The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-09-23

..ANSihs iNiiuf SthNch anu INT BrthtHGfOc-
tlamation was prepared and signed and
union preserved. Tho war was I'm.
doubtedly prolonged by n false ser,tl-
Y ment held by many OF our best people
OF the loyal states and some or our
grentest colnmnnders And for a long
time even tho President would not cons
sent % the arnling OF the cclored men,
who had come within the union lines.
4 But the necessity was finally forced
upon the government and the result
was most gratifying. Many thousands
We're armed and their drilling cons
mehced. Men that had never known
what a gun was, were sent TO the front
With but few. days OF preparation. &
z one or our great commanders In his
q report or u great battle won. In describe
I inB the good work OF the different
commands, had thistle say OF the col
cred man. which set at rest forever all
4 doupt rs 20 MS efficiency as n soldiers:
And the colcred troops fought
-Four millions IN j bondage; their
shackles could, be heard clank!ng
3 throughout every southern state. For
many years before the great conflict
Z began. about,a all that the United States
marshhlls DID was TO return to the
south the colored men. who had run
4 away from their masters.
y "But n day OF delirerance came, the
4 day we celebrate, Emancipation day.
Z Abraham Lincoln, taking the pen and
with one mighty stroke, as n lightning
Hash, the bonds were severed, In d
twinkling, four millions OF human be-
fngs We're changed from slaves to free
Z men. We have all heard OF Shcrman's
+ march through Georgia, and we have
all heard tho song OF Marching
+ Through Georgia" but there are but
few of US who know OF the destruction
and suffering caused by that great
army, which cut the Confederacy In
, two and done so much to bring about a
final surrender of all the Confederate
forces, There were thousands OF color
ed people following Sherman. Riding
along the general spoke to colored
man anu said. MY man, where are you
4 people So!ng?" Looking at the general
with an earnestncss, he SAID, well,
boss, we is going just where YOU white
i men are going,'
A Story OF ProSres,.
THAT co!ored man, In his answer to
{ Sherman. told the story OF their pro-
gross from that time to the present.
Truly he has been going where the
white man goes. You find him i
( professor In our colleges, superinten-
! dent In our schools; look in our state
legislatures, he Is there; the professions
sof law. medicine and ministry, he Is
there, yes, and at the capitol Of the
I nation you lind him filling high and
J responsible positions, and he has kept
his word and Is still going where the
white man goes.
& when We consider the limited op-
portunltes he has had. his progress
has been most wonderful. Born and
raised In slavery and his fathers before
Z him with all means of progress closed
against him,llving without hope OF any
condition other than slavery. the world
must admit that he is entitled to all
the rights accorded to other men for
his wonderful progress.
Now we are inclined to believe that
s the Union soldiers. the Good Lord and
a brahdm Lincoln were the combination
that did the work and what they did
they did well. The Proclamation that
brings US here to-day was Issued Sep
TENDER %, 1868, and was note OF
warning to the states in rebellion to
lay down their arms and obey the law
s full government or 1t would have full
force and effect on January !, 1864. Had
the Confederacy acknowledged the
Washington government tE=n slavery
would have had another lease on life
Z and the conflict would have bcen con-
tinued. 1t was agreed among the best
statesmen OF that day that the Union
Z could not be maintained one-halt slave
and the other half free and slavery
had to so.
But. my friends, why talk about
these things now? The war is long
since over; the conflict Is a thing of the
past; tie black man 10 free and by en-
actment Is entitled to all the rights and
privileges of any other man. How we'll
they have improved their opportunit-
les this day can testify. The past is
gone: the present Is ours. Let us i'm
I provc-the present and future by the
experience OF the past. II we do this,
1.feel sure that In the near future the
3 color lines that now show dimly will
be wholly wiped out.
Il cannot let the opportunity pass
without calling your attention TO some
names that should be dear to the heart
of the c0lored people. To-day Abraham
Lincoln IS the central figure, but he
\ should be surrounded with a galaxy
OF names that will SO down in history
as champions of human liberty! will
4 only mention few. These men fought
great battles for human liberty long.
FEARS before the rebellion: Charles
Sumner. Wendell Phillips. William Lloyd
Garrison. Horace Greeley, John c..
Fremont. Frederic Douglas. z.
"Iy friends esteem II a great honor
to be with You to-day and as the may
4 or OF the city, extend to you one and all
the hospitalities and freedom of the
city OF Wheeling. l know you will be
we'll cared for and well fed. for Old
Virginia never tires getting up good
dinners for the stranger within, her
gates, Il know the colored people OF
our city; 1t has been my good fortune
to sit at the same table with some OF
them years ago.
The mayors remarks were frequent
ly Interrupted by applause and when
he had concluded. Professor Jones in
troduced Miss Ada NJ Hawkins, who
read the Emancipation Proclamation
In very credltable manner Miss
!! Hawkins IL n clever elocutionist,
Following Miss Hawkins. the Opera
House band rendered pleasing selcc-
ton, after which Professor Jones said
II was his pleasant duty to Introduce
the speaker OF the day. lie character
lied the meetings Of coldred people on
occasions OF this kind as being very
beneficial to the race and the comm,i-
3 nifty In which they lived; 1t
gave them an opportunity to hear all
the leading orators Of their race. They
had with them one of the "Big Four"
I've have heard Langston, Bruce and
Douglass and now will have the chance
to hear Senator John NJ. Lynch, OF
Mississippi" The speaker spoke In
glowing terms OF the work these men
had done in advancing the race and
paid glowing tribute to the memory
OF Stephen Douglass.
Senator Ly nclf's Speech.
As Mr.. Lynch advanced to address