Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-10-07
SYNOPSIS OF WILLIAM J. HAIR
DIN'S SPEECH.
delivered to colored Republican Meeting in
Denver, Col, August 20, 1867
Gentlemen, and Feyoao Citizens

Gentlemen and Fely0ao Citizens
Perhaps [ owe you an apology for con-
senting to address you without due prep
aration,; you all know where work, and
that [ am to be found there through all
the working hours of the day and every
day [ had but short notice of this
meeting, have had little time to prepare
for it, and it is only at the earnest solicit
alton of my colored friends, that [ attempt
to address you. [ am always ready with
my poor service to assist my people, who
have been down trodden and oppressed for
centuries without cause Within a few
days you have heard the political topics
which are agitating the people in this
campaign discussed by gentlemen whose
knowledge of the facts and their bearing,
whose power of exp S. n, whose logic,
are infinitely superior to mine. [ shall
not attempt to follow them, but will con-
6ne myself 10 facts more Immediately
bearing on my race and people. [ shall
hurl back in the teeth of the vilifers of
my people, and of the Republican party.
because it has struck the shackles from our
limbs and lifted us up to the position and
stature of free men, their false and malig-
nant accusations. No form Of government
that ever existed secured equal rights to
all of the governed, SO that part of the
inhabitants should not and conld- not op-
press another part. No government was
ever so pure and strong but it stood in
danger of being tainted with corruption
and tyranny over some part of its subjects,
from which there was TO escape but by
revolution. Mans love of position, Of
gain, and of power, have made countless
millions mourn. Every page of history
is a record of injustice, crime, and blood
shed. Our own government has been
until-now no exception. 1t held four
millions of bondsmen in chains until
three hundred thousand shareholders
brought on war which desolated the
land, fertilized it with blood, and brought
mourning to every hearthstone. This
was but history repeating itself. The
people pitted against the aristocracy, con-
tending for medicum of equality and
privilege through all the ages-such is
the picture presented by the annals of
on, the aristocracy of the South, with
Jeff. Davis as their standard bearer, made
head against the Democracy of the North,
led by Abraham Lincoln. 1t was the
same old story, and it resulted as such
conflicts have somehow acquired the hab-
it of doing in the more modern times.
Lincoln and the Democracy overthrow
the privileged class of this country, by
unshackllng the bondsmen, aud proclaim
ing liberty to all. No government can
be secure from intestine connections that
is not lst to every class of its citizens
Perhaps in this lies the secret of the sue
cessiye rise and fall of nations. This
Government was founded by men who
fed from oppression at home, who braved
the perils of an almpst unbeknown ocean,
and the wilds ofthe wilderness of North
America, for the sake of civil and relig
ious liberty. As they took kindly to the
new soil and grew into Importance, Great
Britain again stretched her heavy hand
over them. They resisted, that old Pur
ritan stock, they m eft, Washington,
Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Hancock,
Henry, and declared their independence
They proclaimed to the world as their po-
litical creed, that all men are created free
and equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable rights;
among which are the right to life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness. That to
secure these rights, governments are in
stituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the govern
ed. These they declared should be, and
these are, the fundamental principles Of
this Government, as established by the
great patriots of the Revolution. l will
not criticise them. [ consider them the
noblest, grandest group Of men who ever
lived on this earth. But unfortunately ly,
iu the Constitution which they framed
as the chart of government, was incorpor
ated an article, not directly but indirect
ly, recognizing human slavery. Thus,
when the germ Of liberty was planted in
this continent, the germ of slavery was
also planted. These two great antago-
nistio principles have contended from
that day for the mastery contended un-
til three hundred thousand shareholders
raised their bloody hands to tear down
the flag of this noble republic. You re-
member the first man who dared raise
his voice against cnslaving the co!ored
man-Who started a paper in their inter
est thirty or thirty-fve years ago-how In
Boston, which had been honorably known
as the cradle of liberty, he was dragged
through the streets by an ipfuriated mob.
You remember hew Loyejoy fell mar
tyr because he dared to advocate the
claims of the black man to human rights.
Well, the contest waxed swiftly hotter
and hotter from that time. In 1850 the
fugitive slave law was passed, the most
disgraceful law, in my opinion, ever en-
acted by an American Congress, law
which made every inch of your Territory
hunting ground for human beings, and
in which hunt, horrible as it was, United
States officers, were clothed with power
to compel you to join with the slave own
er and his blood hounds At that per-
iod our greatest stateman had to fall down
and worship at the shine Of slavery. That
most gigantic Of American intellects, that
proud, noble man, Daniel Webster
you remember how he had held the world
onalI hound hv his elooupncp in defense