Year: 1865

. iuriinerS OF the Isl he glfnent OF cOIOred


volunteers from the District of Columbia
and the Capital of the United States, l


haveto say that a great deal depends up


on Yourselves You must give evidence


that Won are competent for the rights


that the Government has guaranteed to
YOU Henceforth each and all of you
must be measured according to your


merit. If one man is more meritorious


an the other, they cannot be equals.


and he Is the most exhalted that is the


most meritorious, without regard to col


or, and the idea of having law passed


in the morning that will make white


man a black man before night, and a


black man n white man before day. is


absurd. That is not the standard 1t


is your own merit 1t is the develop


ment of your own minds, and OF your


own intellectually and moral quail


ties


Let this, then, be your course-adopt


system of morality, abstain from all


RIGHTEOUSNESS aud let me say one thing


here, for / am going to talk plainly. /


have lived in a southern State all nv life


and know what has too often been the


case There is one thing you should es-


TEEN higher and more supreme than al


most all others, and that is the solemn


contracts, with all the penalties, in the


association of married life. Men and


women should abstain from those prac-


tices and habits that too frequently fol-


low a war. Inculcate among your chill


dren and among your associates, not


withstanding you are just back from the


army of the United States, that virtue,
that merit that intelligence. the
standards to be observed, and those
which you are determined to maintain
during your future lives. This is the
way to make white men black and black
men white. Cheers He that is most
meritorious and virtuous and intellectual
and well informed, must stand highest
without regard to color. 1t is the very
basis upon which heaven rests itself
Each individual takes his degree in the
sublimer and more exalted regions in
proportion to his merits and his virtue


1 shall say to You on this occasion in re
turning to your homes and tiresioes, af
ter feeling conscious and proud of hav-
ing faithfully discharged your duty, re-
turning with the determination that you
will perform your duty in the future as
you have in the past. abstain from all
those chickering's and jealousies and re
vengeful feelings which too often spring
up between different races There is q
great problem before Us, and | may as
well allude to it here in this connection,
and that is whether this race can be in
corperated and mixed with people of the
United States to be made harmonious
and permanent Ingredient in the popula-
ton. This is problem not yet solved,
but we are in tine right line to do So
Slavery raised its head against the Gov
ernment and the Government raised its
strong arm and struck it to the ground.
So that part of the problem is settled
The institution of slavery is oyerthrown,
but another part remains to be solved,
md that is can four millions of people,
ais ,ed as they have been with all the pre-
udi ces of the whites, they take
,lao .es in the community and be made to
vor k harmoniously in our system? This
5 a problem to be considered. Are the
Ii q. ,stive powers of the American Gov
ern ment sufficient to receive this element
in a new shape and digest it and make it
work healthfully upon the system that
has incorporated it? This is the question
to he determined. Let us make the eX-
pertinent and make it in good faith.


If this connot be done; there is anoth-
er problem that is before US. If we have
to become a separate and distinct people,
Though l trust that the system can be
n ade to work harnoniously, and that the
,r eat problem will be settled without
rc,ing any further, if it should be so that
he wo races cannot agree and live in
De &C and prosper ity, and the laws of
Pro- yidence require that they should be
sep; ,rated, in that event. looking to the
far distant future and trusting it may
nev er come, if it should come, the Provi
ien ce that works mvsteriously but uner
rim: Civ and certainly, will point out the
way and the manner by which these peo
pie are to be separated, and they are to
be taken to their lands of Inheritance
an Il promise. for such an one Is before
th EN-. Hence, let me impress upon you
tn importance of controlling your pas
81 ons, developing your intellect, and of
4 oplying your physical powers to the
i idustrial interests of the country, and
! lat is the true process by which this
! uestion can be settled. Be patient, per


evering add forhearing and YOU will
] clip to solve the problem. Make for
: ourselves reputation IN this cause, as
ou have won for Yourselves a reputa


ion in the cause in which you have been
; gagged


In speaking to the members of this
egiment, | want them to understand
/ lat as far as | am concerned l do not
!, ssume or pretend that l am stronger
I ian the laws of nature, or that | am
y User than Providence itself 1t is our
/ uty to try and discover what those
= reat laws are which are at the found
Il ion of all things. and having discover
ed what they are. conform our sections
NJ ii our conduct to them and 10 the will
Of God who ruletR al things He holds
tn destinies of nations in tie palm OF
Fl is hand. and He will solve the q es
IT, On and rescue these people from the
di fticulties that have so long surrounded
IL EN-. Then let US be patient. industri
oU.s and persevering let us develop any
in tellectual aud moral worth. | trust
waat | have said may be understood and
Go to your homes and
Iced peaceful, prosperous and happy lives.
in peace with all men. Give utterance
to no word that would cause dissensions,
but do that which will be creditable to
and to your country To the
OH gers who have led and so nobiv com
~, ,i.ai Won in he fiati II ola,