Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-03-22

much p? Granting for the sake OF argu- |
ment, that they were ignorant and be-
sotted, which | do not believe, yet,
with all their supposed ignorance and
credulity, they in their way under
stood, as fully as you or |, the awful
import of the contest. They knew, II
the gallant corps of national soldiers
were beaten back and the flag trailed
in the dust, that it was the presage OF
still heavier bondage. They longed,
too, as their fathers did before them,
for the advent of that epoch over
which was shed the hal}owed light of
inspiration itself. They desired, too,
with their fathers, to welcome the
feet of strangers shod with peaceful
preparation Of good news. Weary
years of bondage had told their tale
of sorrow to the court of Heaven
In the councils of the Great Father
of all, they knew the adjudication OF
their case, albeit delayed for years,
which patient suffering had nearly ex-
hausted itself would in the end bring
them the boon for which they sighed
Gods most blessed gift to his crea-
lures, the inestimable boon of liberty.
They waited, and waited patiently.
In the absence of their master they
protected the virtue and chastity of
defenceless women. Think, sir, for
a moment, what the ondition of this
land would be to-day, if the slave pop
ulation had risen in servile insurrec-
ton against those who, month by
month, were lighting to perpetuate
that institution which brought them
all the evils of which they complain
ed Where would nave been security
for property, female chastity and
childhood's innocence The bloody
counterpart OF such a story Of cruelty
and wrong would have been parallel
ed only in those chapters Of Jewish
history such as are recorded by jose
plus, or in the still later atrocities OF
that reign of terror which sent the
Emperor Louis XVI. and Marie An
toinette to the scafold. Nay, the
deeds in that drama Of cold-blooded
butchery would have out Heroded the
most diabOlical acts of Her0d himself.
Mr.. President, | maintain that the
past record Of my race is a true index
of the feelings which to-day animate
them. They bear no revcngefuI
thoughts, no hatred, no animosities
they aim not to elevate themselves by
sacrificing one single interest Of THEN
white fe!low-ciUizens they ask but the
rights which are theirs by Gods uni
versal law, and which are the natural
, outgrowth ard logical sequence o.
, the condition in which the Legislative
enactmentS of this nation have placed
them. They appeal to you and tc
| me, to see that they receive that pro
! lection which alone will enable then
| to pursue their daily avocations witt
success, and enjoy the liberties OF cit
izenship on the same footing viii
/ their white aeighbors and friends
| do not desire simply to defend my
/ own race from unjust and unmeriteC
= charges, but | also desire to place up
t on record the expression Of my full
2 and entire confidence in the integrit,
! of purpose with which | believe tn,
+ President, Congress and the Repub
=. lican party will meet these questions
: so prolific of veal or woe, not only t,
: my own people, but to the Who'll
South. They have been, SO far as
: can read the history Of tue times, in
e famed by no spirit Of petty tyranny
4 The poet has we'll said, %, it is exec
: lent to have q giants strength, but
e is tyrannous to use it like giant. :
: And how have they used that powe
: lodged in them by the people ? In act
of cruelty and oppression towar
t those who sought to rend in twai
G this goodly fabric of our fathers
priceless heritage of 50 much hare
n ness and endurance in revolutiOnar
!. times? Let reconstruction enactment
e answer the interrogation. No poo
q words of nine are needed to defen
5 the wise and benefcent legiSlatio
f which has been extended alike t
. white and colored citizens. The RI
publican party is not influenced, a
some would fain have the country b,
lieve, against the white population c
the South. Its borders are wild
e enough for all truly loyal men to fin
If within them peace and repoSe froI
$ the din and discord of angry factions
and be that loyal man white or bIacl
IS that great party Of our Republic vii
d if consistent with the record it has a
r. ready made for posterity,throw aroun
S him the same impartial security
% his pursuit OF liberty and happines
If certain class OF the South had a
o cepted in good faith the benevolel
a. oyertureS which were offered to the
with no niggard hand, to-day wou
c. not find our land still harrassed wi
E. feuds and contentious. | remarke
t. Mr.. President. that | rose to plea
e, for protection for a defenceless pc
pie who now send their delegation
to the seat Of Government to sue for tn
er which this Congress alone can secuI
|: to them. And here, let me say fu
al Their, that the people of the North ov
of to the colored race deep obligation
s. which 1t Is no easy matter to fluff
re When the Federal armies were thi
r. ned by death and disaster, and sol
r ore clouds Overhung the length al
ne breadth of the Republic, and the We
is air was pregnant with rumOrs of f
at elgn interterencc-in those dark ia
m OF defeat whose memories yet hau
n US as ulgy dreams, from what sour
is did our nation, i'll its seeming dea
a. throes, gain additional and new-foul
err power? 1t was the sable sons of t
en- South that voluntarily rushed to t
IS rescue; and but for their intrepid
i'd and ardent daring many Northe
g treeholdS would miss to-day pattern
u counsel or brothers love. Sir, /
at peat the fact that the colored ra
of saved to the noble women of New
to gland and the Middle States ma
he whom they lean upon to-day for sec
lie rity and safety. Many of my ra
sh the representatives of these men
Il. q