The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-09-23
EMANCIPATION

EMA:NCIRATI]l0N5DA{Y
OBSERVED ED Al !, MARTINS |: FERRY
Yesterday in o Becoming Manner by the
Il! Colored Citisens OF Eastern Ohio-An
MAY Grafton by Frederick Douglass and
Other Appropriate Exercises. Z
The Emancipation celebration at Mar.
tins Ferry yesterday was a notable sue.
cess in all respects. In the forenoon q
procession took place, uniformed clubs Of
colored men and others from Bellairc,
steubenvillc, Bridgeport, Martins Ferry,
Wheeling and elsewhere taking part. The
club from Mt. Pleasant was mounted, and
there were many wagons and carriages In
the procession. In tho afternoon meet
Ing was held in Walnut Grove, which was
well attended. There were probably. 500
people present, about evenly divided be-
tween the two races. Many OF tho most
prominent professional men OF Belmont
county were attentive listeners TO tho i'd
dress by Mr.. Douglass. vs. }E&s -
Prof. james II. Jones, OF tho colored
schools Of this city, was chosen cliair-
man. lie introduced Miss Annie Gard.
ner, pupil OF his school, who Ind been
selected TO read the Emancipation Proc.
In ~, tta,, 81 n.o,tJark I s,,-,t..
ner is bright and attractive little lady,
and read the document clearly and well.
MIR. Frederick Douglass, the famous COL
ored orator md author, was then intro
duccd, md greeted with cheers.
MIR, DouaLAss's SPEECH.
After promising some remarks about the
changes wrought by time in the condition
OF hispeople, as instunccd by tho various
capacities in which no himself had an
pearM before the public, Mr.. Douglass
said: giSI,h5 n Yg,TFQN. 49,
FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZENS: On
this dsy twenty two years ago, while this
Republic was in the whirlpool Of rebellion,
while the Union was rent asundcr ut the
center, while fierce, determined, hostile
armies confronted each other on the bat
tletield, and cloud Of doubt rested upon
the result, Abraham Lincoln, President OF
the United States, gave his first warning
to tho slaveholding rebels that unless they
should, before the first day Of January,
lSG3slay down theirarms and submitto the
laws Of the country, he would, as Presi-
dent ofthe United States, and Comman-
der-in-C Chief OF the Army and Navy, issue
a proclamation Of emancipation to the
slaves in tho rcbellious States. .lsE
1T is, lis l underestimate, to celebrate that
important and memorable event in tho
history OF our country and in the history
Of tho progress OF human freedom, that
we arc here to-day. 6fzT
NortA WAR FOR FREEDOM.
l Upto the timeof that warning there had
been nothing in the action of the Presi-
dent or the Cabinet that indicated pur.
pose to abolish slavery. On the contrary,
there had been much that showed pur-
pose to end the war without putting an
end 10 slavery. Up to that time, the pur-
pose, to all appearance, was to save the
| Union, and slavery Us we'll. Mr.. Seward
then Secretary Of State, through our sew
eral ministers abroad, had assured Europe
that, however the war might end, slavery
would not be abolished. The Union Army
was at that time engaged in guarding Vir-
GINA plantations, to prevent the escape OF
slaves, and in sending fugitive slaves back
to their masters. Union Generals were
publishing proclamations declaring their
purpose, II any slaves should attempt to
take advantage Of a state of war and gain
their freedom BY force, to put them down
-, he, ,l IN
allowed to carry gun, or wear a United
States uniform. The war was to be a
purely white mans war. No black hand
was TO be uplifted to save the republic.
All the honor and glory was to crown the
brows Of white men. This was the white
mans government and the white mans
war, and the black man was to have no
part or lot in either. 1t did seem for a
time that the war for the Union and the
war for the Coniederacy were equally wars
for slavery TINT Jefferson Davis was fight
ing for it, and that President Lincoln was
not fighting againstit. -. -.
FROM RAD TO WORSE,
The first year and q halt OF the four
years OF war went on in this way. Mean
while battles were being fought and lost,
the arm and hopes Of the rebels were be-
ing strengthened, the mora! influence OF
the world was setting against the loyal
cause, and foreign sympathy for the rebels
was on the increase. Abroad, the war
was denounced as simply n war for empire
and as having no purpose Of benevolence
or civilization it. gs.os. ;.
The recognition Of the independence OF
the slave States by England and France
was seriously threatened Rebel ppIsairs
were infestihg the seq and sweeping down
our commerce. England BECAME naval
architect to the Confederacy; events were
thickening against US Oh land and sea, and
there was little to cheer I the hearts OF
loyal men from any quarter OF the sky.
In this state Of facts, anti-slavery men
in pnd ont Of Congress, pp tho platform
and through tho press, urged aud hesought
our cautious President to strike, not only
the rebellion, but the cause Of the rebel
lion, and thus, at last, came the Sand OF
September, and whit, the warning procla.
nation, the vital point Of which was in
these words: "That on the first day OF
t 1han4a5 y 4 nth! The yeM esT !ar one
all persons held as slayes Within any State
" ues'HHAteu ta4tul clAtei tne people
whereof shall then be In rebellion against
the United States, shall be then, thence
forward and forever free p
Liberty 4 coNTlSarSeY,
Alt ough this proclamation was only Q
promise, and weaker still, n promise given
on conditions, and to be withheld should
the conditions be complied with prior to
the first Of January, it was, nevertheless,
hailed with hope, Joy and gratitude, by the
over the country. 1t fell upon the coun-
try like . calm ray Of sunshine upou a
dark and tempest-toased ocean. Even
those who had no sympathy with the
slave, saw in it m effective blow against
the rebellion. It struck the rebels below
the belt. Slavery was the stomach Of the
Contedcracy. Il; could fight while the
slaves were making bread TO feed it, but it