New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-12-18
Extract from speech pr!i,"rCs: Us
ID. a Si:akcr- Esq %, fore "a.
Equal Rights .Naii0n::l snu,cn-

ID. A Si.akcr. Esq %, fore ga.
Equal Rights National snn,cn-
! tion.
/ We are here in no dictatogiai ~y.iit. neither
I are we on our knees in obSCquinu~nc>~ lu,
we have assembled to lay before the highest
/ legislative tribunal ot the land or Inst
/ claims rs citizens OF the United STATES, layal
To our country, AMI oar couu,y's highest
interest; patriotic to the extent o.. Shedding
our blood in its defense. clothed Will th,.
| ballot, which we have used a> the exponent
of our devotion to Il party, which in u1 ~a,all
| degree deserves our adherence, hut in no
manner our scryie allegiance. We are
human beings, children of the same common
stock. possessed OF the same physical SYM
metry, looking out upon the beauty ol the
universe with the same upward eve. hcarheu-
ing to her melody with the same Interpreting
ear, claiming fellowship, each with each by
the same grand faculty of speech, differing
only as to color; vet it is manifest that We
are in nowise treated, neither ~ human be-
| ings nor tellow-CitiZens of Il united country.
! There are to-day upwards of four million at
/ human beings ostrlCiScl 10y thHty-u,ld mil
lions for no other reason than hocauSe an All
/ Wise and just Providence has seen fiji to
| cothe them in darker skin than others
Of their brethren. Our CstraCi>m is iliimit-
able, our lOc0motion, an inalicnablc right of
man, is circumscribed the high privilege ot
| education, the bulwark of nation, aud its
ultimate safeguard from civil discussion, Is
! also Circumscribcl throughout the Union.
| In public places Of amusement, at inns, by
common carriers, we are ruthlcsolv denied
| that prNila &c, which by virtue al our citizen
ship is our vested right, and this, too in the
| face Of the fact that we occupy positions rs
! legislators, judges, physicians, representa-
| tives Of our country at home and abroad,
| contributing to its commerce, its industry,
aud its revenue. We are ever Jealous Of its
honor among nations, ready to stand by it in
| the hour of need.
| Moreover, we stand here tonight a, parties
| to contract, well known to an Rcpblicans
| The place where it was made was in the city
of Philadelphia, in the State of Pcunsyl-
yania. The parties were the white republic
! can citizens on the one side and the culorpl
republican citizens on the other; the motive,
although not the exclusive one. was a >trict
| adherence on the part of the colorcd citizen
to the Republican party and that party'S
| pledge to insure us in our civil rights. Now
we ask that the Republican party, through
! its Representatives in Congress assembled,
perform its promise by appropriate lcgisla-
/ ton securing Us in our civil rights and pro-
tccting Us in the exercise OF these rights
/ In plain language we ask the Republican
party in defense of its honor, its virtue, its
| principles, and in justice 10 humanity, to
| pass Il law securing Us these rights AMI |,
for myself, ask for the pas,in. Of Mr.. sum
/ ncr's bill, known to Congress ~ senate bill
No. for the reason that it J., the most COM
prehcnsvc in its sense and constitutional IN
all its parts. 1t CmbDlIcS the rights of hu-
mantv; it is therefore constitutional. And
lust here let me say, that regret to observe
how many from whom | should least expect
it, exhibit disposition to ignore Mr.. sum
ncr's bill upon the ground of CNIcdcEcN,
others upon the scrylc plea, that Is We were
cntranchiScd in part, so let Us receive our
rights in part, and others that it is best not
to specify our need, but ask for a measure.
have no reason to borrow term, from the
pages Of cXpcdicncy in asking for my God-
given rights. II is foolish to ak for a part
IN letter while III spirit we desire the whole.
II is not our business to help Congress in
cyadiug the question Of our rights. 1t IS not
due Congress to suppose that il will let
personal disturbances obstruct its Justice in
legislation, AMI moreover we owe it to him
who has stood by Us from the hour OF danger,
through veal and woe, until to-day, t. stand
b. him in his Cudeayors IN Ouc behalf, show
ing by our present course that ~ once we
=, stood By the party in our behalf, So to-day
we propose to stand by man who naugu-
rated measure in behalf Of these rights.
9 i'ny a. .,;l =; ,,,,.o,,.tj,,,.
u'I'' N.'' IN H., =. .;aI o,',,i;t,,
Ii'i''' ~ - wa ',',I', H.,
will not favor it on personal grounds. Now
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} amy NV, ,,,'iit, ;, ,'o,
the Democratic party of this country take
t,Il1 I'M. " - -,
III al No., ,' ,,.o ,.,, a
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by ti"h7''''''''''i VI "''''' - ''''' 1''''''
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