Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-01-04


himself an enemy of the'negro, he was never |
theess bitter foe to slavery aud his conclusions
fen AGAINST il like the we'll directed blows Of the
axe to the root Of the doomed tree.
We must not forget in this connection the
name OF a man, who shines with imperisha-
BILE lustre among heroes and martyrs Of freedems
holy cause. | speak Of John Brown Of Harpers
Ferry fame. He was the John Baptist Of liberty
The last one OF the. heroic band Osburne ).
Anderson departed this life only few days ago.
All now sleep in honored graves. May their rest
be peaceful May their names live fresh and
green in the memory of the people they served
and may they have ultimately triumphd WaL-
ing.
The sentiment thus aroused, put the country
directly against the extension Of slavery but did
not receive sufficient strength to oppose its ex-
istence until aided by the ehaetisement OF de-
feat Put down the rebellion with slavery II
possible was the motto of the early days OF the
war. Return the painting fugitive that comes
within the Union line in the vain hope OF OBJ
tanning freedom back to his cruel master. Gums
| for secession but touch not slavery. Northern
hearts were so slow to believe shat slavery, SO
| cession rebellion were only different names for
the same thing, By repeated defeats, God co2,-
PEELED the country to sec. He awoke the people
| by the thunder OF rebel victories and gave them
| light from the camp fires Of their triumphant
| foes.
When the necessity was forced upon the coun-
/ ty and the people prepared for the event, we
may rejoice tLldt At tue mean uI htpoA
| man who dared to assume the risk. On be-
| half OF the people the then President declared
slavery at an end, invoked upon the act the bles-
| sing OF God and pledged to the freedman the
whole military and naval force Of the govern
ment. Then as we said. was the issue defined
On the one side was Liberty and Union, on the
| other slavery and secession.
Before the advancing armies OF freedom and
union, the armed and living bnlwarks o. slavery
| fled in detached fragments. Meade, Sheridan
| Gilmore, Sherman and our illustrious Grant, led
| on the invDcible hosts Of right, while the loyal
people, inspired with the patriotic feryor OF rev
| outionary days, followed in their victorious
| wake making the nation ring with their happy
| plaudits. They ratified the proclamation al the
polls, and added to its effects all civil and polit-
| ical rights.
The black man stands to- dAy the peer OF the
| proudest in our land, hillng with credit 70 MN
| self and honor to his country, many OF the mo
| prominent positions of Government My friends,
/ much as admire Abraham Lincoln the great and
/ good President, much as honor the illustrious
/ leaders who have brayed death itself In Free
dom's cause, loudly as applaud the American
/ people for their sense OF Justice and sincerely
| as 1 esteem and remember the glowing valor OF
| the BOO, 1C0 blacks wao lied to their countys
flag, can but think that for all the above bles
/ Jugs, and for the mon themselves who have been
| our friends. we indebted TO that God who has
/ ever shown Himself the God Of the oppressed,
| aud who commands in His Word " Proclaim hb-
erty through all the land, let the oppressed go
free"
| v.-CIrZESsHIP.
| From Slavery we have been brought to citizen-
/ ship. Citizenship in the greatest country OF the
| world. We no longer strangers in the land
| of our birth, but have home, country nag
| a flag every where respected, and country that
invites the poor Of ali nations country rich in
| every resource and sufficiently capacious to ell
tertain the world country where the laborer
Of to-day is the capitalist OF tomorrow. 10 live
| here is to be rich.
| And then our citizenship is the greatest known
among men, A distinguished European once
describing America said it was a country in
which every scoundrel was King. Freedom in
this country means something The son of the
| farmer, the blacksmith or the tanner, may one
day he President. Every man LAS an equal
| chance in the race of life.
How responsiblethen is this citizenship. Every
man is to some extent stockholder IN the gov
eminent All belong to the people. From this
we may see the necessity of general diffusion
OF knowledge among the people, and OF prop,
| uniform and general system OF education Tor the
youth. The only safety OF our country ID TO be
found In the intelligence and viIeue OF the peo-
pie. II we would peIpetuste our free institu-
tons the people must be trained from very IN
fancy in true RepublicAnism. Every school
book should contain lessons OF freedom and hui
man rights, every school room should contain
the flag OF our government.
u.-oUR OWN STATE.
Let me close with some remarks as to our
own state The census OF 1870 returned for
Delaware over IL 900 eolored people who were
unable to read and write-nearly one half the
entire colored population.
From the present school facilities | am sure
that but a small proportion of the children is
now attending school, and many OF these know
do not attend over one-fourth the time. II ed
ueation depends upon the school alone, Hitter
acy must increase
need net remark upon the necessity OF edu-
cation in country like ours. 1t is not only
necessary to the countty's good but to the indi-
vidual's happiness. Without it one contends in
the battle Of life at marked Disadvantage.
In view OF all the above, duty is clear II we
love our State County and race must use
every honorable means to place the facilities OF
education within the resch Of all. We must de-
, mAud OF the State Of which we compose an I'M
portAut part equal schosl accommodations with
all other people. Not to do this is to be false to
ourselves to our County and TO the memory OF
our liberators Failing in this We may throw
ourselves upon the patriotism, justice, and gen
to take charge of the whole subject OF education
and give us system broad as the nation Itself
= and as just in its provisions.
CONCLUSION.
Finally, brethren, righteousness exslts the
nation. 1t is Its greatest strength and or1ghtes
, honor Let US especially, as did Israel OF Old
] after their delyerance from the house OF bon
: dage resolve TO serve God and obey His voice
q Let us by example and precept encourage lth'
. duty Of loving aud fearing God. llhterate We
may be, and poor and to some extent despised
: We may be weak iu influence and unable TO en-
j force our full rights in society, but we can b'
Q good, upright and true.
4 Thus may we honor the memory OF our illus
q trious Emancipstor and justify the Provldenc'
that has removed our political shame Breth
8 rem we may forget many benefactors, but a.
o long al ohe remalns among US whose neck hAi
b felt the CALLING yoke Of slavery, as long az W
n have those among-ue who can recollect the per
o ilous days Of under ground railroad experience
10 as long as there lives i'll this land a black ma
II who can remmember his mother so long mus
d the names of the illustrous leaders Of freedom
e be remembered, and bright in their centre
n must we write the name Of Abraham Llncoll
h the nobest American Of them all
,e