New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-02-20

words sufficient TO thank YOU for this mark
| OF your respect, confidence, and esteem. The
Interest manifested by you gentlemen in the
success of the Republican party Of Louis
lana, which will necessarily lead to my being
seated in the Senate, is of far more import
ance than it would at first appear. The re-
suit OF that contest is not merely whether
Louisiana shall have Republican State
government, but it is practically testing the
question "a to whether our people shall have
any political rights at all. Should the polit-
ical manipulations, cheating, fraud, and in
/ timldation evinced in our case triumph, n
premium would be put upon such practices,
and they would be INDUCED in hereafter in
every election which will take place in the
southern States, thereby rendering the ex-
tension of the right Of suffrage to the colored
people but little more than delusion and
share.
And it is upon this point that my greatest
anxiety is aroused. For 1 frankly confess
that j. is not my seat in the Senate which
has given point to my interest in this Lou
i,lana investigation, but it is the larger and
more vital consideration as to how / can
serve my people. If BY resigning my seat
could aid In settling the question as to
whether colored people should be completely
clothed with their civil rights and see them
selves exercising without let or hndrance
the right Of suffrage conferred upon them by
the fifteenth amendments, that seat would
be placed at the disposal of the Louisiana
Legislature. In this contest fight not for
position, houses or emolunents, but for sim
pie justice for my race. Just here allow me
to say that l received intimations before
reaching here that upon my prospective pres
ence in the United States Senate much Of
the anxiety and fear Of weakened Republi.
cans hinged. That should have to cncoun-
ter the opposition Of Democrats l had ex-
pected, for l have always fought them; but
that there should be any doubt about Re-
publican Congress supporting our State gov
eminent in Louisiana, where it Is known
that the Republican party is largely in the
ma jOrity, and when it is remembered that 1t
has received official recognition by the Ma
tional Administration, and been Endorsed by
the highest judicial authority in the State,
when it is known that the moral sentiment
of the Republican party Of the nation would
uphold Congress in the recognition Of our
Republican triumph down there, is to me be-
yond all expression astounding.
a word as to myself. l see that the .Sdn-
day Capital and Herald. Of this city, pay me
some attention, stating, in substance, that
am gambler and a penitentiary convict
In reference to these statements have to
say that during the time when slavery cast
our whole race was forced to make living
for my family in such occupations as colorcd
men were rigidly confined to; and on steam
boats and elsewhere, following the example
of our Southern statesmen, who swarmed in
steamboat cabins around card tables, some
times took hand at 'poker" up in "1exas;"
but during that time l earned my living
great deal more by my industry than by play
ing cards. AS to the other statement about
my being an ex-penitentiary inmate, have
to brand it as an unqualified falsehood. The
only thing that could give any kind of color
to the charge has been touched upon BY me
and explained in speech in the Senate of
Louisiana, which think received the atten-
ton Of the whole country at the time. This
statement, gentlemen, would not be obtruded
upon dinner table, where am honored by
such distinguished entertainers, who are fully
acquainted with my history for the past ten
years, but for the fact that each of you should
be furnished, upon my own statement, with
the authority to contradict such ISLANDERS,
made in the interest Of a negotiating DEM
ocracy for the purpose of prejudcing my
case when it comes before the United States
Senate.
In response to q toast to the Press, Hon.
l.. II. Douglass responded in substance as
follows:
GENTLEMEN We as a race have demon
strated our capacity for ability in many of the
fields of usefulness. AS soldiers, as poets.
as statesmen, lawyers, and physicians we
have made remarkable and gratifying prog
ress, but as supporters and readers of news
papers published by colored men we have not
made so great progress. The taste of the
masses for encouraging journals published in
their interest has not been SO thoroughly cul-
tivated as it should be, especially, as through
the press they can speak in slch manner as
will engage the attention of the thinking peo-
Pile of the land. Besides a general support
of papers printed in our own interest gives
evidence of our onward and upward tendency,
In way that cannot fail to be noticed and be
Of great benefit to us. The Press has been the
instrument by which great reforms in gov
eminent and education have been wrought,
and by its potency we, as race, must reach
those heights Of power and influence now en-
joyed by every other race in America.
Geo. T. Downing said in responding to
the sentiment -"Our Representative Men :"
That it is emnently fitting and necessary
that there should be such individuals: that
they should be looked up to; yes, supported!
We have not properly supported those who
passed to the front with ability and devotion
White men recognize leaders. We must copy
the example. The leaders, to enjoy this
confidence, must be competent. worthy, and
true. The failure to recognize leadership
among us may be unquestionably traced to
the cause of slavery. The Shareholder taught
that there must not be encouraged any aspi-
ration among colored men; that there must
be a dead level among them. He reasoned
that any other policy would war against the
complete subjugation of the colored man me-
cessary for the maintenance of slavery; this
must be cast aside; future, as freemen, is
before us. AS to leadership, would remark,
that having million of our own votes be-
side those We can command, ten able repre-
sentative men from among them, known to
be acting in concert, and as being supported
by this power, would have granted unto them
any reasonable request they might make
All cannot be leaders; we can train our
representative men, who can command in
creased respect for all. l am pleased in be-
ing here tonight, because it is in honor of
young leader, with the dash, attainments, de-
votion to his race and surroundings, that are
destined, in or out Of the United States Sem
ate, to make him great political leader; let
US render unto him due honor, let US give him
our moral and political support, let us say
unto the United States Senate where he is
knocking at the door-justly knocking, right
fully knocking admit him for his cause ad-
nit him because it is the wish of a majority
Of a sovereign State that he be admitted to