New-York tribune., 1871-08-05
EQUAL RIGHTS TO ALL.

Congress from South Carolina ecured at Cooper Inst
ute last evening on THE General Condition Of the South
and the Progress OF the Coorcd People since their Po
cal Enfranchisement" Owing TO misapprebenson
the meeting not quito fully attended as was an
cpated although large number came In while the lee.
turer was speaking Horace Greeley presided and in
troduced Mr. t. w. Crosby, who made q speech Of wei
TO the speaker Of tho evening" and appropriate
reference to the topics about TO bc considered. Mr..
Greeley then introduced Mr. Elliott as follows
n there had been tOleable notice given o. his meet
ing am sure there would have been quite large at
tendance but our friends who had charge OF didn't
cn No. WAS 10 be- hcd r PlPnO @ Dd shI% Int yo
by remarks but will that while we have heard
OF it wise aud good deal otherwise-we hereI speak
of the people in genera-very, very little said by tAat
one of its most eloquent and forciDe champions from
within its own ranks, tLe Hon Mr. Elliott, from South
Carolina who will now address you.
SPEECH OF MIR. ELLIOTT.
Mr.. CnkIEMAN AND FELLOW -CoUNTRYMEN Permit
lay sincere thants for, and to express my
high appreciation of tho kind greeting that YOU have
tended toward this occasion. appreciate II the
more highly because regard it not much compli
ment 10 my humble self proof Of yOur good will and
friendly regard people of the section from which
came. After than two centuries Of unrequiced
toll at OF the late Shareholders Rebellion tho
cOlorcd the south granted the precious boon
of frcclOurccdOm Of lOCOmOtOn. freedom OF thought,
freedom to labor and enjoy the fruits OF his toll freedom
to worship God according to the dictates of his own heart
and conscience. The mere gift of freedom was indeed
precious boon the of practically utilizing II
a question for deep study. II problem the
u0n of which required the keen foresight Of the pOlt
cal economist and the aid Of the euligtcd judgment ana
tried experience of the statesman But The nations viii
required anG circumstances demanded ma, ING "iIchlJ
problem should In great part be solved by The Freedmen
themselves shall briefly state the facts conn ntcnd with
enc r history and Chen leave il 70 your cll-henti
Judgment 10 determine how well That problem has been
| SLAVES MADE FBrE.
| Here were four millions of men in moment changed
from condition Of chate property TO the position OF
manhood lifted from the depths Of degrading seryitudo
to the elevated position Of American frcemen. -Four
millions OF people totally dependent pcnness home
less landlcss, who had been during their whole lifetime
gious and uoraD wholly neglected, their very manhood
crushed, asked 10 DO whati To think for themselves,
and devise the ways ana for their own protection
! and advancement Here were four millions OF people
with the freedom Of ocomotion freshly obtained, but
| who could make of it whatever, because they
bound hand and foot TO the soil by the cruel fate Of
aijcct poverty In the midst Of hostile communities In
this condition were they left the close OF the
on the hand want, misery, and desoatton staring
them i'm The face; on the other they were by the
cruel persecution and bitter hate " tie whites Of the
South The planters said to the hlac6 people, iIOu must
for without remuneration, or starye. In order
to more thoroughly subject their will their Leg
isaures convened and passed distinct sets o laws for
! the government OF the blacks. They sOlemnly Gu
| acted THAT II. any person Of color be fonnd IN
any part of the state without employment
such person OF color should be adudsed yagant dbc
10 fine and imprisonment II any coored person was
found selling Of the products Oi farm without GER
tifcae from white person te owner OF such farm ON
which such person Of may at the time rcsidel nc
should be liable to punishment by hn5 ana
They declared that no person Oh colOr should Dc permit
ted TO carry any trade art without license for
which he should pay $780, and that license should be
granted unless the applicant therefor presented ccrt-
cate signed by his former owner or such other we per-
served regular apprenticeship, on pain OF PUNISHMENT
They denied him employment; yet II found ldie he
! should be adiudgcd yagtanL lie was turned lOOSo,
bIi % t,inr SoS eforc he could earn his daily
/ bItl ld ly he ANc
mdcnturc OF apprenticeship though it was known that
he had none. What oiensc misdcmednor by stat
ute or at common law, when committed by white man,
by at%G nenyc aGSrGa tni Would Send White man to the
the common ia for few weeks or subject MN 10 me
Years and subcctcd him TO the sharp sting the lash.
