the people. simply because
the coloret man had now the right 10 vote. II
was done TO defeat their influence q: the ballot
box. He concluded by exhortiug the colorrd
population TO be- vigilant. and especially should
they be wide awake al the apprOae ching cleo
ton. LIT them IN this city form line at :
O'Clock in the morning. and press on in solid
phalanx to the ballot box Iili every voter had
deposited his vote.
Professor Wilson. colored, spoke ia vindica-
ton OF the character of the CClOred race and
their capacity tor self government. and con-
Guided with an exhorLstIOn "a to the duty OF tia.
col, nd trremen of America
General %. q. Howard next addressed ire
meeting, and for about half an hour was lis
toned - - ith marked attention. H referred 10
thu history and general conduct of tb,. coJorrd
race, and could recognize no difference because
of their complexion. For himself, he had taken
his stand IN defense of human freedom: had
fought the cohorts OF slavery for four wears
received their bullets in his body, and W ouId
never yield his position.
General benjamin r. Butler followed Gene
rai Howard in a speech OF nearly one hour
length The speaker went into the political
history OF slavery, and thought that from the
hour that the rebels fired upon Fort Sumter
slavery sank. III the beginning of the war there
We're constitutional impediIaen.s in The yay of
the liberation OF the slaves, and for some time
theGeneral> commanding the Northern armies
ccnscientOuSly beliey ed IL their duty 10 restore
10 their OH uers numbers OF slaves VINO brought
through the lines valuable information This
was kept APP, almost without exception, till 4
Circumstance occurred in which "A certain Gem
eTai took The responsibility OF pIrsuing a diff
1erent course OF action. On this location. A
small body OF slaves came into hiS line IN their
shirt sleeves. direct from throwing up Confed-
crate fOrtiticatiOns, from which TO fir. upon the
u. ;. forces, and represented that they
had been made 10 do this work Uy their mas
ter~. This being the case the General alluded
TO SAID IN reply, We'll, if these coiored men
arr property, they Ia ye been used in opposition
10 the interests and the Government of the
United States and must, therefore be contra
band" his allusiOn elected great applause.
and the question ssWbo was the General 2 To
" Inch the reply was General Butler"J The
United states GOyernnt nj refused TO arm ne
grOes, while al the same time t4o regiments of
negroes had been formed by the rebel slave
holders AT New Orleans; and these were COM
manded by negro officers too. When he 0ien-
eral Blu ti-r) went 70 New Orleans. however
those colored Confederate regiments remained
there, while the white rebels ran away At
Baton Rouge, when the ConfedeTates, who out
numbered his forces over two TO one were
threatening him he dispatched TO Washington
for reinforcements, but received the wer that
not one man could be spared him. His reply
YVES Why, then, / shall call upon Africa
He old so, and upon his own responsibility
brought into the service armed negro troops
The speaker referred 10 the apprehension ex-
pres led in some circles that war of races was
probable. This idea lie secuted as untenabIe.
IN any sense Of the word. The speaker CON
cluded with q general exhortation To the negro
race Ia vote right, to do right, and sustain the.
pledges which had been made for them
MIR. Bill, Of CalifOrnia, then recited poem
on the Stars and Stripes. by John q. Whittier:
after which the asse1nblage was dismissed.