The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1868-07-11
OXFORD, N. c., July 6, 1863.
Speech of Col. Edward Cantwell.

speech of Col. Edward Cantwell.
am here to-day in obedience to the call
of my colored friends and fellow citizens of
the county of Granville, to take part in the
time honored celebration of the anniversary
of American independence. l am happy to
acknowledge feel more encouragement for
the future of my own country and greater
reliance ON the progress of Republican prin-
ciples everywhere. Upon this stand, the
gentleman who sits nearest me, (Col. Har-
grave) earned honorable distinction in the
Confederate service. The gentleman capt.
Quambaton, Z. s. A. on my left, is known
to have been a gallant and meritorlous officer
of the Union army. We have bad very
bitter family quarrel, gentlemen, but we have
met again under the shadow of the gnod old
flag to make friends; to have peace and to
hand down to our children the traditions of
a common country. No man who pretends
to have any heart or to be an American but
should be happy to-day. Around this stand
three or four millions OIL men who have re-
Gently been elevated from slavery to a full
participation in the rights of citizenship
Yonder stands one of them, holding the flag
of his country and mine. as if he would
chcerfully die in it's defence. I trust none
are here to day so poor in patriotism as to
he incapable of any emotion. If any such
there be who finds no joy in this prospect
he is no friend of mine or of his country
For ny part, after spending every effort to
accomplish the separation of this country,
l am satisfied with the result. The sight Of
the old flag, thank God, no longer fills me
with any hostile emotion. The promises
made to US are fulfilled. Our Legislature
has rcassembled. Our delegates are again
in their seats at Washington. The military
control will soon he withdrawn over civil
affairs, and there is to be and there is. if we
choose it, general and honest reconciliation.
''Flag of the free hearts hope and home,
BY angel hands to vaor given,
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome
And all thy hues were born in Heaven.
And why should we not have peace2 Would
to God this Gay that by any words of mine,
could Irvine in a common wreath of glory
and of flowers the emblems OF the Confed-
eracy and the Union, and cast them together
on the graves of our half million country
men who have fallen IN the late unhappy
but useful conflict.
Mr. C. here asked permission to stop, as
he thought he had said enough to indicate
his sentiments bus che crowd insisting, he
laughingly alluded TO his want of prepare
ton, and told several anecdotes which add
ed to the hiliarity of the crowd.
Nearly one hundred years ago it was as
serted by Thomas Jefferson that all Gsef.-
were created equal. Mr.. j. meant of course
not naturally equal, for that is absurd, but
politically, and in the sight of the law. It
was left to the men of this day to make that
declaration practical. Mr.. Jefferson shrank
from offering his scheme of emancipation
Public opinion he said was not yet ripe for
it. We of this day have set the slave free
and have put in his hands the means of de-
Tending and maintaining his freedom. A
hundred years ago the Lords and Dukes
smiled with contempt and incredibly upon
the experiment Of popular Institutions
They were white men. and talking to white
men, and OF white men whom they claimed
the right to rtlle by articles of conveyance
and deeds Of gift from the most high. They
said that no government could stand, when
the common people might outvote the prl-
vileged classes and persons of "nOble" blood.
The people (white people) were incapable OF
self government and could not get along
without master. No man here to-day,
thank God, calls any man master now. But
the croakers still live and they say that con-
fusion and ruin must result from the admis-
sion of negro suffrage. believe we have
tolcrabfy we'll worked them out of the first
delusion and with the blessing and interpO-
sition of that Supreme Being invoked in our
new Constitution, we will work them out
of the present. Nor is it here only that the
principles OF Thomas Jefferson are going
steadily forward. The great State of New
York, the empire State of the North and the
Union, where negroes have always voted
under property qualification has first re-
moved all distinction of this character be-
tween them and the other citizens. From
this time forth, throughout the length and