The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-01-16


gard for that gentleman which pervades this
House. His years, his ability and his long
experience in public affairs enttle him TO the
measure OF consideration which has been ac-
corded TO him on this floor. But in this dis
cussion / cannot and will not forget that the
welfare and rights Of my whole race in this
country are involved. When, therefore, the
honorable gentleman from Georgia lends his
voice and influence to defeat this measure, i
do not shrink from saying that II il not from
him that the American House OF Representa-
tives should take lessons in matters touching
human rights or the joint relations of the
State and National Governments. While the
honorable gentleman contented himself with
harmless speculations in his study, or in the
columns OF a newspaper we might we'll smile
at the impotence of his efforts to turn back the
advancing tide of opinion and progress but
when he comes again upon this national arena,
and throws himself, with all his influence,
across the path which leads to the full en-
reimbursement of my race meet him only as
an adversary; nor shall age or any other con-
sideration restrain me from saying that he
now offers this Government, which he has
done his utmost to destroy. very poor return
for its magnanmous treatment, to come here
and seek to continue, by the assertion of
doctrines obnoxious to the true principles of
our Government, the burdens and expressions
which rest upon five millions of his country
men who never failed to lift their earnest
prayers for the success of this Government
when the gentleman was seeking to break up
the Union of these States and to blot the
American Republic from the galaxy of ma
tions. Loud applause.
Sir. it is scarcely twelve years since that
gentleman shocked the civilized word by an
nouncing the birth of a Government which
rested on human slavery az its corner-stone
The progress of events has swept away that
pseudo Government which rested on greed.
pride and tyranny; and the race whom he
then ruthlessly spurned and trampled on are
here to meet him in debate and to demand
that the rights which are enjoyed by their OPP
pressors-who vainly sought to overthrow a
Government which they could not prostitute
to the base uses of slavery-shall be accorded
to those who even i'll the darkness of slavery
kept their allegiance true to freedom and the
Union. Sir. the gentleman from Georgia has
learned much since 1861 but he is still lag
gard. Let him put way a entirely the false
and fatal theories which have so greatly
marred an otherwise enviable record Let him
accept, i'll its fullness and benefcence, the
great doctrine that American citizenship car
ries with it every civil and political right which
manhood can confer. Let him lend his influ-
ence, with all his mastery ability, to complete
| the proud structure of legislation which
makes this nation worthy of the great decla-
ration which heraded its birth and he will
! nave done that which will most nearly redeem
his reputation in the eyes of the world, and
| best vindicate the wisdom OF that policy which
has permitted him to regain his seat upon this
! floor.
To the diatribe of the gentleman from Vir-
ginia (Mr Harris), who spoke on yesterday,
and who so far transcribed the limits of de-
| cency and propriety as to announce upon this
| floor that his remarks were addressed to white
men alone, shall have no word of reply. Let
him feel that negro was not only too mag.
unanimous to smite him in his weakness, but
was even charitable enough to grant him the
mercy of his silence. Laughter and APP
plause on the floor and in the galleries.
shall, sir, leave to others less charitable the
unenviable and fatiguing task of sitting out OF
that mass of chat the few grains of sense that
may, perchance, deserve notice Assuring the
gentleman that the negro in this country aims
at higher degree Of intellect than that ex
hibted by him in this debate | cheerfully
commend him to the commseration of all in
telligent men the world over-black men al
we'll as white men.
Sir. equality before the law is now the broad
universal, glorious rule and mandate of the
Republic. No State can violate that Ken
lucky and Georgia may crowd their statute
books with retrograde and barbarous legisla
ton they may rejoice III the odious eminenc,
of their consistent hostility to all great step
of human progress which have marked on
national history since slavery tore down tn,
stars and stripes Oh Fort Sumter but if Con
gress shall do it's duty. if Congress shall EN-
force the great guarantee which the Supreme
Court declares to be the one pervading pur
pose of ali the recent amendments, then thei
unwise and unenlightened conduct will fal
with the same weight upon the gentlemen
from those States who now lend their lnfluenc
to defeat this bill, as upon the poorest slav
who once had no rights which the honorabl
gentlemen were bound to respect.
y
Sir, have replied to the extent of nv abil
ity to the arguments which have been pre-
scented by the opponents OF this measure.
have replied also to some Of the legal propo
stions advanced by gentlemen on the othe
side and now that l am bound to conclude,
am deeply sensible of the imperfect name
III which | have performed the task. Techni
cally this bill Is to decide upon the civ
status of the colored American citizen
point disputed at the very formation OF on
present Government, when, by a short ghte
policy, apolicy repugnant to true Republica
government, one negro counted as three-fifth
of man. The logical result of this mistak
of the trainers of the Constitution strength
ened the cancer of slavery, which fnalI
spread its poisonous tentaces over the South
ern portion of the body polite. To arrest il
growth and save the nation we have passe
through the narrowing operation of ntestin
war; dreaded at all times, resorted to at tn
last extremity like the surgeons knife bu
absolutely necessary to eXtrpate the diseas
winch threatened the lie or the natlO
, and the overthrow of civil and political hbert
on this continent In that dire extremity tn
i members of the race which have the hone
> i'll part to represent-the race which plead
4 for justice at your hands to-day fol
, getful of their inhuman and bruta
! lzing servitude at the South, the
+. degradation and ostracsm at the North-fe
5 willingly and gallantly to the support of ia
; National Government. Their sufierings, q,
= sistance, privations, and trials in the swamp
4 and in the rice fields, their valor on the Ian
: and on the sea, are part of the ever-gloriou
t record which ma kes up the history of natio
preserved, and might, should urge the CLAIM
Y incline you to respect and guarantee the
: rights and privileges as citizens of our con
3 mon Republic. But | remember that valo
Q devotion and loyalty are not always rewarde
: according to their just deserts, and that aftc
t the battle some who have borne the brunt
y the fray may, through neglect or contempt, /
assigned to subordinate place, while the en-,
mics in war may be preferred TO the suiferer
4 The results of the war, as seen in reconstru,
: tion have settled forever the political statr
i OF my race. The passage of this bill will d,
9 termine the civil status, not only of the negrJ
: but of any other class of citizens who ma
: feel themselves Disseminated against. Ii Wi
form the cap-stone of that temple OF libert,
y begun on this continent under discouragiu
r circumstances, carried on in spite of I'll
sneers Of monarchists and the cavils
Z pretended friends OF freedom, until ut last
+ stands all its beautiful symmetry and pr,
i.