Mr. GRINNELL. Mr. Speaker, I most confidermniiciphted that the Gentfrom NewYork, Mr. CHAXLER] who was so much in fear of a raft, who Was so violently opposed to its execution for the puttin doun of the rebellion, would appear here to ay with his heart swelling with gratitude to the 200,000 black soldiers who went forth to light in the place of himself and others who entertained similar feelings. I am sadl mistaken in the gentleman. So far from this, he proceeds to say that they are, now, as a class, dependent as when they were brought from their native wilds in Africa. Sir, I believe ifthe gentleman were master of all languages, if he were to attempt to int into a sentence the quintessence, t ie liig wines, and sublimation of an untruth, he could not have more concentiated his language into a libel. What is the fact, sir? It is perfectly notorious that these 4 million slaves have not only taken care of themselves amid all theingenious impediments which tyrants could impose, but they have borne upon their stalwart shoulders their masters, millions of people, fora century. Why, sir, it seemed as impossible for a man to swim the Atlantic with cunt Atlas upon his back, or make harmonious base to the thunders of heaven. But these men have achieved the Worlds wondercuming out from the tortures I., c l 22? of slavery, fromtbe prisonhouse, untainted with dishonor or crime; and out of the war free, noble, brave, and more worthy of their friends, always true to ibeflag. Mr. Speaker, I happened to have knowledge of the gentlemans own district in the city of NewYork, and I can hardly forbear saying, as he has drawn the comparison, that 100s of times there, while a resident of the city, I have been, with a brogue, asked for alms; while in this District, during my years ofresidence here, I was never accosted by a negro who presented himself as a beggar; and I can but say that the gentlemans statement is a libel upon a race which has established its manhood by fighting our battles. Mr. Speaker, it was in fable that a man pointed alionto the picture which represented the king of the forest prostrate, with a mans foot on his neck and asked what he thought of that. The reply was, ”lions have no painters.” For days the unblushing apostles of sham Democ racy have in this House drawn pictures of the ignorance and degradation of the people of color in the DistCol. Had the subjects of their wanton defamation had a Representative here there would have been a different coloring to the picture, and I would gladly leave their defense to the Representatives of classes who have by 100s darkened these allcries with their sable countenances, waiting for days to hear the decisive vote which an nounces that their freedom is nuts mockery. Who are they to whom this bill proposes to give suffrage? They are 20,000 people, owning 21 churches, maintaining 33 schools, and paying taxes on more than one and a nutter million dollars worth of real property. 30%. of their number were slaves; but the census does not show that there is a Democratic congressional district in the Union where a larger proportion of its population are found attendantat the churches or in the schools. They did not follow the example of their pale faced neighbors, to the number of 1,000s crossing the line to join in the rebellion; but 3000 and more of their number went into the Union Army, nearly 1000 of whom, as soldiers, fell by disease and battle in the room of those who wept on northern soil for rebel defeats, and now decry the manhood and withhold just rights from our true national defenders. lhis country, with the best Government on earth, which should be the freest from partiality, stands alone by an undemocratic and unjust discrimination based on color. The days of national Democracy being numbered, the southern half having gone otf as traitors, it is left for the remnant to establish the new order which will be known as the Cuticle Democ racy: and the latest and freshest champion of the faith here is the Gentfrom Pennsylvania, Mr. BOYER] who says “that as a race they did far more to sustain the rebellion than to suppress it.” I pronounce it a libel. What is the)asis of his assertion? On what battle field was the colored man found confronting the Union Army? In what report of a rebel Military general does he find amention of his prow ess? Did they dare arm their slaves? No. It was too well known that they would come to our ranksin regiments;and it was the comlaint of one of their generals that 1,000s of their troops were required to push their slaves into 1 the interior, as a contact with our soldiers was utterly destructive of their cause. If they raised food, it was under the lash, or to satisfy hunger. In the South they were our friends. In the language