The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-08-10
A SPEECH FROM SUMNER.
In AcknOwlcdgmlent q a serepad,

In Acknowledgment Of q SeFenade,
WAsmNeToN, August Ex-senator Sum
ner was serenaded tonight by Dr.. Au
gustua, William A. Wormley, and othel
colored citizens. A number Of white
persons were also present. In Response
to repeated calls, Senator Sumner ap
peared at the door Of his residence ant
was greeted with great applause. DR.
Augusta introduced him as one Of Ameri.
cas- greatest statesmen,and o lifelong and
fm friend Of the African race. Senator
Sumner then spoke as follows: f1
Friends and Fello,O.eitatnS: =
am touched by this voluntary ex.
preston Of friendshlp, and beg to thank
you from my heart III seeing you on this
occasion. think Of you only as personal
friends, among whom l have lived more
than twenty years. During this consider.
able period changes have occurred Of in.
calculable Importance to the country, but
especially to colored people. When / en-.
tered upon my public duties here, slavery
was in the ascendant giving law TO the
usages Of life The colored man, though
not slave, was, degraded; = he
was not allowed to testify
In court; he was shut out
from the public schools, he was excluded
from public conveyances and kept away
from the ballot box. But here in the
National Capitol all these terrible wrongs
have ceased. Court rooms, school houses,
horse cars, ballot boxes, all are open,
never to be closed. Revolutions do not
&c backward, therefore, you may rest SO.
cure In what has been won BY this, be
sure slavery will never bereviyed, nor will
you be restrained or limited5i1 any Of
these rights you now enjoy. Applause
and three cheers for Sumner Most arm.
estly do | congratulate you on these sig.
nal victories so, little TO be expected.
when l first became acquainted with you,
and we consider the brief period In which
they bave been accomplished, I am sure
you will unite with me in hope and trust
for the future. Cries Of I'VE will."l It
Is my duty to remind you that the work
Is not yet completed. This will only be
the enactment OF the Civil Rights bill,
which shall relieve citizen, whoever he
may be, from any exclusion or discrimina-
tion on account Of his color. Only then
will it be established that equality before
the law, to which now for the FIRST time
in history all political parties are distinctly
pledged. Here there can be no question.
Applause. 1t is in the platforms Of all.
OI the early passage Of such law / do
not doubt. Then will you have all assur-
ance Of your rights that can be found in
the Constitution and laws But that law
will be the capstone. Applause.1 /
shall not disguise from you that something
more will be needed. There must be a
constant watchful public opinion behind
to see that these are enforced in letter and
spirit. There then must be no failure In
awakening and invigorating public opin-
ion. You can do much. would almost
say you can do everything. How con-
stantly have / urged, in publicspeech and
In all my intercourse with you, that your
colored fellow. citizens must insist upon
their rights always, by petition, by speech
and By vote. Above all, never vote for
any man who is not true to you and his
allegiance to your measures. Cheers. |
By so doing all parties will seek yonr
votes [cheersl; you will be felt and your
cause will be irresistible. Please accept
these few remarks as my acknowledg.
ment OF your kindness this evening. TCries
of "Go on."l From long acquaintance
you. know something of my sympathies.
A voice, 1--WE d." From the beginning
l have sought to prove true and always
endeavored, as best could, to serve you.
To your cause my lie is devoted and
nothing can turn me from 1t; nothing can
tempt or drive me from its support ti
The Senator retired, the crowd applaud.
ed and the band played several airs. A
number OF white and colored persons en-
tered the house to shake hands with Mr..
Sumner. aU 'f--i ~