This was keep the cOlOred man under the domination
Spn 81 a OF the intelligent r5iored men d other sections,
thereby ectualy barring the road OF the frtGuneh 10
! advancement and enlightenment. such was the spirit
manifested by the whites toward their late s9SCs ms ms
toward a people wroDged. persecued, and bafbarousy
treated for centuries. BY enactment, the Whle en-
poyer was to be known rs master ana me negro en-
OF the solemn Judgment OF the country that henceiorth
and forever all men should be ltc 10 l'pelue th9ir
harsh rule the cmancpated negroeso deprive he
coored the south of the practical ENJOY lent oi
then lbcIyo force them III tIe olIiIg i,!'I.,' - m "i
life TO regard the whites their supcrlos by race n
destroy all their hopes Of Improvements to eradicate al
manly aspirations from theI minds, ana 10 hM,. A. .i % ,S
srryc yassals 20 their viii carry you D5,h mus ai N
order YOU may know where the Freedmen stood aJ
J the close OF the Rebellion.
RIGHTS CONFERRED BY CONGRESS.
After the Congress of the nation had given those lately
I'm rebellion the opportunity to reorganize their state
Governments upon free basis, guaranteeing the freed
men the endowment Of their civil rights, and the South
rons had contemptuOusly spurned their proes the Con-
gess conferred upon the coloed men OF the South pot
cal rights and entrusted them, together with the
masses Of the whites the reconstruction and restoration
Of the nsrTcctionary 20 the Union Inc question was
submitted rs To whether not conventions should as
! scmblr to draft Constitutions for those states. The
blacks voted in the anlrnayeIthe whites IN q, tle neg,
tigrsN Nypr oplC
,dolt "a or md aid Of the whites pledging forget
fuIncss Of the past, and asking only ialr deal
ton Of their civil aud political rights-they
eought not negro domination. TheX asked only loyalty
/ 10 the Government and the acknowledgment or the
rit Of all TO enjoy speech free press, and free
ballot The refused all profers they would not
although the abolition fully accorded to the
demands Of superior power hut ihe soutoIn peoplo
had not vet learned the lesson Oh tc war anu were 700
little mbucd with the expansive spirit OF the age 20 re-
cognzc the Just ana equal rights OIL az IN ,1 eye y, o
ZION The convention composed OF l2i members, ~
OWE 4I TIoi n it minute detail Of their every act
nee IL 10 saw that they framed Constitution ana sub
iaJ n, m"ioy Of 5000 votes That Constitution
submitted il To Congress and was by the nations relrc-
scntsuyes approved. II was CONSTITUTION H"'n'u "
AGongh ridlcuied and daily and hourly abused, they
cbeerfuy looked toward the future for brighter day
era OF peace, cohtshtinehht m ana PSipciGe1
The removal of the disabilities OF those who were wiling
m M va i'm fine future During al this time the whites
a. mass kept alOOf, aud said: This negro government
viii be- a failure they are an ignorant people, they can
! ,dt naurnrate a Government. But the colored men,
viii the and of "a few white monir0m the North ana
few OF the middle class of the native WItes IaDorcu
/ 10 ~, tore the state 10 the Union. They accom-
| uIished their aim-they securely moOred her III
The heart OF the Union. They were detetmlneu men,
! ,rin Liph duties before them. The party In power
the Republican party had given them their liberty 10
that party they at once determined to Ns thgr supot
They were asked ally themselves with the Democratic
rfy hut they declined. They resolved TO stand by the
Ermb.ican party, because they owed thht parry Il ucOt
! nt gratitude and they have stood by H..
| w. Ieuud ate and d SNOW all aiiiation with the
IL Marty heplusa l. prescription