The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-06-04
|CHAS. SCRUTCHIN SPEAKS
BEHALF OF COLORED RACE
In His Memorial Day Address, He Tells of the Services
Rendered the Country by Colored Men During
the Civil War Sa-

and refuge for the oppressed,
stricken and homeless of tho.
whole world.
"And at this point, Mr.. Chair
man, as a hum BILE member Of
that despised race, 1 deem it
meet and proper that I should
say that while the mighty contest
was being waged for the mainten-
ance of liberty, free principles
and democratic institutions, the
black man was not an idle spec
tatOr.
you remember, from your
reading, that when, at the COM
mencement of the rebellion, We
proffered the government our
services, and the president and
the governors of the various
statessand the chief commanders
OF the armies rejected them. We
we're patient, we did not run to
the enemy; we gave him no aid;
with us he found no comfort. At
length the time came when our
learned statesmen, our sagacious
politicians and our earnest gen.
erals discovered that the re-
bellion was of such proportions,
it's spirit so malignant and OBJ
stinant, that military necessity,
if not justice, demanded that the
colored Americans have q place
as soldiers in the mighty contest
then being waged.
"We were then called to the
service, and that our response
has been manful is proved by the
fact that, Notwithstanding We
were denied equal pay, the usual
allowances for clothing and
every opportunity for promotion
beyond the rank of non.commis.
stoned officer, we gave to the ser.
vice over two hundred thousand
stalWart, brave and gallant mem.
s:And let me ask you, Mr..
Chairman, did the colored troops
redeem the promise made by
their friends when their enlist.
ment was determined? You will
seek in vain among the soldiers
of the land, ancient or modern,
for exhibitions of greater endur.
ance, more undaunted courage
and more enthusiastic devotion
than he has displayed. His be.
havior at-Port Hudson; his be
havior at Milikin's Bend; his be-.
havior at New Market Heights
and Petersburg; his behavior at
Fort Wagner and at Olustel; mis-
behavior at the Swamps of the
Carolinas, the Savannahs of
Florida, the Jungles of Arkansas
or on the dark bosom of the
Mississippi. Look where you
may, the record of their rugged
pathway still blossom with deeds
Of noble daring, self-abnegation
and a holy devotion to the central
ideas of the war.
cat the terrific assault on
Fort Hudson, General Banks re-
ported they answered every ex-
pectation; no troops could have
been more daring
General Butler tells of his
transformation from a war d emo
crat to radical. Riding out as
early morn to view the battle.
field, where a few hours before
shot and shell few thick and
fast. skillfully guiding his horse,
that hoofs should not profane the
sacred dead, he there saw in sad
confusion, where lay the white
and black soldier, who had gone
down together. The appeal,
though mute, was irresistible.
''Stopplng his horse and rails.
ing his hand in the cold gray
lights to heaven he said. May.
my tongue cleave to the roof Of
my mouth and my right hand
forget it's cunning if ever cease
to insist upon equal justice to
the colored man.
aAnd now Mr.. Chairman, in
view of the fact that Dixon, Fill.