The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-12
AND THE ooLoRED TROOPS FOUGHT
NOBLY

From the Chicago Post.
The celebration at Chicago yesterday. by
the colored people, of the ratification of the
fifteenth amendment to the Constitution, was
an event worthy of note on many accounts
1t is certainly true that the procession during
the day was a marked success. The thou
sands who witnessed it will agree that there
have been few more imposing displays in
Chicago. Everything that ought to have
been done was done, 80 far as the public
could perceive. Nothing seemed to be lack
ing. The civic display and the military dis
play were exceedingly well got up, and ap-
propriate to the occasion. If those forming
the procession had been white men, they
could not have done better than was done;
and white men have frequently, on like jubi-
liant occasions, done great deal worse
Of the proceedings at the hall we need not
speak at length. They were creditable
throughout. The negroes did their part with
great and acknowledged success, and even
scIdt. The meeting last evening was great
deal more interesting, instructive, and Or
derly than any Democratic meeting of the
past fifteen years which we can now recall to
mind.
But the particular point in this celebration
by the negroes to which we desire to call the
special attention of the public is the fact that
good order and perfect sobriety characterized
JAo udy, bO lar Nd buOSo cuKhRou III tu6 C6l6-
bration were concerned. There was no more
drunkenness in Chicago on the negroes
fourth of July than on any other day. If
men will recall the last "great day" the Chi
cago Democracy have had-the day of Ho-
ratio Seymour's speech in 1S68-and COM
pare this with that, they will form very
favorable opinion of the good conduct of the
newly enfranchised citizens. If there ever
was an occasion-which there never was
IL y - 4 Al
rious and extravagant behavior resulting
from the drinking of healths, it was this when
the negroes celebrated their exodus from the
land Of political bondage, and their safe
arrival in sphere 80 much better and
brighter that they might seem to have taken
on new nature, with renewed capacity for
progress, influence, and happiness. If there
was any intoxication, it was very different
indeed from that of drunkenness-as far
removed from it as the inspirations of the
poet from the hallucinations of lunatic
Seeing what others do on such occasions, the
sobriety and orderly, dignifed behavior of
the colored people on the occasion of cele-
bration so justly joyous to them, must be set
down as greatly to their credit. They be-
haved nobly.
1t is o matter in which the intelligent pub
lie may well and heartily rejoice, that the ne
| groes held this celebration of their practical
emancipation from injustice and oppression.
1t was an opportunity for the public to Judge
of the men whom the public had long con-
demned, and the result of the good and
creditable conduct of the negroes is that they
have won the respect of thousands who never
respected them before. There are thousands
in Chicago, hundreds of thousands in the
country, who have witnessed similar ceebra-
tions who at last firmly believe that the blacks
have rights which white men are bound to
respect, and who now, if never before,
stoutly affirm that the colored troops fought
nobly.
That they will continue to fight nobly in
the discharge of the duties of citizenship in
this great republic, they alone can doubt who
doubt the benefcence of freedom and the
goodness and wisdom of Him who hath made
of one blood all nations of men.