New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-06-18

Liberty Is no longer cOmpelleQ 10 cover hel
radiant face while she weeps for our nationa
shame, but looks with pride and satisfaction
upon regenerated land; he finds that th,
laws and regulations respecting the assem-
bling of negroes are no longer in force. bu
on the contrary he can see ON any public
holiday, the Butler Zouayes, a fine lookin.
company of cOlored men, on parade,
Imagine, if you can, what would have bee,
the effect of such a sight in this city twelve
years ago. Then one negro soldier wOult
have caused utter CONSERVATION. Congress.
would have adjourned the cabinet would
have sought protection elsewhere; the Pres
ident would have declared martial law
troops would have been ordered out and
cannot tell all that would have happened
but now such a sight does not excite a rip.
pie on the current Of affairs but over all
and worse to him than all, he finds the ne
gro here, not only a listener but a partic
pant in debate, While I sympathZe with
his inability ito comprehend this marvellous
change, l must say in all earnestness that
one who cannot understand and adjust him
self to the new order of things is poorly quail
lied to teach this nation the meaning of oul
amended Constitution. The tenacity with
which he sticks to his purpose through
all the vicissitudes of life is commendable
though his views be Objectionable.
While the chief of the late Confederacy is
away in Europe fleeing the wrath to come in
the shape of Joe .Johnston's history of the
war, his lieutenant, with a boldness that
must challenge the most impulent, comes
into these Halls and seeks to commit the
nation, through Congress, to the doctrine oil
State rights, and thus save it from the oen.
eral wreck that followed the collapse of the
rebellion. He had no other business here
Read his speech on the impending bill his
argument was cunning, far more Ingenious
than ingenious. He does not deny the need
or business of the measure, but claims that
the several States have exclusive jursdic-
ton OF the same. l am not so willing as
some others to believe in the sincerity of his
assertions concerning the rights of the
colored man. If he were honest i'm this mat
ter, why is it he never recommended such a
measure to the Georgia Legislature? If the
several States had secured to all classes
| within their borders the rights contemplated
in this bill, we would have had no need to
| come here but they having failed to do their
duty, after ample opportunity, the General
Government is called upon to exercise its
right in the matter.
Mr.. Speaker, time will not allow me to re-
view the history of the American negro, but
| must pause here long enough to say that
he has not been properly treated by this ma
ton; he has purchased and paid for all, and
Tor more than he has yet received. What
ever liberty he enjoys has been paid for over
and over again by more than two hundred
years of forced toll and for such citizenship
as is allowed him he paid the full measure
OF blood, the dearest price required at the
hands OF any citizen. In every contest from
the beginning of the revolutionary struggle
down to the war between the States has he
been prominent. But we all remen Der in
our late war when the government was so
hard pressed for troops to sustain the cause
OF the Union, when it was difficult to fill up
the ranks that had been so feartully decima-
ted by disease and the bullet; when every
train that carried to the front number of
fresh soldiers brought back a corresponding
number of wounded and sick ones; when
grave doubts rs to the success of the Union
arms had seized upon the minds of some of
the most sauguine friends of tho q iJvcrn-
ment; when strong men took counsel of
their fears when those who had all their
lives received the fostering care of the nation
were hesitating as to their duty in that try
ing hour, and Others questioning if it were
not better to allow the star of the Republic
to 60 down and thus be blottcd from the
great map of nations than to continue the
bloodshed; when gloom and despair were
widespread; when the last ray of hope had
nearly sunk below our political horizon, how
the negro came forward and offered himself
as sacrifice in place of the nation, made
bare his breast to the steel and in it received
the thrusts of the bayonet that were aimed
at the life of the nation by the soldiers of
that government in which the gentleman from
Georgia figured as second officer.
Sir, the valOr Of the colored soldier was
tested on many battlefield, and to-day his
bones lie bleaching beside every hill and in
every valley from the Potomac to the Gulf ;
whose mute eloquence in behalf of equal
rights for all before the law, is and ought to
be far more persuasive than any poor Ian
guaSc i can command.
Mr.. Speaker, nothing short of complete
acknowledgment Ofmy manhood will satisfy
mo. l have no compromises to make, and
shall unwilingly accept any. If l were to
say that l would be content with less than
any other member upon this floor l would
forfeit whatever respect any one here might
entertain for me, and would thereby furnish
the best possible evidence that do not and
cannot appreciate the rights of freeman
Just what am charged with by my political
enemies. cannot willingly accept anything
less than my full measure of rights as a man,
because l am unwilling to present myself as
candidate for the brand of inferiority, which
will be as plain and lasting as the mark of
Cain. If am to be thus branded, the coun-
try must do it against my solemn protest.
So, in order that might know something
of the feelings Of a freeman, a privilege de-
MED me in the land of my birth, left home
last year and travelled six months in foreign
lands, and the moment l put my foot upon
the deck OF ship that unlurled a foreign flag
from its masthead, distinctions on account
OF my color ceased. l am not aware that nv
presence on board the steamer put her off
her course. l believe we made the trip in
the usual time. 1t was in other countries
than my own that was not a stranger, that
L could approach a hotel without the fear
that the door would be slammed in nv face.
Sir, feel this humiliation very keenly; it
dwaris my manhood, and certainly it mpairs
my usefulness as a citizen.
The other day when the centennial bill
was under discussion would have been glad
to say word in its favor. but how could ?
How would l appear at the centennial cele-
braton of our national freedom, with my own
CALLING chains of slavery hanging about me :
L could no more rejoice on that occasion in
my present condition than the Jews could
tives beside the Babylonish streams; but
look forward to the day when shall be in
the full enjoyment of the rights of freeman
with the same hope they INDUCED, that they
would again return to their native land.
can no more forget my manhood, than they
could forget Jerusalem.
| After all, this question resolves itself to
| this either l am man or | am not man
If one, am entitled to all the rights, priyi
leges, and immunities common to any other
class in this country if not man, have nc
right to vote, no right to a seat here if nc
right to vote, then the twenty per cent. O