of an otheial dispatch of Secretary Sewart to Minister Adams, “Everywhere the American general receives his most useful and reliable information from the negro, who hails his coming as the harbinger of freedom.” Not one, but many, ofourgenerals have proclaimed that the negro has gained by the bayonet the ballot. Admiral Du Pont mademention of the negro pilot. Small, who brought ontthe steamer Planter, mounting a rifled and siege gun, from Charleston as a prize to us under the very guns of the enemy. He brought us the 1st trophy from Fort Sumter, and information more valu able than the prize. The celebrated char o of the negro brigade at the conflict at Port ndson has passed into history, and the testimony of Major General I Banks is the most emphatic commendation. I could read numerous military dispatches of the same import. I hold in my hand the speech of one Thomas Lloyd, president of the board of aldermen of this cit, and since he has favored me with this copy, will give it a passing notice. It is pref aced by a resolution that “ the secretary be authorized to have 500 copies printed for the use of the board, the expense thereof to be aid out of the contingent fund of the board. This speech is an unfair and untrue rere sentation of the condition of the people of ea or, such as could not be made by asaveowner and but for the official position of the author I should regarditas the famination of a “snob.” It must be paid for in part by those ybo are held up to derision and are taxed against their will. What can be more infamous than this resolution, asking the unrepresented to payfor the weapons used for their oppression? It is only equaled by the decision of Judge Lynch, that the culprit shall furnish rope and gallows fees in advance of the execution; and hardly surpassed by that feature in the Jewish crucifixion, where the martyred Son of God was compelled to bear up the mount unto faintin the cross to which he was nailed. The speec asserts “that the people of color have been granted every right and privilege with reference to the enjoyment of property and thexar rying on of business.” protectionl This is a city of hackmen of both colors, as it is of distances; but can you at the most profitable hours for business, after nightfall, find a colored hack man near the hotels waiting for employrnent? N o, white vagabonds who vote won deut their harness and main: their horses, driving out the poor colored man, that the gentleman wanting a hack may be corndpelled to pay dollars for an hours service; an this is protectionl These people are further described as lazy, thieving, vagrants, and a curse to societ. Yet the city orator loves this people, and on y fears that if granted suffrage they will be driven out like the Indians but I must leave this satellite, sure that at no distant day some colored man will unmask his defamer rectus amis. That the are an inferior race was the argument for their enslavement, and is still employed for their political degradation. If true, we can no more deny them their position as members of the human family than we can deny it to children who do not exhibit the aver agemental and physical capacity. Their very weakness awakens our sympathy, and rompts us to desire that new hopes may be kindled, and there be a testing of the power of self reliance. But there were 12 of the 13 States before slavery had debauched the nation that made nomention of this inferiorit. Go back to1789. There was Tohn Ja of NewYork, Benjamin hhanklin of Pennsy vania, and Witherspoon of NewJersey, who adI vocated the rights of man, and had no fears of negro equality. 2 generations pass away, an, shades of the departed! we are refreshed with the lo ic and patriotism of the gentlemen from NewJersey, [Mr. Roosus] from Pennsylvania, [Mr. Borun] and from NewYork, [Mr. Comma] What an obscuration of the great Chief Justice Jay, of Witherspoon, the patriot and divine, and Franklin, the philosopher of both hemispheresl What convincing roof of the worlds advance and the perfecti liility of the human racel Sir, these modems shall not deter me from adducing the testimony of Jefferson to the talents of the negro Banneker, whom he invited to visit him at his residence at Monticello; nor that of Dr. Rush, who says of Dr. Derham, a negro, “I found him very learned. I thought I could give him information concerning the treatment of diseases, but I learned more from him than he could exrect from me.” Edward Everett, as ate as 1853, testified that a negro youth at Cambridge surpassed as a scholar 2 youths from Geor in and his own son in the same class, and dec ared “that the aptitude of the colored race for every kind of intellectual culture was unquestioned.” Blu menbach allirms of the negro, there is no sav age