Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-04-17
THE EMANs IPATI0N CELEBRATION.
The Speeches, &c.


no, proceeding further eastward or south ward
han the west capitol gafe, the Boys in Blue
and the Seventh Ward delegation left the line
at thar point and proceeded to their respective
quarters. The procession then returned to.
wards ~ streeT, and at 3:l5 d. m. arrived in
front OF the Ciy Hall. about 10000 persons,
men and women being present. The various
organ iZations were conveniently disposed
around the stand and Were received v,rh loud
and enthusiastic cheering.
Charles II. Peters, Esq president, took the
soon afterwards Senators Nye and Wilson ap-
peared and took seats ON the stand.
Mr.. Peters. the president, delivered q short,
bat clog uent address, IN which he said-rhis
day, the glorious 10th Of April, the seventh An.
niversary Of the emanc patton Of the colored
people Of this District. they celebrated because
,ss;s rne c,itnoay OF freedom Al one time
and nothing but the attack upon Sumter by the
loyal military served TO shake OF the heavy
,sin tnat pad settled upon the people. At
beloved President, was fortunately vested with
power TO wipe out, with one stroke of his pen.
me shameful stain that rested upon us. Jap
piauee. HIS immortal spirit that so freely
struck from us our shackles, now hovers over
this vsst assemblaEe. This is a glorious coca
SION Nothing could be more glorious than
plause.
Rev. Sella Martin was introduced, amid ap.
plauSe. by President Peters. This, he sal ],
was day on which they had a right 20 conn.,
piIment themselves. When Mr.. Lincoln de.
claIed in this District emancipation, il was
done as an experiment 10 indicate whether IL
would De wise and pr udent TO extend the same
over this vast domain. He was gratifisd 10
know that, since that time, they had done
nothiIg that would cause any TO regret the
taking of That important step. Mr. Lincoln
was thus induced to extend this coveted boon
10 The colored people throu ghout this grea. aud
power nj domain. They should not forget Bir-
rey Lovelcy, ard Garrett, Snmner, Wilson,
Nye, and others, who had nobly stood by them
n
Yet they should not forget u stand by them
selves and and themselves to the extent of their
ability. and thus encourage others 10 assist
them The colored men had advantages, he
continued; for they had helped the white men,
and by their aid the white men were made free.
They ithe White men) could not go to the South
In times G, ne by and say what they might
think. They had helped, also, the foreign ma
lions TWAS the influence OF the results here
railing and walk into Hyde Park despite the
Ministers there IN power 1t was remarked to
MIN. while there, that II was hard if the cotton.
growers could secure the franchise and the
cotton spinners could not. They reflected or
the fact that here you had obtained your man.
hood, and they determined they should have
their rights, too, and they have obtained them.
Senator Wilson, Of Massachusetts, was pre-.
sentrd to the assemblage by the President, aud
was greeted with prolonged cheering Mr..
wilson said he bad come from his place in the
senate TO PAL ticlpate with them in their seventh
anniversary Of freedom. He referred to the
motto in a banner near by, "Thanks to the
Lord" ana said, however grateful they were
20 man and 10 the Government, they shou Id
offer mp prayer to God for the success that
caused them so much privilege ana en- argument
They bad encountered and overcame y severe
every hazard and Al every sacrifice, and they
surely bad the countenanco Of the good Being
in their undertaking. They should offer up
their thanks for what had been given them He
could heartily rejoice with them, especially In
relation 10 the emancipation in this District.
Fifteen yesrs ago when he took seat in
the senate, the black men were slaves Of the
that the white men were bound to respect, and
they were subjected to outrages for which there
was no relief. The laws Of the District Of
Columbia, he could now say, were as free and
equal as any in the world, and these were won
by immense sacrifice and glorious achieve.
ments. and, BY the blessing Of God, they Hould
MAINTAIN them at all hazards. He thanked
God that the obstacle in the White House had
goLe 10 Tennessee. They should not harbor
malice, for he believed that It was the will OF
God that our last President should turn against
them, and thus test them and fire their hearts
10 more earnest endeavors or they would not
have secured emancipation so completely. The
colored men We're not only free now, but in
both the North and the South they mad the
right to vote and TO be voted for. 1t was a
cause for copgratulation that President Grant
was IN the White House. Those who contend
ed that he would go back on them would have
10 acknowledge that he was leading them
right straight forward, and would do what was
right by them. He 1.-THE Senator) had lust voted
hrmed by an almost unanimous vote. He had
also voted 10 place n black man postmaster
N me proud and naughty capital Of south
as revenue assessor to the great commercial
city OF New Orleans-tbe city of such men
as BENJAMIN and Slidell; and he had voted
10 confirm an Indian to an important posi-
tioH. There should be no more distinc.
ton, for brave hearts and pure souls de.
brought to his room an freshman for the posi-
ton OF magistrate in this city. He vouched
for him as having always been a good Repub-
hcan and good hater Of Democrats, and i
signed his papers. The lrishman blessed him,
and the black man went away with his face
wreathed in smiles. There was nothing, the
The colored people had It now, and they mad
earned 1t by their heroic conduct and their
good beha He trusted the black people
would show by their industry, their moral
culture, and their attention to business that
they are what their white friends took them 70
be, and God would help them. He introduced
IN the Senate the bill that secured TO them their
freedom in this District. Applause Sena-
tors were then told that such an act would be
the means Of killing business Al the District,
and OF pesearing II. They had shown already
men lived here with the colored men, and
thought they knew them, IL now turns out that
the Yankees knew them better. They should
trust the Yankees Just so far as they proved, as
they should prove, worthy, and the same rnle
should apply to Southern men. He believed
that the colored men could now Judge VINO
WeIc tnciI true iTlenus. Applause and enthu-
siastIc cheericg.l
Professor vasnon. OF Pennsylvania, having
been intro uced by the chairman, proceeded
TO address the people in a very clog uent man.
ner at considerable length. He referred to the
good service, the heroic daring and bravery Of
the colCrId men in ancient and later wars thus
proving their power and Importance. This
their late successful leader now in the White
House had already recognized oy recommend
Ing colored men TO important positions under
the Government. Washington, he continued
was the Father Of his Country Lincoln The
LIberator, and Grant the Vindica,or IOueer-
ing and Ioud huzzas.l
Mr.. Langston, Of Ohio, having received a
hearty greeting, said he would say something
about the three enactments OF Congress thai
most affected the colored people. Although
they were once wrapped in eboay II was finally
endeavored 10 change them 10 ivory. II was
one Of the statutes enacted by Congress that
that made all men tree, that made all Aneri-
cans, and that made all the curly hair straight
the word white he could bat rejoice thu.
they were free. When he now looked q. tae
White House, he felt that they had a raan
there that they could call their President.
he also referred 70 the Goddess OF Liberty.
which. be said. indicated thar, IN the Congress
OF the United States, over which IL poised, there
should be recognized no caste OF color. lie
also alluded TO our great statesmen, and among
them he classed Sumner and Wilson, of the
Senate, and Butler OF the House. They mad
not only cause to reJoice that they were free,
but that the laws under which they were now
governed made the negro an American. In
their reJoIcings they would not be selfish. for
when they were slaves, so were the white peo-