Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-21
.ulnGE THURMAN TALKS.

hast interest. and stating firm belief ID
| the election of Cleveland and Thurman.
I Judge Thurman greeted them warmly
and spoke as follows:
Gentlemen: ann greatly obliged to you
| for this call, and still more Tor TIE Klhu
and lust sentiments that have just Deen
| read here. know very well that l nave
| been described and Am still described as
! an enemy of the colored people. Ihere
| never was ANYTHING more unjust in the
world. don't come OF fam
iIy that is unjust When my family
| came to this state my grandfather proush
with him all MS property Wnlcn consiSCeu
chiefly in slaves and he set them all Tree.
father never owned a slave; my mother
never owned slave; l never owned a
slave and would not if could. mlSht
almost say | was raised among colored
people One of the most intimate CON-
panions of my boyhood and one whom l
took care OF till he died was boy OF ABOUT
nv age who had been given TO me by my
grandfather, not as a slave but as play
mate and companion to take care OF nhe,
being older III ever one chlia 1oVeu an-
other that boy loved me and L loved nun
and never were more sincere tears shed
than shed over him. But we can not eA-
pect Justice in a political campaign and L
have been announced an enemy OF the
colored race 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 ol
mine V lie On tie bench that was more
unjust to me colored people than to the
white or unjust in any description, and l
DEFY any one to show anything to the
contrary 1t is true that In 1861, before
suffrage for your people had been adopted,
when the question was IN ONO ana III
Ohio alone whether the word white"
i al az Il.
| together with a large majority voted
against striking it out. The reasons
were plainly stated and honestly mann
tanned 1t was not right for ONO to take
such action when nearly all the other
states were otherwise. mat reason
urged against such action, but from the
moment the amendment to the federal
constitution was adopted which gave
suffrage to the colored speople, from that
moment they became citizens and no man
can say | ever treated them otherwise than
citizens. EApplause.l Now man can say
with truth that have denied the equallty
before the law of the colored people.
stand and Grover Cleveland stands, on the
platform of the Democratic party, which
pronounced for equal rights for all with
ont regard to race or color. That platform
means that every man whether by birth,
by naturalization or by amendments to
the constitution, a citizen, Is equal 10 any
one before the law. Applause: White
and black stand on the same foundation
and all are equal before the law. lt IS a
! long time over century since the Declare
tion of Independence was made. One
/ hundred and twelve years age
the declaration was made. Then
over all Chrstendom slavery prevailed.
/ Even in England it had not been legally
abolished: it was everywhere IN name, III
/ fact Now there is no slavery IN christ
] nr,h !
! has lately also been abolished. Slavery Is
| at an end From the serfs in Russia
! from the serfs in Germany, from the men
who were practically slaves in France the
shackles have been stricken. What was 1t
broke the shackleS next to religion? Ii
was the declaration made by our fathers IL
! 1176 that ''all men are created tree and
equal" that is what dld IL; IL Is IDEAS, \
is thoughts that govern the world. Nc
more will we have poor law while we have
good thoughts.
Now YOU have studied the platform o.
| the Democratic party. You have seen the
pledges made. No president has ever done
1 more simple justice to the colored people
than Grover Cleveland and If reelected ht
win continue to do justice to Them. :;
know him well. In his intellect, IL
his heart, in his soul, he Is {
Just and upright man. When he
says anything he means it, and when ne
has said it he stands b Y it. | am glad tt
see that the coiored vote is no longer ;
unit. | have said repeatedly III public ant
in private, have said everywhere, that
since suffrage was conferred on the coloret
people the Republican managers seek tt
make political bondSmen OF the coloret
race. When they ceased to be labor bonds
men the Republican leaders intended the.
should become political bondsmen anC
they knew that was impossible in human
nature without bitterness among thu
whites. 1t was an impossibility in human
nature without a miracle. Therefore
have said the way TO acquire your rights
and to secure the respect OF all is to cas-
votes as the white men cast theirs, accord
ing to the measure before you. II you vii
look into the matter you Will find that tn
freedom which you have enjoyed will b
traced to the declaration in which Je1ier
son. the father of Democracy, wrote thu
words, Free and equal" All sine
has come from the Ideas II
the declaration of independence
Although slavery in the south was to b'
found in Wing as well as III Democratic
states and il has been called Democratic
institution yet the truth, the principle
Jefferson WAS undermining 1t and Ii wa
brought to the grave. Now say WhateVe
YOU may think, write whatever you think
there is liberty for all. If any people NOR
/ than another have reason to be Thankful
for this declaration it IS those who hav
been lately set tree. | don't underrate TIT
men who helped, | know well the unJus
! claims that have been made. / know wei
; that it was said it was not to be tigh
for abolition. | know that it was salt
that if the union could be preserved with
out freeing a slave they would preserve
on chat condition. | know that Mr. Lin
coin. great and good man, said so. but
also know that when the idea entered tn
brain of the radical leaders that by eman
cipating the slave and giving him the sui
frage the south might be made soll
radical south then there was sudden an
wonderf III growth OF philanthropy an
the men who but lately had been willin
TO see slavery indefinitely prolonge
became the earnest advocates G
abolition. In a word party IL
terests governed political action an
if it had not been suppose
by the radical leaders that the politics
bondage OF the negro could be made I
take the place of the ancient bondage, W
would have heard nothing of the Republi
can party having freed the slave.
did not intend to make a long speec
and thank you for your call and for you
: attention If you viii vote as your judg
ment dictates show that you think an
form your own judgments by your deed
by your votes, by your speeches and b
! what You want, then you Will enjoy ID
same consideration as others. Once MOI
! thank you.
The Judge spoke with ease and after
cordial hand shaking departed.
G DELAWARE REPUBLICANS.
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