The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-09-27
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COLUMBUS, o., Sept. 20.-ThiS after
noon Judge Thurman received a dele
CATION of colored democrats, who
through w. Ii. Furbush, of Arkansas,
presented an address, expressing their
thankfulness for favors from the dem
Ocratic party, expressing belief in the
division of the colored vote as for their
best interest and stating a firm belief
in the election of Cleveland and Thur
man.
Judge Thurman greeted them warm
ly ana spoke as follows:
GENTLEdEN:-I am greatly Obliged
to you for this call and still more for
the kind and just sentiments that
have just been read here.
know very well that ] have
been described and am still described
as an enemy of the cOlOred people.
There never was anything more unjust
in the world. don't come of a family
that is unjust. When my family came
to this state my grandfather brought
with him ali his property, which con-
sisted chiefly in slaves, and he set them
all free. My father never owned a
slave. Ny mother never Owned a
slave. l never owned slave, and
would not if ] could. l might almost
say was raised among colored people.
One of the most intimate companions
of my childhood, and one whom l took
care of till he died, was boy of about
my own age who had been given to me
by my grandfather. not as a
slave, but as a playmate and COM
being older. If ever one child loved
another, that boy loved me and loved
him, and tears were never more sincere
ly shed than l shed over him. But we
cannot expect justice in political
campaign, and have been denounced
as an enemy of the colOred race, l deny
nothing that is true, but this charge is
untrue. No man can point to a law
that had anything to do with the
making of, or to decision of mine
while on the bench that was more I'M
just to the colored people than to the
white, or unjust in any description
and defy any one co show anything
to the contrary. It is true that in 1867
before suffrage for your people had
been adopted, when the question was
in Ohio and in OHIO alone
whether the word white" should be
struck from the constitution, I, to-
gether with large majority, voted
against striking it out. The reasons
were plainly stated and honestly
maintained. 1t was not right for
Ohio to take such action when nearly
all other states were otherwise. That
reason / urged against action, but
from the moment the amendment to
the federal constitution was adopted,
which gave suffrage to the colored peo-
pie, from that moment they became
citizens and no man can say l ever
treated them otherwise than citizens.
Applause No man can say with
truth that / have denied the equality
before the law of the colOred
people. / stand, and Grover Cleve-
land stands on the platform of
the democratic party, which prououn-
ced for equal rights for all, without
regard to race or color, that platform
means that every man-whether by
birth. by naturalization or by amend
mentS to the constitution a citizens
equal to any one before the law. Zap
plause.l White and black stand on the
same foundation and all are equal be-
fore the law. 1t is q little over CEN
fury since the declaration of indepen-
denc6 was made-one hundred and
twelve years ago the declaration was
made, then over all christendom slavery
prevailed, even in England it had not
been legally abolished. it. was every
where, in name and in fact; now, there
unless it is in Brazil, and
there it has lately also been abolished.
Slavery is at an end. What, from the
serfs of Russia, from the serfs of Ger
many, from men who were practically
slaves In France, what was it broke
the shackles next to religion? It was
| the declaration made by our fathers in
IT'S, that t,An men are created free
and equal - that is what did it, It is
ideas, it is thoughts that govern the
world. No man win say we have poor
laws while We have good thoughts.
Now you have studied the platform Of
the democratic party, you have seen
the pledges made. No president has
ever done more ample justice to the
colored people than Grover Cleveland,
and If reelected he viii continue to do
justice To them. / know him
well in his intellect, in his heart, il. his
soul he is a just and upright man.
When he says anything he means it.
and when he has said it he stands TO it.
am greatly pleased to see that the
! colored vote IS ma longer unit
have said repeatedly in public and In
! private, / have said everywhere, that
lInca HnlLEaga was c0lferrad on the