Year: 1871




of the late war. And [ remember thos
. faces, black and white, with unspeakabl


pleasure. For three days Of weary debat
they sat there-the Simeons of complet
E and entire ipation-awaiting the ful
tillment Of that promise which the Repub
lican party had made, and which was to b
tested as pledge of the past and an ear
nest Of the future. How can | forge


them Each day before the session of tn


Senate and after its adjournment, the,


sought me, and cheered and comforted m


with kindly words, which still ring in M
ears and, if ever a coored man had rea
son to be proud of his friends, | had
Lawyers and clergymen, merchants anC
artists, who eschewed politics, and sough
no place or preferment within the gift o
the Administration, | numbered among N,
daily counselors. These things, in connec
tion with the friendship and advice of Re
publican senators, all Of whom showed me
unmerited respect and confidence, stood in
juxtapOsition with the unkind allusions ot
some, and the fierce and disdainful lookl
Of others, who occupied places in the gal
leries, and hoped against hope for the re-
lection Of colored man from the Senate
Chamber. At length the last cartridge OF
friend and foe was fired, and the tedious
contest ended and colored man, leaning
on the arm of a brave old friend, Henry
I Wilson, took the oath cf ofice and a seat
in the highest hall of legislation The
drama of emancipation was complete and
despite the representations of many, who
had no faith in the sincerity Of Republican
leaders, the plighted vows of the Repub-
lican party for equal rights were redeemed,
and the manhood of the African ackno WI
edged in the American Republic


"Hasten the day, just Heaven,


Accomplish thy design;


And let the blessings thou hast freely given


Freely on all men shine;


Till equal rights be equally enjoyed


And human power for human good employed.


Til law, and not the sovereign, rule sustain


And peace and virtue undisputed reign"


\ few moments after my admission into
the Senate that body adjourned, and host
Of friends surrounded me, conveying to me
their hearty congratulations and an earnest
GOd-speed In my new career. | was not
long in learning the general routine of
business and, while the many and various
calls upon my time and attention afforded
me but little opportunity to study parlia-
mentary usages, was still less inclined to
aspire to an accurate knowledge Of the
same, in view Of the brevity Of my official
term, and the very generous and always
courteous assistance which the amable
president Of the Senate was so considerate
as to bestOw upon me. To take in an in
telligent view Of legislative questions as a
whole, in connection with the interests Of
my own race and the state Of which | was
a representative, was about the hight Of
my ambition. And here | may remark
that at no period of my senatorial life have
| ever found the Vice President or Repub-
lican senators too busy to lend me all the
aid which my inexperience required. [
have been asked the question time after
time, by old friends Of my race. Of the
manner with which my peers and cabinet
officers and officials have exhibited toward
me; and my reply has always afforded
deep satisfaction to those who were deter
mined that | should receive what the posi-
ton, if not the man, was entitled to.
Among my earliest acquaintance was the
secretary of the treasury, whom | met OH
my first visit to the President. ! was pre-
pared to see in Mr.. Boutwell, the truth of
representations which friends had made Of
him, and in all my intercourse with him
he gave me his patient attention. | was
told at one period that it was useless for
me to seek a share Of the public patronage
in behalf Of my constituents that | would
simply be regarded as a colored man, who
could be turned away with promises which
were never intended to be fulfilled, and that
thus | would but waste time and energy in
fruitless endeavors. To the honor Of Mr..
Boutwell,, | am happy to be able now to
vindicate his name from this unjust asper-
sion and while | have asked but few ia
vOrs at his hands, they have been given
with a readiness which was as graceful in
the donor as it was gratifying to the re-
ceiver.


The admission Of my colleague, Gen.
Ames, took place some weeks after | had
taken my seat; /; and until l had his counsel
and cooperation | was unwilling to take
any part other than duty demanded in the
legislation before the Senate 1t was my
good fortune, too, to have in my coadjutor
50 thoughtful friend and so unsefsh an
adviser. He has proved to me and the con-
stituents which he represents in a thousand
ways the reality of his interest and the
purity Of his purpose; and he stands to-
day, in point Of integrity and honor, with
put a superior in the Senate Of the United
States. In these days, when public men
are assailed with temptations Of a sordid
character, it is no small merit to win a
'potless name among those who, to use the
orcible language of Mrs. Stowe, are the
very chastity of honor.


' IIis4hOnor-s linked


Unto his life lie that VIII seek the


Must venture for the other or lose both"


Ny position as a senator was sAz Qenerzs. !