Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-09-28
4 FRIEND OF THE NEGRO.

Judge Thurman ExplodeS a Campaign Lie.
COLUMBUS, O., Sept. co., This afternoon
Judge Thurman received delegation of
colored democrats, who, through W. H.
FGrbush, of Arkansas, presented an I'd
dress expressing their thank tulness for
favors received from the democratic
party, expressing g belief in the division
OF the colored vote as for their best in
terests, and stating the fcm belief in the
election of Cleveland and Thurman.
Judge Thurman greeted them warmly and
spoke as follows:
GENTLEMEN:-I am greatly obliged to
yen FOR this call, and still more for the
kind and just sentiments that have lust
been read here. [ know very we'll that
have been described as an enemy of the
colored PEOPLE. There never wes any
thing more unjust in the wlrld.
NheE my family came to
this state my grandfather brought
with him, all his property, which
consisted chiefly of slaves, and he set
them all free. My father never owned a
slave, my mother never owned slave,
and | Geger owned slave, and would not
if could. Now 1 might also say l was
raised among the oolored people. But
we cannot expect justice in q political
cam paIsr, and L have been denounced
Is an enemy of the cOlored
race. [ deny nothing that is true,
bot thiS charge is untrue, No man can
point to law that had anything to do
with the making of, or TO a decision of
mine while on the bench that was more
unjust to the colored people than to the
white, or unjust in any description, and
| defy any one to show anything TO
the contrary. II Is true that in
1867, before suffrage for your
people had been adopted, when the ques-
tion was III Ohio, and Ohio alone, whether
the word 'white" should be struck from
TIE constitution, |, together with a large
majority, voted against striking it ont.
1t was not right for Chic to take
such action when nearly all
of our states were otherwise.
That reason l urs ed against such action,
but from the the moment the amendment
to the federal constitution was adopted
which gave suffrage to colored people,
from that moment they became citizens,
and no man can say [ ever treated them
otherwise than as citizens. (Appl&use.)
No man can say with truth
that L have denied the equality
before the law of the colored people. l
stand, and Grover Cleveland stands, on
the platform of the democratic party,
which pronounces for the equal rights OF
all, without regard to race or color. That
piatforry means that every man, whether
by birsR, by naturalization or by amend
ments TO the constitution, is made a citi-
zen, he is equal to any one before the
law. (Applause). The white and black
stand on the same foundation and all are
equal before the law. l am greatly
pleased that the colored vote is no longer
unit. | have said repeatedly in public
and in private that siEce suf
frage was conferred upon the
colored people the republican
managers seek to make political bonds.
meu IF the c0iOred race. The way to &c.
quire your rights ard to secure the re
speot Of all is to cast your vote as the
white men cast theirs, according to the
measure before you"
Judge Thurman conc'u1ed by sa sing
that he knew well that the late war was
not for the abolition of slavery, and it
wGs said that if the union could be pre-
served without freeing the slaves, it
should be preserved that way. The
speaker knew that Lincoln had said so,
brain of radical leaders ii was thought
by emanoipating the slaves and giving
them suffrage, the south might be made a
solid and radical south. In a word, he
said, the party interests governed poiiti
cal action. After cordial haudshake the
delegation departed.