Year: 1862

the banishment Of slavery from the soil Of
this District. We gratefully consider that
other measures Of like tenor have received
your official sanction If not your original
and hearty support. We should be most
happy to so act as to prove that our graft
tude for these noble acts is not confined to
words.


"But, Mr.. President, the migration Of
our whole race-for that is of course what
you desire, since the expatriation of few
families can have no Importance, no inter-
eat, save as a pioneer, the precursor, of
general exodus-is very grave matter.
Before deciding upon it, we should desire
q clear acquaintance with the climate, soil,
government, religion, commercial facilities,
political stability, intelligence, civilization,
etc. of the region to which we are consigned.
And we should wish to be able TO explain
fully to our people how q government that
c.nnot or will not secure them in the full
enjoyment Of their God given, natural hui
man rights on its own soil, can certainly do
so in q foreign land afflicted with chronic
anarchy and impotence two thousand miles
away. ..a


"As TO the instructive, unconquerable
aversion alleged to exist between your race
and onrs, we disclaim any participation in
it. AS TO their incapacity TO live peacably
in the same community as freemen, we SOL
emnly assure you that we do not share in
it. AS to our alleged subordipatioh and
inferior position, we will only say that, so
far as it is founded in natural disparity, we
cannot regard it as hardship while SO
much of it as is fictitious and based on blind
prejudice and vulgar antipathy, we are con-
fdent that time must slowly overcome. 1t
does not seem TO afford US on adequate rea.
son for quitting our own for foreign land.


FINALLY, Mr.. President, We are but a
handful of four millions of people, most Of
whom are now enduring that bitter, cruel
bondage from which we have been merc
fully delivered. We must heed the great
Apostles injunction to Remember those in
bonds as bound with them We cannot
desert our brethren in this momentous cri.
sis. Our departure would be hailed by the
champions Of Slavery as on admission that
emancipation is only safe or practicable
when supplemented by colonization. We
dare not make that admission. We cannot
thus betray our brethren in adversely. But
if you will proclaim freedom to the slaves
of rebels, 10 accordance with the con.
fiscation act recently signed by you, and in.
struct your commanders 10 give full force
and effect to the lberating provisions Of
that act, we will, so soon as the freedom of
our race is assured, supply the persons ne
cessary to give tho experiment OF Central
American colonization fair and practical
trial"


Such, judge, would have been the re-
sponse of the Free Blacks of Washington
to the Presidents exhor tation, had they
felt at liberty to speak frankly and fully.
Would it not have been worthy Of conside-
ration


The president saw ct in the course of his
remarks, to allude TO the migration of the
pessantry of Ireland 10 this country, and
the benefits thence resulting to them. Let
us look at this


Ireland had, twenty or thirty years since,
but about 100000 Famine aud fever
have swept some two millions into paupers'
graves liAe n mber, at least have found
new homes in America and in Australia.
Their migration has proved general bes-
sing both to those who went aud to those
who stayed.


But suppose the British Monarch or Pre-
mier, thirty years ago, had called the
O'Connels and Shiels, the Tom Moores and
O'Donoghues, of that day before him, and
harranged them thus ~: "You Irish Celts
are an eyesore and an offense to our Anglo.
Saxons you arc an inferior race, and can
never achieve position of equality with us
in your native land we advise you, there
fore, to pack up and be off to America or
Australia forthwith"-is it likely, in view
Of what we know of human nature, that
they would have gone Is it not obvious
that their spokesman would have answered
-"Our proximity is not of our own seeking
but of yours if you can no longer abide it,
you are very welcome to leave. We prefer
to live and die in our native land or, at
oil events, not TO leave it in obedience to
your behests and in Difference TO your pre-
judices. If we are doomed to exile, it shall
at least be compulsory one"


The president suggested to bis hearers
that their choice TO live in their native land
heeause they could here enjoy more comfort
than elsewhere, is an extremely selfish one.


Perhaps so. Certainly, if they we're to
migrate, not because they wished to go, or
hoped to do better elsewhere, but simply to
oblige those who hate or dspise them too
much to live within the same country, il
must be confessed that the movement would