The Cairo daily bulletin., 1870-04-13
,rHE XVIII AMENDMENT.
BY THE COLORED
- PEOPLE OF CAIRO.
y oPEECuES ~ DAVID r. LlNEGAR,
Esq, AND JOHN J. BlRD, ESQ.

a, The colorcd men, women and children
,,sho participated In the Fifteenth Amend
or,cn, celebration yesterday, forming too
4 hrge crowd to be accommodated in any
,lpuildng in the city, gathered in the com
Aonon Just beyond Cedar and Eleventh
h,tree,s, where a speakers stand had been
mprovised, anda few seats provided for
I .he aged and inflrm and the ladies'. The
t.ir.t address was by Mr.. David 7. Linegar.
., o,Wha, he .aid, Except his reference to the
right: and ncce- sites Of the blacks in edu-
,llca,ional mattnrs) may b. found at length
below: ..... ..F
70, speech OF ID. r. LtneGar. Esq.
10 FELLOW CIrrzrSs.-Thc political
os hanges OF tho last ten years have been as-
.tonishngly rapid. Less than ten years
ago Abraham Lincoln was chosen presi-
'edenl of the United States which wis the
u result Of n long and trying s,rngle for
r, the principles of freedom and equal rights.
q, The contest ragged for more than quarter
~ Of n century with fearful odds against the
:. friends OF right and justice; but MS the
years rolled on, recruits came until the
At army IT freedom numbcred it, millions,
and ~ the memorable battle of 1860 the
first great victory was won. Defeated IN
contest at the polis, the enemies OF human
4, rights rrtrcatcd from the political helds
\ and appealed 70 arms. The result OF the
contest of arms was far more fatal to the
4 enemies of true republicans 'hah IN"
n contest Mt the polls. The history OF the
|, shareholders rebellion is written and needs
, no repetition ut my hands. shnll not
Ia. Ias Lns hul ~
\ self with gathering some of itsfruiis. The
j contest was one for the naintanence of the
4 government and freedom on one ,idc, aud
4, for its overthrow and slavery, on the other.
Mr.. Stephens, the Vicc-President of the
Y rebel government, said; awe will rear
, 4 Southern Confederacy, and lts chief
, corner stone shall be slavery. The re-
sp,nse arose from all the loyal hearts IN
his land I'VE will overthrow yoar con-
federacy, maintain the government oi our
+ fathers, and not one pillar OF slavery shall
be left standing To endanger It's safety or
thesten its perpetuity. The contest is
over. and the soil of the republic Is not
poluted by the tread of single slave The
, iaborcr receives the price OF his hire, IN
every part Of our land. The slaye-pcns of
the south are changed to wure-houses for
for the reception Of the products Of
free labor. Richmond, the great center
Of the slave trade, turns her attention to
manufacturing industry and seeks Ia be-
come the Lowell of the South, The cot
ton, sugar and rice fields, yielding to tho
enargixing influence of free labor, give
forth abundant crops. The railroads and
vessels upon the navigable rivers are
crowded with freights and passengers
The oyerseer gives way To the school
master, and the spelling book is used for
ins,ructing the young instead ofthe horrid
lash. The battered and torn garments Of
the slave, gives way to neat and respecta-
BILE dress. The measured morsel of the
master. 10 east aside for the bountifli
table, supplied by the freedmen's toll.
The dismal hut of the slave is fast giving
place 10 the independent and happy
homes. The power of the master to sepa-
rate husband wife, parent and child, broth
ers and sisters, j. no longer recognized
The tyranical laws passed in aid of the
master right, have all yielded To better
civilization. The witness stand is denied
10 none; the rights of all men are equal
before the law. The political rights of all
men are secured without regard to race or
color. No man, in all this land is denied
the protecting influence of the ballot
save for crimes committed against the
nation or society.
We may now stop to inquire from what
source these changes came, and what secur-
ity nave We, that they will endure. 1t was
found at the time the present government
was organized there then existed in this
country disturbing element-slavery.
There were few, if any men, at that day,
who dared TO take II stand in favor Of
slavery, Its only friends were apologists
for It's existence. Washington, Jefferson,
franklin and Sherman, were all opposed