The national leader., 1889-04-27

selves, would prove not only uelploSS,
but worthless, and in the end be a
burden upon the community" Thus
was judged the
CAPACITY OF THE WHOLE RACE.
| How unjust! How unkindl While
it is universally known the cause for
which the late bloody rebellion was
waged is contained in the word "Slav-
ery," the world knows that those emi
nent statesmen, Daniel Webster and
Henry Clay, devoted the major portion
of their time studying how to avoid
the war that slavery would, sooner or
later, involve upon this nation. Yet
no one can with truth claim the eman-
cipation of the slaves as the product OF
the war No, mol The war may be
rightly considered the weapon and used
to reap the harvest which was planted
by that noble band of WarriOrs-free
dom'3 greatest champiOns-men and
women whose lives, fortunes, and
homes were dedicated to the cause of
liberty; men and women who stood the
insults, threats, and indignities of
mobs; ostracised socially and CONNER
c1ally by friends and neighbors; but
amid it all their voices were to be heard
from the hi tops and valleys demand
ing freedom for the bondman. History
has no brighter galaxy on the scroll of
| fame than the antl-slavery men and
women of America.
Daniel O'Connell. Ireland's greatest
champion, WilkerfOrce and Clarkson.
England's noble sons and freedoms
great defenders, and their companions
who labored with them in the cause OF
( human liberty. are not to be compared
with this illustrious and invincble
band, whose names shall live 10 time
and eternity, and even now seem in
scribed on the blue arch of heaven in
letters of fire, Garrison, Greeley, Sum-
ner. Wilson, Lundy, Smith, Lucretla,
Mott. Wade, Giddings, Chase, Loveioy,
Stevens, Lincoln. John Brown, and
last but not least, that silver-tongued
orator OF his age, Wendell Phillips. Ii
it were possible for us now to enter the
city of the dead, where the sacred ashes
of these sleeping heroes rest, We should
| feel constrained to exclalm: "Put off
the shoes from thy feetl' To these
more than any other are we indebted
for this freedom we now enjoy.
NEGRO SOLDIERS.
Through these undaunted and infex-
ible champions and advocates, the
negro was called upon at critical
crisis in the war of the rebellion to
carry musket as soldier of the
United States.
| When the nation was assalled from
all points Of the south by deadly foes,
and, literally, upon sea of war, no
ark appeared upon the troubled waters;
the ship of state, with flag at half
mast, was drifting, drifting, disaster
after disaster, perched upon the ma
| tiOn's banner; appeal after appeal went
up to the War Department for troops.
Benjamin F. Butler. at this crisis. an
nounced from Louisiana that unless
he could receive re-lnforcements within
a given time he would carry the wa
into Africa and so he did. 1t was at
this juncture he mustered into the
/ United States service the famous and
historic Louisiana Native Guards, COM
posed of colored men, whose deeds OF
valor are worthy iegacies for our pos
terity to be proud of. Although unpaid
and unrecOgnized at that time by the
authorities at Washington, all the same
they marched amid the bullets and
chain-shots of the enemy, baptized in
the cottonfields of Louisiana with their
blood for the sacred cause of freedom.
Immediately after followed the cele-
brated order of Massachusetts, greatest
governor, John A. Andrews, enlist1ng
and forming the now famous 54th
Massachusetts, commanded by the
brave, gallant Col. Shaw. Precious
memoryl
Andre Callioux's fearless stand at
Port Hudson, Shaw's courage at Wag-
ner's bloody parapet, startled the ma
ton and forced them to acknowledge
the negro's courage and fitness as a
soldier. To these let us add Mllliken' IS
Bend, Fort Pillow, Harrison's Land
ing, and Petersburg. In the nations
darkest hours of peril none did more
to maintain the nations integrity and
preserve the Union than the intrepld d
negro soldiers.
Callioux's fall at Port Hudson.
Shaw's unknown grave, the heroic con-
duct of Segt. Carny in the dust at the
terrible battle of Fort Wagner were
} enough and are enough to convince the
world of the negro's fitness for any
emergency in life, whether it be war
or the affairs of government in the
time of peace. While men clashed
arms in the bloody fray, aged negroes
protected and preserved the virtue of
the south.
RIGHTS OF CITIZENS.
The political rights of a citizens of
, the United States are deied, estab-
; lished, and protected by the constltu-
tion of the United States and the con-
stitutions of the several states. A
distinguished writer on constitutional
!, law defines the word, or instrument,
; constitution as follows:
iu Iox