Year: 1866

VI AhC DNAACN " LIS NdAOI OlOOu. L
after calling on the black man, in its ex
tremity, this nation forgets to reward
him with franchise, it would be burning
disgrace. The negro was nearly the only
friend the Union had in the South du.
ring the war, and risked his life to serve
the flag. So notorious was this fact that
the Union prisoners hated to see the face
of white man in the South, but always
glad to see the face of negro.


The ballot had better be given to the
black man, because the nation might
want the negro again. He went up and
down the land telling the black to enlist.
He told his race that though often de-
ceived, he believed the Government
would now do justice to the blacks. The
extremity of the nation was the negroes
opportunity. But he was disappointed,
for he was confident the American peo-
pie would be generous to a race thatrush-
ed 10 their rescue when the flag was wa
vering before the foe


But he did not despair, he believed
time would bring the black man his
rights-all of them, and some of them
very soon. Applause. In foreign war
what part would the rebels take ? Every
man knows they would take advantage
of the Federal extremity to gain their
independence. The South had learned
the value of the negro. Davis and Lee
wanted the negro armed, and only the
Gulf States held back. The North might
want the negro again, and to be sure to
have his aid justice should be done to
him.


1t was stigma to give the ballot to
i auarr oorfh kha
| Our government, too, depended upon the
friendship of the people. What had we
as counLerpoise to the settled hate OF
the South ? Nothing but the friendship
of the negro Give him the ballot and
we would have Union party at the South.
The negro should have everythingt to pro-
tect himself, but deprive him of all these
and we would be taking back an old vi
per into our bosom. The national honor
demanded that the elective franchise
should be conferred on the black The
/ Nation asked him to espouse its cause
and he did it. and could the Republic, in
the full view of its experience, remember
its enemies and forget its friends-exalt
one and cast down the other? Yet nc
political party dares say Immediately eE.
franchise the black. The "Boys in Blue
had met in Pittsburgh and refused to say
that the blacks, who fought on their side
tshould be enfranchised. 1t was a shame
full omission. But the negro would not
be wholly ignored. The world would
hear of it-God would hear of it, and this
Republic would hear of it. There was q
time when the negro was somebody in
/ this country. But, alas, peace to the
white man brought war 10 the negro
Peace to New York brought murder tc
New Orleans and Memphis. This Gov,
eminent could have no peace until it rest
ed its foundation in justice. He secuted
the idea that the negro did not know
enough to vote. If he knew as much
when sober as some men when drunk, he
knew enough to vote, and if he knew
enough to be loyal, he knew enough to
vote. The war against the negro voting
was begun by John C. Calhoun, with the
war against the Union. and when the
war against the Union should cease, the
war against negro suffrage would cease
also. The negro was now enfranchised
in some of the States, and he had thus
far used it very wisely. The negro would
vote where his rights and interests are
best taken care Of The negro only wan
ted fair play and no favor. Mr.. johnson
says that if the negro is enfranchised
there would be war of determination,
just as though political parties were going
to kill off class that has a trinity of
rights-the defense of American liberty
the ballot box, the jury box and the cat
ridge box. Mr.. Douglass then recapitu-
lated little, and after thanking the au-
dience for their attention /. it had given
him, he resumed his seat amidst applause.


The audience was then dismissed.