The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1869-01-03
Celebration Of the Colored
People.
Prssentation to !. b. Howell.
ON THE OCCASION, &c

Mr. J. B. Howell, Senior editor Of this pa
psr, Wa notified that the colored people OF
this city, wished to meet him 1t the Athe-
nsum at o'clock, Of New Years day. At
the hour appointed, = goodly number OF peo-
pie of both races assembled.
Rev. -, of the colored Baptist
Church, was called to the Chair, and presided
with dignity and ability.
The first thing in the order OF exercises,
was an grafton BY Mr.. John Hiner, who
spoke ably and well for about an hour. We
regret our inability to report at length the
speech of Mr.. Hiner, but a. We did not reach |
tho hall until he had proceeded about half |
way through, We will not attempt . report.
We will cay, however, that he urged his peo
pie to prove themselves worthy Of the trust
which the State Of Iowa has placed in their |
hands. he also glanced ct the history OF the |
Republican party, and demonstrated that it
is, and Away has been, the true friend Of the
black race, as well u Of oil oppressed people.
At the conclusion Of the Grafton, the Chair.
man announced that the next business in or
der wonld be the presentation Of silver
pitcher and goblets to Mr.. J. B. Howell, as
. testimonial expressive Of the regard and
esteem Of the colorsd people in view Of his
able and earnest defense Of their rightsthrough
the GATE CRY newspaper and otherwise.
He then invited Mr.. Howell to the platform,
and Mr.. Elmer presented the gift in neat
and appropriate speech, in which he said
tina. he recognized the press as one Of the
powers Of the land, and Mr.. Howell as
faithful and able editor, who had always
welded his pen in behalf Of liberty and JUS
tice and the cause of the oppressed. Mr.. Il.
said the course of the GATE CRY on the
suffrage question and its. advocacy of the
rights Of oil, had made il the duty Is we'll ~
the pleasure Of those whom .he represented,
to give some expression Of their apprecia-
ton of it's course. The remarks of Mr..
Hiner were we'll timed and felctous, and
elected applause.
We cannot of course undertake to give
the remarks Of Mr.. Howell. After making
acknowledgment fthe elegant testimonial in
fitting terms he alluded to the fact that eight
years before, when treason was threatening
the country, he had stood where he then
stood and opposed compromise. He did
that in the interest of Liberty and Of Union.
For generations. the blight Of Slavery had
been upon the land that iniquitous institu-
ton, like an incubus, rested upon US. How
and when We should get rid of it perplexed
the best and greatest minds. We seemed
doomed to endure it always: Then came the
conspir tracy of the Shareholders. he saw in
that unholy conspiracy the doom Of slavery,
and 30 he opposed compromise. Because
it would stop compromise, with rebels who
did not intend to compromise, and be-
cause it would make an end of human bon-
dage in this land he was glad when the reb-
els fred upon Sumpter. : They did that. In
two years from the time he had stood there
and opposed compromise, the four millions
OF their people that had been slaves were
made free the problem was solved. For
six years they had been free men and wo-
men. They we're free but liberty was Of
little good unlesss they could pro-
tect themselves in the enjoymeu. Of
it. This necessitated Suffrage. In the
South they had ACQUIRED that right under re-
construction. In this State it had been given
them as the voluntary act Of the Republican
party, by an immense majority. And this
was the logic of events. The principle was
bound to work and spread and become the
law Of all the States. In a very few years
the right to vote would be conceded to them
everywhere, and be unquestioned. He ar
gued at some length the essential necessity
Of Universal Suffrage in Republican gov
ernment-that was necessarily Characters
tic of free institutions.
Thus they we're raised to the plane Of citi-
zenship. The future work must be their own.
They mnst show that the gift Of citizenship in
all its rights was we'll and worthily bestowed.
They must show that they were worthy Of it.
They must do this by education, by virtue,
BY morality and religion. He gave much
good counsel on this score, dwelling upon the
means of education and advancement open
to them. Then be said that be had no doubt
: they would prove themselves worthy of it
worthy Of it as members of the community
Of the State, and Of this great Nation.
This is not even synopsis of the point.
made. He Was listened to with great atten'
ton and frequent applause.
The audience was an appreciative one, and
discriminatinsly SO. The good points, the
noble sentiments, the right suggestions, were
the applauded parts Of the addresses.
The gift is a very elegant one; ofthe fines,
material and workmanship, Bridges best,
and showing much taste in those selecting
and making the present. 1t is on exhibition
at the GATE Cry. office.
KEoKuK LIBRARY AssoCIATIoy.-Th Rev.
Robert Collyer, of Chicago, will lecture be
fore this Association, on Tuesday 0Dina
next, Jan. 5, at Gibbons Opera House.
Subject-Clear Grit-Tickets 50cts, to be had
al Book and Jewelry Stores. Doors open a,
o'clock; lecture commences at s.
Nv. w. JAMESON,
Chairman Lecture Committee.
We call attention to the card of DR.. Nc
Donald, Physician and Surgeon. Seyera
months ago, by the fall Of his horse, the Doc