The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-10-30
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LcllneS aI e eCh > GAO; WI
SENSIBLE WORDS TO ooLoRBD
MEN.
a delegation Of $50 colored men
from Cleveland last week paid visit
to Gen. Garfield, Republican candi
date for tho Presidency, at his home
in Mentor, Ohio: and in response to
the remarks of the chairman and 9TH
er members of the delegation, the
General delivered brief address,
which we consider 50 sensible and
statesmanlike-so devoid Of the cant
and palaver which usually character
ize the campaign utterances Of politl-
ticians and candidates-that we re-
produce it entire, and commend its
earnest truths to the thoughtful con-
sideration If the people, white as
we'll as colored. Gen. Garfield said:
GENTLEMEN-I have listenened care
fully to what your s.eakers have said. l
have noted your manifestations Of ap-
planse ut the special points Of their re-
marks. All the time-nOt now while the
speaking has been going on, but all the
time since the great struggle for equal
rights in this country eliminated in war
l have studied your problem with no lit
tle solicitude. It was . difficult prob
lem, not for yon only, but for us, and
equally difficult for the men who lately
held you in bondage. OF all the prob.
lens that any nation ever confronted,
none was ever more difficult than that
Of settling the great race problem which
your existence upon this continent
brought to our people, and settling It on
i basis Of broad justice and equal rights
to all.
It was q tremendous trial Of the faith
Of tile American people, tremendous
trial Of the strength Of our institutions.
It was not for your sake alone that the
thoughtful men Of this country struck
slavery and said it must die. It was GER
tainIy good reason why slavery ought
TO die that it wronged yonr race, but II
was All equally good reason why IT
should die because it was dangerous to
the peace and the prosperity OF the
republic. We are always inclined to ex-
press too much sympathy with the man
who suffers wrong. That is right; but
we also express anxious solicitnde for
the man who does the wrong, for IL one
very important sense he is more to be
pitied than the victim. If man muir
ders you without provocation, your soul
bears no burden of the wrongs, but all
the sad angels Of the universe will weep
for the misguided man who committed
the murder and 50 say the men who
enslaved yonr race were wronging them
selves as well as yon. To protect them
from being wrong-doers and shield your
race from suffering wrong was the
mighty problem which was solved by
the abolition Of slavery.
Now, fellow-citizens, after the fierce
struggle Of the war, after Lincoln had
given uttcrance to the great thcnght
that the centuries of slavery had com
| United 80 great sin that without the
shedding Of blood there was no re,nis
sion, and that our war was the bloody
| expiration for that sin, even then whei
you were free by the proclamation o
Lincoln and by the amended constitu
ton that gave you citizenship, YOU
problem was not solved. What is free
dom without the intelligence to use i
| wisely7 What is freedom without viz
virtue and intelligence combined t.
make it not a curse, but blessing
You were not made free merely to b.
allowed to vote, but in ordet to ell
joy an equality of opportunity III TIL
race of life and to stand equal before tn
law1 Permit no man to praise you be
cause you are black, nor wrong you be
| cause YOU are black. Let it be under
stood that yon are ready and willing t.
work out your own material salvation
by your own energy, your own worth
your own labor.
All that liberty can do for you is t
| give YOU a fair and equal chance within
the limits of the constitution, and hy tn
exercise of it's proper powers. 1t is tn
purpose of the best men on this CONT
nent to give you this equal chance an,
nothing more.
/ congratulate yon on the great ad
vance which yonr race has already mad
under liberty. have seen Your repre-
sentatives in Congress, one Ut them il
the Senate. and l have seen them be
have with such self-restraint, good sense
Judgment, modesty and patriotism, tina
it has given me new hope that all thei
brethren will continue to climb Vi
toward the light with every new oppor
tunity. l will not affect to be any NOR
YOUR friend than thousands of others.
do not even pretend to be particularl
your friend, but only yonr friend wit
all other just men, on that basis an
Within those limitations. Whatever ca
justly OF fairly be done to assure to 20
an equality Of opportunity, it will al
ways be my pleasure to do; so, gentle
men, thank you for coming here, and
shall be glad to greet every one Of yor
A meeting Of the Board of I1eve
Commissioners for the Fourth Dis
trict was called to be held at Morga
City on the 5th Of October, but faile
for want of a quorum. The member