Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-13
Is FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.

The colored people of New York cele-
brated on Friday the Fifteenth Amend
ment in grand style, as they had good real
son to do They had monster process
sion in the day, with banners and music,
and in the evening Cooper Institute was
packed full to listen to jubilant and elo-
quent speeches. Wendell Phillips was
among the speakers. His remarks are
reported as follows:
I never expected to see this day. l have
seen hours when did not believe that this
generation would see it-when l thought
these solid arches of masonry would crumble
before it came. We have been blessed by the
most rapid advancement the Lord ever grant
ed to q nation. 1t is only short seven years
since you were hunted in the streets of this
city-only seven years, and to-day that grand
procession wound up that same Broadway
where then you were fleeing for your lives,
and the law powerlcss to help you. History
has not such another picture to show. There
are four names that You should single out as
deserving your gratitude above all others.
FIRST, the President whose first word on enter
ing the White House was of you-President
Grant; second, the man who availed himself
of a rebellion to lift American law up to such
a high standpoint that it could see 1000, 900
of citizens where before were only 1900, 600
Of slaves-President Lincoln. The third is
John Brown. When he set foot at Harper's
Ferry Slavery died The fourth name that
towers above them all-the name America
has added to the short catalogue of the bene-
factors of humanity-the blessed of Almighty
God and all coming time, is that of William
Lloyd Garrison. [Applause.l These are the
four names which it seems to me should be
preserved in your memories.
i, like the others, who have spoken, would
like to give word of advice. l, too, have a
text to preach from. Henceforth, in the true
sense you hold your fate in your own hand.
We are no longer to blame for your deficien-
cies or defeats. You stand with the sw ord
and shield of the human race, the ballot in
your hand. No race with the power of the
vote was ever permanently wronged except by
itself Never forgive or forget one thing;
stand fast by that and l don't fear your be-
coming Democrats. If there is man who
votes wrongly in question where color is
concerned, never forgive nor forget it. If
any man does an act, approves measure, or
submits talnely to vote which takes from
man his rights on account of his color, for
give him in private on your knees before
God; but in the voting-room, with your bal
lot in your hand, never forgive him.. Keepa
record of all such men. Recreant Republic
can, or brazen-face Democrat, whoever he
may be, whatever he may do, do never forgive
him. r. E. Lee never did your race one half
the harm that half-baked colored men will do
in the next ten years by forgetting this kind
of political sins. If You are hurt in the next
ten years, it viii be your own fault. No man
nor class of men on this continent has power
to injure you if you are true to yourselves.
If had any legacy to leave the race have
labored for all my life, it would be this: For
the next 20 years to go to the ballot box and
vote, not as a Republican, or as Democrat,
nor as anything else except negro.