Year: 1865

upon our civilization. Were it possible for
them to remain with us, and yet be so ex-
cluded from us, that they could have no in
fiuence; upon the common welfare, then we
might seliishly put them into such irpagin-
AIRY condition, and relieve Ourselyes'of all
further trouble. concerning them. But we
cannot do this. Their force mustenter as one
OF the constituent elements In the formation
of our American civilization. y
AS the force of the negro must enter into
the formation of our civilization, it is to
the interest of the white man not less than
of the black man, that this force should be
for good. In cannot be, however,
unless the negro is moral, intelli-
gent and Industrious. How can we give
him these desirable characteristics? We
have only to consider the conditions under
which white men have become moral, in
telligent and Industrious and apply these
to the black man. rotIy


Our proposition thus becomes very sim
pie: we must educate him, and place before
him the rewards Of good conduct and the
penalties of bad conduct. This is done to
the extent we ask, when he is placed on
terms of entire equality with the white
man before the law! Let not the law be a
respecter. of persons. The humber the
man the greater the necessity that the law
should not oppress him. The rich and
great can take care OF themselves. With
all the opportunities of equal laws, the Door
mans lot is hard enough. He requires the
protection of the law and the seli-respect
which an equality of right before the law
engenders. In a country where equality
is the rule, we cannot have an exception
founded on caste. The ballot is here the
evidence of manhood; when we1deny to
a race we at once degrade it in the respect
of Others, and what is of greater coDse-
quence, in its own respect. Every man the
humber he is the more requires the right of
suffrage for his protection. And the negro,
as the most unprotected of all, needs it most
of all. We must educate him, and give him
the condition of self-respect, If we would
have his influence for good upon our ciyilz
ization. .e4 ,I51


My friends, every consideration which
ought to influence human conduct, requires
that the ballot should be given to the black
man. i' .r 'rer


The protection of the black man himself
requires 1t; gratitude for his devoted loyal
ty requires 1t; the protection of ourcivili-
cation from the influence of adegraded and
barbarous element requires it; the protec-
tion of ourselves from the insidious rebel
ballot requires it; the speedy restoration of
the rebel States 10 their property relation to
the General Government requires it; the
fundamental principles of our Government
require it; the Golden Rule of our most
holy religion, commanding us to do unto
Others as wewould that they should do unto
us, requires it. Can we withhold it? Hs'


Our fathers, yielding to the embarrass-
ments of the day, permitted negro slavery
to remain, with the expectation, it is true,
that it would soon pass away. Alas, What
a fearful mistake! This action has been
the canse of all our woe. Shall we repeat
this mistake? Shall we learn no lesson from
this sad experience? God grant that it
may be otherwise. Let us catch the inspi=
ration of our Martyr President at the
field of Gettysburg; let us join in his
prayer "That this nation under God, shall
have new birth of freedom, and that Cow
ernment of the people, by the people, and
for the people, shall not perish from the
EARTH" iJa.t ,Itil