Year: 1865




more important 80 you than the
period in which tol have just been
! engaged. One great question has
been settled in thu Government, and
that question ii the question Of
slavery. The inslItution Of slavery
made war against:the United States,
and the United States has lifted its
strong arms in gindication OF the
Government, and of free Govern
ment. And in lif5n9 that arm and
appealing TO the God of battle, it
has been decided that the Institution
of slavery must 60 down. Cheers


This has been done, and that god
dess of liberty in bearing witness
over every battle field since the
struggle commended, has made her
loftiest fight and proclaimed that
true liberty has been established up
on more permanent and enduring
bssis than heretofore. Applause.


But this is not all, and as you have
paid me the compliment to call up
on me, / shall take the privilege of
saving few words as / am before
you. / repeat that is not all; now,
when the sword is returned to its
scabbard, when your arms are re-
versed and the olive branch of peace
is extended, as / remarked before,
resentment and revenge should sub
side. Then what is to follow? You
understand, no doubt, and if you do
not, you cannot understand too soon,
that simple liberty does not mean
the privilege of going into the battle
field or into the service of the coun-
try as a soldier 1t means other
things as well, and when you have
laid down your arms there are other
objects of equal importance before
you, now, that the government has
triumphantly passed through this
mighty rebellion, after the most gi


gantic battles he world eyer saw.
The problem is before you. and it is
best that you should understand it,
and therefore / speak simply and
plainly with You, and when you have
returned frem the army Of the United
States and taken the position of
citizens; when you have returned to
the avocations of peace, will you
give evidence to the world that you
are capable and competent to govern
yourselves? and that is what you will
have to do. Liberty is not mere
idea, a mere vagary. 1t is an idea
or it is a reality, and when you come
to me this Question of liberty
you VIA. not be mistaken n a mere
idea, for reality. 1t does not consist
in idleness. Liberty does not con-
sist in being worthless. Liberty
does not consist in doing all things
as we please, and there can be no


liberty without law. In a govern
ment of freedom and of liberty there
must be law, and there must be obe-
dience and submission to the law
without regard to color. TCheers.
Liberty-pnd may not call you my
countrymen-literty consists in the
glorious privileges of work, of pur-
suing the ordinary avocations of
peace, with industry and with econo-
my; and that being done all those
who have been industrious and
economical are permitted to appro-
pirate and enjoy the products of their
own labor. Cheers. This is one
of the great blessings of freedom,
and hence we might ask the ques-
ton and answer it, by saying that
liberty means freedom to work and
enjoy the production of your own
labor. You will soon be mustered
out Of the ranks, and it is for you to
establish the great fact that you are
fit and ready to be free. Hence
freedom is not q mere idea, but is
!. something that exists. in fact free,
; dom is not simply the privilege to
live in idleness. Liberty does not
mean simply to resort to the low
saloons and other places of disrepu-
! table character. Freedom and liberty
|. does not mean that the people ought
: to live in licentiousness, but liberty
|, means simply to be industrious, to
!. be virtuous, to be upright in all our
. dealings and relations with men, and
to those now before me, members of
the first regiment of colcred volun-
teefs from the District of Columbia,
and tie capitol of the United States,
/ have to say that great deal de-
pends upon yourselves; you must
: give evidence that you are compe-
! tent for the rights that the govern
: ment has, guaranteed to you; hence
forth each and all of you mnst be
> measured according to your merit;
, if one man is more meritorious than
the other, they cannot be equals, and
he is the most exalted that is the
most meritorious without regard to
: color, and the idea of having law
:. passed in the evening that will make
: black man white before morning,
: and white man black before night,
is absurd-that is not the standard;
: it is your own conduct it is your
own merit; it is the elevation of your
own talents and of your ewn intel
lectual and moral qualities. Let this
then be your course; adopt a system
. of morality; abstain from all icen-
!. tiousness, and let me say one thing
here, for am going to talk i.laiu: |
!. have lived in a Southern State all p1N
life, and l know wlist has tuo oi,en


been the case; there IL one thing you
:, should esteem higher and more su-
preme than all others, and that is