Evening star., 1932-05-01

were In the first. However, upon both occasions
AS well as upon all subsequent occasions
they had no vote to cast for either party,
though they keenly felt the discrimination just
as they do today.
In 1860 their champion ut the convention
was James A. Wise, and in the Defense Of the
Rights of the People of the District Of Co
Mmbia," he declared before that body then con-
vened in Chicago, as follows:
Mr. President: come from the Capital Of
this great and mighty Republic, and like my
friend, Mr.. Armour, ana descended from old
Maryland. CApplause) stand in this mighty
convention congregated in the Queen City of
the great West, the representative from the
District Of Columbia Of the great Republican
party. cloud cheers) I stand here the repre-
sentative Of the prosecuted and down-trodden
and dtsfranchised people that have no vote
for President, no voice in Congress and no
voice anywhere to legislate for US: and yet
our territory contains a hundred thousand
freemen-
IT came to this city as q representative of
the Republican party for no sinister purpose,
but for the people of that disfranchised Dis
trict We claim from the people of this coun-
try the right of franchise; claim the right
of citizenship; claim to be heard in this
discussion, and not be silent longer in this
Republic. We have no legislature. We ask of
Congress legislature, and we intend that they
shall give territorial legislature and a
representation in Congressional we shall make
our own laws, and that Congress will confirm
them-that we will be people, and have
work in this great Republic.
II came here to tell this people that the
sham Democracy have trodden down the Re
publican party with the iron heel of despotism,
worse and more tyrannical than that of Russia
or the Austrian empire.
What has the Buchanan administration
y11Yre
shops OF the Government to seek out Repub-
lcan, and then turn him out to grass, taking
the bread from his family, if he did not bow
down to the slave power.
And sir, to carry a municipal election in
the city of Washington, Mr.. Buchanan laid a
tax on all the employees of the Government,
from the highest to the lowest, for corrupt
ton fund, and compelled every man in the en-
ploy of the Government. at the Navy Yard on
the water works and on the public buildings
to vote the sham Democratic ticket to sustain
the slave power Five hundred were brought
from the water works alone to perpetrate this
wrong upon the people of the District of Co
lumbia. These not being enough to overcome
the people, the Marines were ordered out, under
pretense of preserving order and of the
citizens were killed and about 20 wounded by
this unrighteous use of an armed force-au to
sustain the damnable cause Of slavery. But
thanks to God, we come here fellow gentlemen
from Maryland, daring to be Republicans; not
to baptize that District of Columbia over again,
and. in the sight of God we will exclude
slavery from it in less than three months. pro-
vided Congress will give us territorial Iegis-
lation."
Let us hope that we may have several good
speakers to champion our cause at both of
the forthcoming conventions and then maybe
In 1896 we all can vote as American citizens
and have national representation, for which
we have so long fought, for after all our cause
Is more meritorious than that of the people
OF the Philippine Islands, who were recently
given so much consideration by Congress.
Don't you think so? We do!