The daily gazette., 1878-02-13
EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMAT1ON. q a.,
CARPENTERS pIOrgRE OF IT.
Hts Presentation to the United
states ON Tuesday, and speech
of A. IL. stephens.

Hts Presentatien To the United
States ON Tuesday, and speech
+ OfA. III. stephens.
At 2 O'Clock the recess ended, and the
House was called to order, when the as
sistant dsorkeeper, Mr.. Donavin, an
nounced the Senate Of the United States.
The members arose and remained stands
ing while the Senators filed in and took
the seat assigned them, being the two
inner rows OF the semicircle. The Vice
President having taken the chair with
the Speaker 10 his lefty said: l.l. ~
"The Senate and House of Represen>
tatives have convened In joint session for
the purpose of receiving through the
munlficence of Mrs. Elizabeth Thomp-
son, Of the city Of New York, Carpenters
painting OF the signing Of the proclama-
ton Of emancipation"
Mr.. Garfield then presented the paint
ing on behalf OF Mrs. Thompson, the
donor, whom he appropriately eulogixed,
after which he spoke Of the actors in the
scene and Of the circumstances preceding
and surrounding the issue of the procla>
nation.
Mr.. Stephens then proceeded, In those
clear, shrill tones which always distin-
guished him as an orator, to address the
joint convention, wheeling himself
round, however, TO q position In which
he faced the immense audience, rather
than the two presiding officers. He said.
MR.. STEPHENS SPEECH.
Mr.. President and Speaker: There is
but little left tor me to say In the pro-
gramme assigned me ON this august oc-
casion. On the picture, on the skill OF
the artist, my friend from Ohio has
dwelt at length. In regard 10 the muni-
ficence of the donor he has left me moth
ing 70 say. Few instances Of this kind
have occurred In the history of our
country. know of none. May her ex-
ample in the encouragement of art be
followed by others.
Mr.. President and Speaker: propose
| IL strength permit, to submit few re-
marks, first as to the central figure, the
man; after that as to the event cOmmem.
Grated. knew Mr.. Lincoln well. We
were together during one Congress. ]
was as intimate with him az / was with
any other man of that Congress, except
perhaps one. OF his general character
need not speak. He was warm-hearted
he was generous; he was, as he after
wards, said, possessed of a heart which
had Hmalice to none and charity to all. ,
In bodily form he was above the averag,
and SO in intellect He was not high1,
cultivated, but had native genius fa
above the average of his fellows. Ever,
fountain of his heart was ever overflow
ing with the milk of human kindness. s,
much for him personally, and SO mucl
the deeper from my attachment to him
i In, - act x.ys.n IL
ithose of millions, at the manner of hi
horrible taking Off That WAS the climal
of our woe, of our trouble, and the sprinl
from which came afterwards unnumber
ed woes But of these events no NOR
now. AS friend may say,
I"No farther seek his merits to disclose,
Or draw his frailties from their drea,
abode.
(There they alike in trembling hope re
pose,)
The bosom of his father and his God.
| So much have felt it my duty on thi
occasion to say ON behalf of my friend
Now rs to the great historical even
which this picture commentaries, AM
which we are here to-day to commemo
rate. One thing has been remarked
emancipation was not the chief object o
Mr.. Lincoln. What was his chief object
soul was concerned? 1t was the preserve
ton of the Union. Now, let not histor.
confuse events. That proclamatio On
pregnant rs 1t was, initiative as it was Il
point of fact originated more from tn
necessities of war than from any purel
humanitarian views. Let this be note
. in our history. Life is all a mist. and !
the dark our fortunes meet. Mr.. Lincol
like all the rest of us, in my opinion, wa
1 ,.1a ix,f hA \, nd of that Drnpi
dence above us which "shapes our end
rough, hew them how we will"
doubt much If he knew at the tim
or realized the great results OF the ac
The proclamation did not make free o
declare free all the colored race. 1t wa
only to operate in those parts whic
! were not in resistance to the government
Had resistance ceased, that would hav
been all. If the emancipation of the co
ored race be boon to that race, IAN
: Providence had yet to determine that
| depends on themselves if it is, ] repre-
lsenting the Southern States here, ma
claim In their behalf that that freedof
: was never finally consummated until tn
Southern States sanctioned the thirteent
amendment, which they did, every on
of them and by their own constituencies
They, coming to the conclusion that tina
institution could no longer survive, az
, cepted the position, and by their aci
and by the adoption of the thirteent
constitutional amendment, Mr. Lincoln
: idea was consummated. Now as to tina
, institution which was called SLAYER,
many errors were INDUCED in and man
prejndices.
Oh, that the people of the Unite
4 States could divest themselves of prejl
I dice. Prejudice, that moral distortion c
the mind. What mischief has 1t NJ
done? What ills has it not caused
. What advancement would not the worl
have made if it had not been for tn
thing prejudice? Indulge me momeI
on this subject of so-called slavery.
= was not an unmitigated evil. 1t was nc
without its compensation. 1t is my pu
2 pose now, however, to bury, not to prais
a nor aught of evil to extenuate. If 1t W;
not the best relation for the happine
y and welfare of both races, morall,
l. physically, intellectually and POLITICAL,
G It was wrong, and it ought to have bee
n abolished.
This II said years before secesslo
n and / repeat it yet. But there is no tin
" now to discuss this question. Let II &
q / have seen something of the world.
have travelled somewhat, and l ha'
never yet found on earth a paradise. II
Southern States were no exceptit