Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-02-22


ing one Congress. | was as intimate with
him as | was with any other man OF that
Congress, except, perhaps, one. OF his gen.
eral character | need not speak. He was
warm-hearted be was generous; he was,
as he afterward said possessed of heart
which had "malice to none and charity to
all" In bodily form he was above the aver
age, and so in intellect lie was not highly
cultivated, but had native genius far above
the average of his fellows Every fountain
of his heart was ever oyeraowing with the
milk of human kindness. So much for him
personally, and so much the deeper from any
attachment to him) was the pang in my own
breast, as well as in those of millions, at the
manner of his horrible taking off. That was
the climax of our woe, Of our trouble, and
the spring from which came afterward un-
numbered woes
So much | have felt it my duty to say n
behalf of my friends. Now as to the great
historical event which this picture cnmmem-
crates. One thing has been remarked
emancipation was not the chief object of Mr..
Lincoln. What was his chief object? The
myth, the idol with which his whole soul
was concerned was the preservation of the
Union. That proclamation, pregnant as an
initiative, as it was in point OF fact. origin
ated more from the necessities Of the war
than from any purely humanitarian views.
Mr.. Lincoln, like all the rest of us, in
my opinion, was an instrument in
the hands of Providence. / doubt
much if he knew at the time or realized
the great results of the act. The proclama-
tion itself did not make free or declare free
all the colOred race. 1t was only to operate
in those parts which were not in resistance
TO the government. Had resistance ceased
that would have been all. If the emancipa-
ton of the colored race be a boon to that
race (and Providence has yet to determine
that depends much upon themselves. If it
is, |, representing the Southern states here.
may claim in their behalf that freedom was
never finally consummated until the South
ern States sanctioned the 18th amendment.
Mr.. Stephens then made an appeal to the
people of the United States to conquer their
prejudices, and said of slavery that it was
not an unmitigated evil, it was not without
its eompensations. Ifitwas not the best re-
lation for the happiness and welfare of both
races morally, physically, intellectually and
politically, it was wrong, and it ought to
have been abolished. This | said years be-
fore secession, and | repeat it get. The
question of the relations of the races was
one cf the most difficult problems that
statesmen or philanthropists, legislators or
jurists, ever had TO solve. Since the South
las been released from all her responsibility
about it, it has been common to speak Of
the colOred people as wards of the Nation.
May | not say with appropriateness that
they are rather the wards of the Almighty?
can say for myself and for those of my
immediate circle Of acquaintance, and for
the whole Southern people, that there is not
one who would now change the condition of
things, resublugate the eolored man or put
him in the condition he was in before. If
there is one in all the South who would de-
sire such change, l am not aware of it.
Men of the North and of the South, Of the
East and of the West, would, to-day, on
this commenorating occasion, say, Let US
one and all within our sphere of duty,
whether in public or in private life, see to
it that we do not violate that Divine trust
committed to US" We live in a new era.
During the conflict Of arms | frequently al
most despaired OF the Liberties of our coun-
try. War always menace liberty and often
result in its overthrow. | have always
thought that the union of these States at
first was founded on the assumption that it
was the best interest of all to remain united,
faithfully performing each for itself and its
own people, as well as for the people of all
the States, their constitutional obligations.
But secession was resorted to as remedy.
1t was only to avoid, as | then thought, a
greater evil that | went with my State,
holding that to be my duty, but believing
all the time that, after the passion Of the
hour and day were oSer. the great law
which produced the Union at first, mutual
interest and reciprocal advantage, would
bring US together again in some
mode or other. The Mississippi could never
be damned up, the Ohio would continue
to flow, the people at the South and at the
West and at the East had all a community
of interest, and believed that, after while,
there would be restoration. The time
came sooner than | was apprehensive it
would. But even if what was called the
sovereignty of the States, and which l think
the basis and foundation of our fabric, had
been acknowledged Mr.. Stephens left the
sentence uncompleted) d)-but let these ques-
tions be buried so deep As never to be res
directed.
What shall we do in the future? Down
South we are doing the best We can for the
cOlOred people, hoping earnestly that they
will fit themselves for higher civilization.
The flag no longer floats over provinces, but
over States, no longer over subjects. but over
white and black. Why can We not
look hopefully to the future? Mr.. Presi-
dent and Mr.. Speaker, is it delusion, is it
4 fancy which have INDUCED in, that there
is a nobler and g.ander future for these
Cnited States than anything We have yet at
tanned? 1t may be a delusion, but it is one
Of which do not wish to diyest my mind
while liDger on this stage. Let all parties
and all sections do justice to the component
elements of our community everywhere, ac-
cording to our constitutional power and
right; let harmony and peace prevail; let
sectional strife be done away with-and then
there is higher and grander future for US.
But if the embers of the last most lamenta-
BE war are left, and little additional fuel
ZONES TO fame them up again, if the con-
iict of classes. the conflict Of labor and cap
tal, the conflict of race (that profound
chronological question which We have all got
10 settle and the most difficult one ever COM
nitted to the consideration of statesmen or
shall break out, and these
dangerous elements be again aroused, 1
greatly fear that the recent troubles and dis
lsters through which we have Just passed
will prove bur the shadow, the penumbra of
deeper and more dreadful eclipse which
will come upon this continent, blighting and
blasting the brightest and best hopes of man
lind
IT is favorite dodge of the infationists,
when worsted in argument, to charge those
L. l. - IS ,ka Co