Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-03-25
scna,ar RereIs, Maiden speech.


on March 10th. the Georgia bill being |
under consideration. Mr. Revcls (colored), |
Senator from Mississippi delivered his
first sneech on the floor OF the United |
states Senate. The following Is the tele
graphic report Of his remarks:
Mn. PufsIDrNr rise ut this particua
lar iuneiure in the discussion OF the |
Georgia hill with feelings which perhaps |
never before entered into the oxperienccA
Of any member of this body. | rise, too,
with misgivings as TO the proprlety OF
lifting my voice at this early period aher
my adpsission in the Senate. Perhaps II
were wise for me, so inexperienced In the
details of Senatorial duty, TO remain a
passive listener in the progress of this de-
bate; but, whom / remember that my |
term Is short and that the issues with |
which this bill Is fraught are momentous
in their present and future influence upon 1
the well being Of my race would seem
indifferent to the importance of the hour
and recreant to the high trust imposed |
upon me, II neglected to lend my voice on |
behalf nj the loyal people of the South |
l, therefore, waive all thoughts as 10 tho |
propriety of entering into this discussion, |
breaking thrbughlg generally understood
etiquette nfi this body When questions
arise witlelt Iear upon the safety and pro !
tections of ,the loyal white and col0red |
people 81. thoke States lately in rebellion, |
I cannot ALLOW any thought MS to mere |
propriety 10 enter into my consideration
of duty,s Tho responsibilities of being
the exponent pfsuch constituency as
have tie hoNbf to represent are fully ap-
preciated by me. | havb about mo
daily the keenest sense Of their weight
and that feeling prompts me now to lft
my voice lor Cue first timc in this council
chamber ef Ahe nation; and, sir, | stand
to-day on tNs floor 90 appeal for protec.
ton from q lse strong arm of the govern
uent fOr hef loyal children, irrespective
of color Or fnce, who are citizens Of the
Southern States, and particularly of the
great StSte of Georgia. | am well
aware, sir, that the idea is abroad that nm
antagonisnA exits between tho whites
and blacks; that the race which the
nation raised from the degradation of
slavery aads endowed with the full and
unqualified rights and privileges of oitl.
zcnship Is intent upon power, at whatever
price V '0an he gained IL has been the
well considered purpose and aim ofa class
not confined 20 the South 20 spread this
charge over the fand, and their efforts are
rs vigorous tod day to educate the people
Of this nation into that belicfas they were
at the close of the war. II was not un-
common 70 hnd this same class, even dur
ing the fehellion, prognostcating SER
vile war, II may have been that the
wish was father to the thought: and, sir,
as the Recognized representative of my
down, ,traIlden people, deny the charge,
aud hurl IL back into the teeth of those
who make II, and who, believe, have not
true and conscientious desire TO further
the interests OF the whole South. Ger
tainly, amy one possessing n knowledge of
the colored population of my own or ony
other State, need not be reminded of the
noble conduct of their people under the
most trying circumstances in the history
of the late civil war, when they were be.
yond theproteetiop of the Federal forces.
While.the, CoptSdcrQto army pressed into
its ranks every white male capable Of
bearing arms, mothers, wives, daughters,
and sisters of the Southern soldiers were
lett deieneelesS and In the power of the
blacksyupou whom the chains OF slavery
were etill riveted, and to bind those
chains closer was Che real issue fer which
so much life and property was sacrificed.
And now, sir, i ask how did that race act 2
Did they In those days of Confederate
weakness, apd impotence, evince the
nalignity Of which VIC hear SO much ?
Granting, Tor the sake of argument, that
they were ignorant and bpsottch, which
do not believe yet with all
their supposedpcqd qdiesccnce and oredulity.
they in their way understood, as fully as
YOU or |, tlp awful import of the contest
They knowlitltae gallant corps of national
soldiers'wete beaten back and their flag
trailedin the dist, that it was the prosago
of still heavier bondage. They longed,
too, as their fathers did before them, for
the advent. of thstopoch over which was
Iallnxup1 ltrht Of (.
itself They desired too, with their
fathers, 10 welcome the feet of strangers
shod With the peaceful preparation OF
good news Weary years of bondage had
told tlfetr tale of sorrow to the Court OF
Heaven la the Coun ellis of the great Father
OF all. They knew the adjudication of
their care, albeit delayed for years in
whichFpatient suffering had nearly ex.
hausteQ ITSELF would In the end bring
them the boon for which they sighed
Gods most blessed gift to bis crealurcs,--
the inestimablo boon of liberty. They
waited, and they waited pationtly In
the absenee uf their masters they protect
ed the virtue and chastity of the defense.
less women. Think, sir, for moment,
what the condition of this land would be
to-day if the slave population had risen
III servlle instruction against those who,
month by mouth, were fighting TO per,
petuato that institution which brought
them all the evils OF which they com,
planned. Where would have been security
Tor property, female chastity, and child.
hoods innooenceg The sbl0udy counter.
part OF Such history of cruelty and
wrongs would have been paralleled only
In those chapters of Jewish history ~
recorded 10y Jusephus, or In the still later
atrocities Of that reign of terror which
sent the hitortunate Louis XIV. and Mari,
Antoinetto to the scaflold Nay, deeds IN
that drama. OF eold.hloodod butohery
would have out EerodeA the most dia
bolical acts OF iIerod himself
MIR. President, maintain that the past
record of any race is true index of tn,
feelings which to day animate them
They bear toward their former masters nc
revengefulthoughts no hatred, no animosi
ties. They atm not TO elevate themselyc.
by sacrificing one single interest OF theil
Mhlte-iellow citizens. They ask but tn,
rights which ara theirs by Gods universa
law, and which are the natural oulgrowtl
and logical sequence of the condition II
which the legislative cnactments of thi
ation-haye placed them They appeal 1,
you and 10 me 90 see that they receiy
that protection which alone viii onabl
them 70 pursue iheir daily avocations will
success, ahu ENJOY theli liberties OF citizen
ship on, the Slue footing with their whit
neighbors and friends do not dosir
simply To defend my own race from uuius
and unmerlted charges, but also desire 4
place upon record an expression of IN,
full and entire confidence in the integrity
of purpose with which believe the pre-;
ent Congress and Republican party viii
meet these questions, so prolific of veal O
woe not only 10 my own people, but to th
whole South. They have been, SO far as
can read the history of the times, influ
enced by no spirit of petty tyranny. TIL
poet has well said:
"oi Il is excellent 10 have giants strength
BntHis Erannous TO uso ID like giant"
How have they used that power, lodge
in them by the peopley In acts of crue
ty and oppression towards those VIII
sought toyepdin twain this goodly fabrl
of our Fathers priceless heritage of s
much hardship and endurance in reyolu
tionary timesy Let the reconstrnctinn on