Year: 1867

and we can not change history. The
civil war through which we have passed
was very bitter indeed, but no one in the.
Republic now expects that another can
be set on foot. This, people are to be
united and indivisible. My country is
your country, and its flag is to be pro
tected wherever. it floats. l am not here
therefore, to .taunt or even to argue with


you / ask the people to look at the
present, condition of affairs, and reflect
upon what the future will probably be.
We have great country and encourag-
ing prospects. Shall we, then, sit down


and be moody, or shall we not rather
blook on the brighter side. believe, fel-
low citizens, that the time is coming
| when the Southern States will be far
more prosperous than they ever have
been, but this prosperity will depend


upon the proper use OF the means at


hand There is no State in the Union


that, in my judgement, has better pros
poets than Arkansan, but you need caEi-
| tai and labor, and these you never will


obtain until the political questions now


agitating you are settled. More people


will leave the State thar will come to it,
| and this is even true to day with refer
ence to ex rConfederates as well As 9th
| ers, for they are alike tired of strife,


and will go where thrift and prosperity


are ready to greet them. This ought


not to be. In its mineral and agricuItur-
al features your State is remarkably rich.
and this valley of the Arkansas, in
which now stand, can be made one Of


the most productive in the country.-a
To make, then, this region bud and
blossom as it ought, the certain and as
sured consequences of the late war


should be realized just as they are.
You can not alter them, for they are


changeless as the mountains of your
own State, and to one in particular let
me now aliude, and that is the destruc-


ton of slavery. The colored man to-
day is free, and no power can again re-


duce him to bondage. He should be
educated and encouraged, and he will


become q prosperous citizen. Make
him useful. Accord to him his right IS
you accord them to each other, aad his
conduct will justify every effort put
forth. The doctrine enanciated in the
Declaration Of Independence that all


men are created equal has now been
fully established--not that they are
equal physically OF mentally, but in -heir
rights--that one man has the right to
acquire property and enjoy it, and that
they generally have the right to partici-
pate alike in the management of the af-


fairs OF life. If the colored man does
not slow the capacity, he can not accom- $
plsh much but he must have the oppor-
tunity, and, believe, will demonstrate to
the world his ability to meet the require
ments of his new position. But will
not discuss this question at length. His
ri oht can not be taken from him, and
they should, therefore, be accorded as


cheerfully as possible. On the other


hand, he should be taught that freedom
does not mean idleness, or5vice of any


kind, but that the law of all liberty is


labor. ss3 #a . aas ssc1ab susihc


Those who have sought to keep the
negro in bondage will find him to be a
much better citizen than they had sup
posed, and that their apprehensions OF
the Inconvenience that would result
from his freedom have been without


foundatian. nla ss#esoI9@ aaze = ea.
For the general settlement Of his con-


dition, and the terms upon which the


Southern States can be restored to their


old position in the Union, Congress has


presented their plan and you are aware
of its features. Take counsel then of
your own good sense and ask yourselves
as intelligent men what is best for you
| to DO. As-


Fay no heed to gangreened politicians
/ who will advise you to your hurt, but
| look facts squarely in the face. and he


who does rot is moral coward. There
are politicians in the North who are
counseling you against reconstruction,
| but beware Of them. They advised you
| to scccde and then did not help you.
| When the war began they told you to
| fight on, and when your prospect of sue


cess began to wane, advised you to strug
little longer. that the nation was v ell


nigh bankrupt and must abaiido-i the
| COZ st. es'ss 50" A



After the war they ,oia, you to sub


nit to no terms, nctwithstan ling the


Flood er 4 treasure .naf hac been rouI ~


o-t and expended, but to insis. upon


your rights as though NO wrong has
teea done Last year, when proposed


constitutional am mendment was offered to
| the rebelIious States, as q final settle