The bee., 1883-06-02


The President made long speech in
reply, adhering to what had been an
nounced would be his policy in the
South-that policy that he afterwards
bent his best energies to make success
full
The interview finally wound up.
The President was immoral. The
interview closed in this way.
The President repeat, ] merely
wanted to indicate my views in reply
to your address, and not To enter int
general controversy, rs | would not do
SO under the circumstances. Your
statement was a frank one and /
thought il was due to you to meet it in
the same spirit"
Mr.. Douglass.-'I thank you, sir"
The President.-"I think You will
find that so far us the South is con-
cerned that if you will all inculcate
there the idea in connection with the
one you urge that the colored people
can live and advance in civilization to
better advantages elsewhere than
croWding right down there in the
South, it will be better for them"
Mr.. Douglass, "but the masters have
the making of the laws and we can
not get from the plantation
The President.-"W What prvents
you:"
Mr.. Douglass,-"We have not the
single right of locomotion through the
Southern States now"
The President.-"Why not? The
government furnishes you with every
facility"
Mr.. DOuglaSs.-"There are six days
in the year that the negro is free in
the South now, and his master decides
for him where he shall go, when he
shall work, how much he shall work,
in fact he is divested of all political
power. lie is absolutely in the hands
Of those men"
The President.-''If the master now
controls him or his action, would he
not control him in his vote?'
Mr.. Douglass.-"Let the negro
once understand that he has an organ
ic ri ght to vote and he will raise up a
party in the Southern States among
the poor who will rally with him.
There is this conflict that you speak of
between the wealthy slave holder and
the poor man.
The President.-"You touch right
upon the point there, there is this con-
flict, hence / suggest emigration. If
he cannot get employment in the South.
he has it in his power to 60 where he
can get it,
In parting the President said, "they
were both deSirous Of accomplishing
the same ends but propose to do SO by
following different roads. Mr.. Douglass
on turning to leave, remarked to his
fellow delegates, The President sends
us to the people and we go to the peo-
pie, to which the President replied.
"Yes sir, have great faith in the peo-
pie, l believe they will do what is
right"
Thus ended the famous interview.
Following this an address was issued
to the people Of the United States, and
a reply made TO the President, and
upon that address and the reply, was
formed the Sherman-Shellabarger re-
construction bill, then followed the
Omnibus bill, admitting the States OF the
South, save Virginia and Texas. to i'm
mediate reputation carrying with this
the declared principle and statutory
law of negro suffrage.
The manly patriotic position taken
by Mr.. Douglass, Mr.. Downing. Mr..
John p. Jones. Mr.. William Whippier
and the others who signed found d
loyal greeting and response from the
North and the result WAS unqualified
suffrage for our race.
The American people heard us then,
they viii hear us ROW. The .conven-
ton, when it meets will have no greater
question for consideration than the
important one Of what shall he done
TO get the colored vote counted in all
the South as in Virginia. If the states
will send forward their best material
for delegates, the convention will he a
conspicuous figure for great good and
wholesome results.
EPISCOPAL.