Year: 1862

said that that victory WAS acconpdnui-u oy


no bIoodshed and no mourning. no regrets,


save the regrets tha. the rebels and their
/ sympsthizers may entertain.


Gentlemen talk OF the effect of the abeli
ion Of slavery upon the border States. 30
far as l am concerned. there is no terror In


that cry. For the last twenty years l have


never seen an hour or a moment that would


no, have given the same vote. Sixsse o


wears ago I took the same ground in the
State Of Indiana, and two years ago was
tried upon the record. Ny letter was read
in favor Of the abolition Of slavery in the
District of Columbia in the canvass OF 1860.


I was tried upon the record. and the verdict
was majority OF ten thousand


I have no fears in reference to the result


Of that vote, and believe it cannot oper-


ate injnriously: but il We wish TO make that


wise and benificent measure effective. we


must carry out the prayer OF these memo


rialis's. and provide place where they may


be colonized. and colonized voluntarily. for


forced emigration or compulsory colonies


ton will result in no good. You must have


willing hearts and strong arms to work out
for these free colored people their destiny
wherever you may place them. 1 would
not sanction a compulsory colonization. and
surely not at this time. This benifcent
measure, doubt not, will be carried out.
and 10 order that il may be effec.ual. The
prayer Of these petitioners must be listened
to. II not at present. at least at some time
not remote. their prayer must be answered
by the Congress Of the United States
This memorial is very brief. and drawn in
apt terms, and in language the most re-
spectful and courteous to Congress and to
the psople; and atthe request Of the person
who ntrusted it to me, and in his behalf and
in behalf Of the memorialists, l ask that it
may be read at the desk and referred to the
Com mittee on Foreign Relations.


The Secretary read the memorial as fol-
lows:


To the honorable the Senate and House Of


Repyesentatipeso of the United States Of


America:


The undersigned. for themselves. their
relatives. and friends, whom they represent,
desire, by this memorial. most respectfully
to show to the Congress aud people Of this
great country-of which. too. they are ma
tives. but humbly born--tha. they sppreei-
ate, to the fullest extent. the humane ao-
tions which are now inaugurated to give
freedom to their SO long oppressed colored
race; but they believe that this freedom will
result iajuriously. unless there shall be
opened to colored people a region to which
they may emigrate-a country which is suit
ed to their organization, and in which they
may seek aud secure. by their own industry,
that mental and physical development which
will allow them an honorable position in the
families Of Gods great world.


That there is ignorance in the mass of the
colorcd race is not to be denied; this is caus-
cd by the peculiar condition in which they
have been raised-without the advantages
Of general education 20 wisely and freely
TO the white citizens. But there
are those among them who have secured the
of knowledge. and who are capa-
BILE enough of informing their brethren of
what is for their ultimate good. as the lead
ers Of the Pilgrim Fathers informed those
who came with them to plant civil and re-
ligious liberty upon this continent.


To these we are indebted for the knowl.
edge that Liberia is too distant from the
land OF our birth, and that however kindly
aud wisely the original plans of colonization
may have been laid for that country, neith-
er those plans, nor that region are suited TO
our present condition. and that it will be
impossible for us ever to move there in suf-
tcient numbers TO secure for us the full lib
critics OF the human race. the elements Of
which We have learned here.


From them, too, we have learned the
deep deg ada,ion and wretchedness in which
our relatives were su TX who were induced
by hesrtless spectators to emi CRATE to
Hayti. Slavery, if it must be borne. is
more endurable under race we have long
been taught to look up TO and regard as
perior. than under one originating in Africa.
by abject slavery under Spanish
and French greed, and still further brutal
ICED by unrestrained and licentious liberty.
such as exists with those who hold the pow
er to control the poor immigrant in HayIi,
or either OF the Africo-Wes India Islands.


OF our own will we cannot go either TO
Liber a these islands. We have. in the
United States. been taught to venerate vir-
Tue. to strive 10 attain it, and We can. with
humble pride. point TO as widespread ex.
amples Of the benefit Of these teachings as
can any 81 riar number Of men, with no
greste advantages than ourselves. There
fore we wish to shun those countries where
the opposite Of virtue rules, where vice
reigns SUPP eme. where our very blood would
be required if We opposed its indulgence.


Though colored, and debarred from the
rights OF citizenship. our hearts none the
less cling to the land of our birth. We do
not wish TO be driven beyond the ocean.
where old hands of kindness cannot reach
US. where we cannot hear from those with
whom we have grown up, with all the fond
Of childhood.


We now number as many souls won
the freedom of your sires from British rule.
We may not noic be as capable to govern
ourselves as they were, but we viii, with
your aid, be as jealous, and with Gods
blessing. we will be as successful.


There is . land-part of this POUR own
oontinent-to which we wish TO 60. 1t is
that portion generally called Central Amer.
ica, there are lands there without inhabi.
tants. yet bearing spontaneously all that is
suited 10 our race.


Aid US to get there. protec. US for . short
while. and we will prove ourselves worthy
and grateful. The labor which. in servitude,
has raised cotton. sugar. and tobacco. will
do the same, not in tue blood of bondage,
but in the free spirit of liberty, and with
the exul,snt knowledge, that i. is to he part
of YOUR CONNIE rcs and TO be given in ex-