Year: 1878

Of his Rsee-The Cause Of theis


Deg radiation and cure for the


Evil. 1852


On Sunday morning A. R. Henry,
well.known in this city as the "colored
orator." delivered q speech in the Lib
eral League, before respectable audi,
.nce. He began:


The question IL: "What is the po-
litical Relation OF the colored man to
tn is country" This is question Of
great moment. In its solution lies our
destiny and In IL Is embodied that
truth which was inscribed by the i'm.
mortal pen of jefferson 'that all men
are equal" and that they are endowed
with unalienable rights--among which
are life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness." Il.


These words have been written in
dslibly upon the altar Of the nation.
They have been inculcated into the
minds of the young; but tsey have be.
come merely theoretical, understood
but never yet practically applied. They
have been taught to express other than
their real meaning. They have been
accepted as the veneerings Of the Magma
Charter Of the Fathers, and some In
truth have advanced the assertion that
our "fathers wrote but understood
not This question is one upon which
hangs great results. 1t Is one upon
the practical solution Of which, the
ch aracter of our institution is to be
maintained.


The amendments TO this constitution
gave to me the rights Of citizen OF
this Republic; but why d, not enjoy
them is a question TO be discussed.
Some say that when We arrive at a
proper standard Of intelligence We shall
then be permitted to enjoy these
rights. Others say that We are already
living in full enjoyment Of those bless
ed privileges. Now we are taught
that governments cannot exist except
the people are skilled in arts and scien.
ces and reared under the divine light
of education; and without these es
sentials nations must ornmble into de.
cay, and the inhabitants be reduced tc
position with the brute.


Why should fourishing republic
like this endeavor TO hold position
among civilized nations under the ban.
ner of equal rights and equal justice to
all mankind and at the same time, by q
power known as refined prejudice,
crush out the members of one part OF
her people and deny them the right ia
enjoy the gifts Of your own institutions
Every moment you claim this among
the nations, you, by your actions at
home, give the pretension the false
hood.


If the republic is to advance II mnsi
be by the unrestrained will Of the peo.
Pile. That will must be enlightened
by education. No narrow or selfish
destruction must intrude itself. If il
does you can turn back only for time
the truths embodiad in the Declaration,
and by lifting the fool gates of preju
dice upon our people, tear away by its
force the opportunity Of fgrasping the
privileges which are necessary to make
us your equal; but sirs tell you il
will only be for while. You may
by the iron heel Of prejudice crush the
man and transform him into beast
yet his manhood will and shall cry out


This nation, which boasts of her
conquests is but walking over great
volcano which sooner or later will burst
and dash its foods of fire aud lava, to
our national destruction.


Let US look at the colored man as he
really appears! He is the plant and
subtle toll of the few. He is disdained,
scoffsd at and spit upon; acknowledged
to be an inferior and incapable of sell
government. We ask why is thiss We
are told W. have position equivalent
to that of other citizens; and yet We are
so deficient that We cannot fill the
points named. WhyY Because we
have been offered the privilege to learn
the arts Of self government. Inferior
because you have made US so by the
tyrannical oppression of slavery.


With Jefferson agree when he says;
with what execration should the
statesmen be loaded who permitting
one half of the citizens thus trampled
upon the rights of the other-transform
these into despOts and these into enc
mics. Indeed Itremble for my country
when reflect that God is just and
that his justice cannot sleep forever.
Nothing is more certainly written in
the book of fate than that these people
are to be free.


What stupendous, what an incom-
prehensible machine is man who can
endure pail, famine, stripes, imprison-
ment, and death itself in vindication Of
his own liberty, and the next moment
be deaf to all those motives whose pow
ers supported him through his trials
and inflict on his fellow man bondage
one hour Of which is fraught with more
misery than ages of that which rose in
rebellion to oppose. When the meas
ure of their tears shall be full, when
their groans shall have involved heav-
en itself in darkness, doubtless a God
will awaken to their distress and by
difusing light and liberality among
their oppressors, or at length by his
exterminating thunder manifest his at
tention to things of this world and that
they are not left to blind fatality"


Then you who look upon us as not
your equal 60 mutter your sibberish
and blasphemies in the face Of God for
having made us. Go mutter your curses
end gibbsrish in the face ofJesus Christ
who died to save all mankind. Tell
me not of it, Carry your dislikes where
they belong and not to us. .


have .lluded to refined prejudice
which turks in the breast Of our breth-
ern against us. 1t is based upon the
ground of caste !; q very frivolous posi-