Year: 1867




tleman in Congress from your State say
the negro does not belong TO the human
species. They are made the same as you
aud but they are black-that's all tn,
difference.


"Now, tell me why it is white men arr
entitled to vote. They did not have the
right to vote before the Revolution. How
did they got it? They got it by having
themselves recognized as free people, by
being citizens of the United States, that al
lowed its citizens who paid taxes to vote
You didn't get it because you were white
No, ii is not in the Constitution nor in the
Declaration of Independence. You got
the right To vote because you were part
of the Government of the United States
And when the United States became gov
ernment, tell me, Democrats. how many
free negroes were excluded from the ballot
box? You can name but one State Of the
Union that did not allow free negroes to
vote, and that was South Carolina.


Years ago you had a Democratic Leg
islature, which decided that the man who
had one-half black blood in him should
vote. Now, will any Democrat tell me
which half of these negroes votes, the white
hall or the black half? If only the white
half, why should he cast more than hall
a vote ? II you won't allow man to vote
because he has black skin, you have the
same right to say | shall not vote because
have black hair. don't care whether a
man is RED, blue or white,if he is civilized
man in Christian community like ours.
Every man, unless he has forfeited his
right by the commission of crime, each and
every such citizen, if he pays taxes and
works the road, or is subject to the call of
his government to fight for its pressrva
ton. he has the right to say who the men
shall control the Government


Now have something TO sly 10 the
soldiers and then am done. | want to
talk to them earnestly. You will remem-
ber the times we were called on TO go
against the rebel bayonets; you remember
the many battles through which YOU have
passed. and you ought 10 remember, in my
Judgment, who your friends were while
passing through those many scenes: you
ought to remember the men at the South
that were your enemies, Now, | appeal
To you as honest men, TO tell me if ever you
saw black man South who was not loyal
to the government? Voices, Never.
never.


And if You saw few white men South
who were disloyal to the government Ii
this he true, remeT1her your friends and
the men at home who were your enemies.
And remember. too, that during the whole
struggle the friends you had by your side
fell fighting for the preservation Of your
liberties And as you saw the boys when
they were drawn up in line of battle, and
hayunets briStllng. and hear the cannons
roaring and muskeiry rattling, when the
battle ragged, and the havoc of war was
about yOu. and carnage was spreading
about YOU right and left--as you passed
through these scenes of blood. with Your
comrades falling on the right and LEFT, front
and rear. ask the soldier here to-day to
tell me. while stornling the nights of Nicks-
burg, kenesaw, or Gettysburg, or around
the works OF Atlanta, where you lost
scores of your comrades-tcll me If there
was one Of you then that would have voted
for Copperhead. Voices, Never,
never."l If You would not have done il
then, tell NE what they have done since
then 10 cause you TO love them, but hate
those that loved you Al that time.


II toll you, soldiers, to-day the voice OF
the dead. the voice that is in each one
armed soldier, the voice that is in each
black dress, each baby's mouth that lost its
father on the battlefield. are enough to ap-
peal to you as a thunder cloud, To- break
open your ears and tel you you knew your
duty and did it not ilyou fail 10 vote for
Union men against Copporheads in this
land.