Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-23
GOV. TANNERS SPEECH.

The speech OF Gov. TANNER to the |
Sth Illinois Regiment delivered Sat. !
urdsy, July 9Th was a remarkable ef-
fort.
Il was married only by the unfortun-
ate expulsion of Nh. JAMES H. PosTER,
(colored) of the Illinois RECORD from
the camp. He left in double O uick
time, pursued as lis alleged by the in
furiated colored soldiers whom, it is
alleged he had misrepresented and
slandered.
This was unfortunate, and while Mr.
PORTER may have been deserving Of
censure it was entirely out OF place
for the members Of this famous regi-
ment to sdopt such methods to accord
punishment
But to the Governors utterancesl
He said:
MY fellow citizensl You do not
know. it is impossible for you. in your
individual capacities. to realize the
| Importance Of your individual citizen
ship here to-day. You represent q
race OF people who are now citizens
under organic law OF the United States.
Unfortunately, in this country there is
an existing prejudice against your
race on account of your color. You
are not responsible for your color,
neither are you responsible for your
citizenship here to-day.
You are not responsible for being
here. You were brought here under
different conditions than those which
exist in this country to-day. You were
brought here as chattels and slaves,
but thank God to-day you stand before
the world as free American-citizen
You have had the right of citizenship
guaranteed to you 10y the fundamental
law of the land, but, on account of this
unfortunate prejudice, which I have
just mentioned, that full right, in its
: full measure of citizenship. has not
quite been guaranteed to you in this
country"
He continues:
~ stand here today, my fellow citi.
{ zens, under the present conditions, 81
chief executive of the state of Illinois
the old rocking cradle of liberty, to OF.
fer to you that full measure of citizen.
q ship, which has been guaranteed tt
you by the fundamental law of the con
stitution of the United Slater.
|
y Il offer you today what has not beer
y offered in the history of the world il
y the history OF your country and mine
absolute full measure of citizenship o
t the United States, with all the bene
4 hts that it brings. (Grest applause.
i know this is unpopular in some quar-
> tiers. 1t 10 not unpopular in nv atmos
e phere.
You gentlemen, being free Ameri
~ cans, animated with the same spirit {
patriotism es all other citizens of diff
ferent colors, are willing to offer you
ID lives upon the altar of your country
D this great conflict.
Iy he states the situation plainly whe
he says:
lit has been thought by some ths
= the colored man that the Negro. is
y ut subject. is fit man TO carry q mus
10 ket, but that he is not capable to con
mand on the field of battle. 1 look
10 it, fellow citizens, in this way: If 20
go to the army, enlist as private so
diers IN q regiment, and that regimen
is differed by white officers, and 1
upon the bloody field of conflict, 70
.: should fall and be moved down, Oh
ia fault is because the d mggel
AFT wouldn't fight. But, If on the otht
IN hand, you achieve a victory, marchin
't upon the bayonets and battlemen
/ and in the jaws of death plant the fla
n. upon the rRmparts, all the glory 90,
he 20 the white officers who comman
in you.
< 81 propose, my fellow citizens, to /
the first man in this broad land. to I
the first governor of the United Stat,
to offer this full measure of citizensh
re to the African race, not only to emil
p a regimene of volunteer soldiers but
ne officer that regiment, from colon
IN down with colored men. Then if upC
e. the bloody field of conflict, whether
be the soil of the United States. the
lands of Cuba, Porto Rico, the PHILLIP
40 pines, or upon the soil of that old
CHI crepid nation, you win victory, all 81
ed glory of it will go to your officers an
your race"
es Thank God that this Chief Executi'
has the manhood to declare the who
truth and TO meet the Issue SQUARED
May the regiment in question
fully recruited. and may it win for
"o self name in keeping with the impo
ca tant mission upOn which IL is sent