The Pacific appeal., 1875-04-24
Celebration of the Fifteenth
Amendment and the Enact
ment of the Civil Rights
Bill.

teenth Amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, and also
of the recent enactment of the Civil
Rights Bill took place in Horticul
tural Hall, Stockton Street, near
Post Street, commencing at two
o'clock on that day.
William n. Sandcrson read the
Amendments and Civil Rights Bill
with clearness of voice and distinct
ness of speech
The musical portion Of the exor-
cises was all that could be desired.
Miss Sarah G. Miles, Mrs. M. Smith
and Mrs. Lucy Johnson Nit
clfelI were the leading sopranos;
VIM. H. Blake, leader. The whole
Chorus, led by the bassos, Messrs.
Hamcr and Jackman, deserve great
credit for the manner in which they
rendered the vocal music.
Revs. P. W. Casey and J. B.
Sauderson we're both present.
VIM. Ell. Carter, President Of the
Day, delivered the following address:
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and
Fel}o1U Citizens:
We have met this day to give an
expression Of gratitude to those
sterling patriots who have SO nobly
fought the battle Of freedom and the
right. Over one hundred years
ago, the first martyr blood shed for
the freedom Of the United States Of
of America was that Of Cri>pus At
tucks, a colored man, Of Boston.
Since then many changes have taken
plaec; and in all the struggles for
liberty in this country the black
man has figured conspicuously. We
have labored that this country should
be in reality what it professed to be
the asylum for the oppressed Of
all lands. At last, after the land
has been drenched with blood-the
old flag trampled under the feet of
traltrous bands, and the flower of
many household destroyed we
have, through the superhuman efforts
of our true and tried friends, seen
the day offreedom dawn auspiciously.
To-day we can, with true American
zeal and vigor, sing
MY country, It's of thee,
Sweet land of liberty.
OF thee sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the Pilgrim pride;
From every mountain side
Let freedom ring.
From Maine to the Pacific, and
from the Lakes to the Gulf, every
man, woman and child breathes the
air of liberty; a nd the Constitution,
That once countenanced and sustain
ed the abomina able institution OF
slavery, now declares that no mans
rights shall be denied or abridged
on account of race, color or previous
condition Of servitude. And thus
should it be. TheniI say, Americans
all hail! Let your songs ofjoy go |
forth, till they shall be heard and
re.echoed from every mountain, hill
vale of this vast domain; and re-
solve that from this day you will so
deport yourselves as to gain and
maintain the respect Of your fellow
citizens. aIf aware that there are
those among US who are opposed to
giving expressions of gratitude to
our delivers, advancing the doctrine
that the dominant race has only
given US oar natural rights, those
they have wrongfully deprived US of, |
hence, we have no right to celebrate
the event. | admire the gentlemen's
opinions, bat beg leave to differ.
We all know what struggles the
friends of freedom encountered |
in their efforts to secure for
ls our rights. Many old and ster.
ing patriots have died in the con-
test; and while [ have tongue to
and lips susceptible Of
expressing the feelings of my heart,
expect ever to raise my feeble
7oice in honor to those valiant pa.
riots who, in the midst of insult, In
amy and slander, the sneers of I'M
'epentant rebels and Democratic
lirelings, did dare to take a stand |
or freedom and the right.
The names Of Sumner, Chase,
Garrison, Phillips, Greeley, Smith,
Butler, Stevens and last, but not
east, that of our noble, and worthy
'resldent-the bravest of the
'rave-UIyses S. Grant, should be
herished by every black man in
is country. Write them, fellow
ithens. upon the tablets of your
carts; for upon the scroll of fame
hey shall shine with untarnished
nster. We can rejoice to day, that
he old flag that once foated over
he auction block shielding the de-
IONS of darkness in their abomina.
lie practice of traflicking in human
esh now, without star obliterated
r stripe defaced, waves majestic
lily DER the land of the free and the ,