people who have distinguished themselves by such examples of perfectibility and capacity for scientific cultivation. There are living illustrations of slaves or the sons of slaves, despite prejudice and disability here, having risen to the hivhest respectability in the professions. Give them time and opportunity, and rememberthat the ancestors of the Germans were once barbarians, that Druidism was once the religion of the Britons. before you decry the negro, remember that your Saxon blood was once enslaved by the Ro mans, and that not many centuries since your fathers were bought and sold with the soil like the brutes. The State of Iowa has been used in this debate as an illustration against negro suffrage. It is true that in the dark night of years agone the proud State of my adoption was afflicted with negropbobiu, but in the last made Union plat form the equality of all men before the law was asserted, and Governor Stone, who indorsed the platform and took the stump in behalf of negro suff e, was elected over a Union officer and apro essed Republican by a majority of 16,000 votes. Forget her fall and follow in her reformation. The position of the colored people there reflects lastin honor on their loyalty, and our brave white soldiers would not have me withhold the facts. In the State there were between 900 and 1,000 people of their class subjectto military duty. f at number more than 700 entered the Army. They at to blush the patriotism of the donnnantraccinall Demoeratic districts. 7 10ths of aclass, without the inducement of commissions as lieutenants, captains, coldnels, commissaries, or quartermasters, braving the hate and vengeance of rebels, rushing into the deadly imminent breach in the darkest hour of our strugglel Where is the parallel to this? They had no flag; it was a mockery. There was no pledge of political franchise. Does history cite us to a country where so large a%. of the population went forth for the national defense? twas not under the Czesars; and Harold, in the defense of Britain, left behind him a larger%. of the stalwart and thestrong. They were more eager to maintain the national honor than the zealots to rescue Jerusalem from the prof anatioh of infidels. Not Frank or Hu nor Huguenot or Roundhead, ormountaineer, ungartan, or Pole, exceeded their sacrifices made when tardily accepted and this is the race now asking our favor. Those who fought and who pay taxes may be one halftho adult male population of this is trict. Grant that the other halfare ignorant, are they not as safe as the whites in sympathy with rebels? 1,000s went South as ogioers, soldiers, and spies from this District. Here it was that a hotheaded traitor gathered his inspiration and found accomplices to murder our president. Loyalty here! I have heard scores for cars venttheirsympathy with rebels; and noth in but cowardice prevented them entering the rebel ranks. No, I will never prefer a white traitor to a loyalist black. Mr. Speaker, it will be one of the most joy ful occasions of my life to give expression to my ratitude by voting a ballot to those who ewe us so little, yet have aided usso faithfuliy and well. M conscience aproves it as a hu mane act to the millions who or centuries have groaned under a terrible realization that on the side of the oppressqr there is power. At my western prairie home for years sheltered the fleeing bondmen when a price was Bel o" my cad. Y Human ends have there, "} “mbuSlb sought my life since a member of this HouSe but I forget all the obloquy and perils of the past, flushed with the hope that we can, by our example, confer substantial blessings on the millions of poor asking forpolitical rights, natures boon to man. As an act of justice I know it will meet the approbation of all true patriots who have not decried the arming of the neiroes and the emancipation proclamation. Vt 1th them dwell the moral forces which sustained the war, imparting the martyrspirit to the 100s of 1,000s of the slain, and to those whose prayers gave us the favor of the God of battles. For the disfranchised millions to be skilled in the use of the ballot it shall be mighty as the sword of Achilles for protection, a leasing souvenir, sup lanting in memory the history of their tria s and wrongs, written in tears and blood. We inaugurate the policy of statesmen. edmund Burke said for the world, “Justice is it self the great standing policy of civil society, and any eminent departure from it, under any circumstances, lies under the suspicion of being no policy at all.” Jefferson, c apostle of Democracy, counsels you called statesmen, who have gone after strange gods, and stand shivering in shameful and political wickedness, ” Let every man who fights or pays exercise his just and equalright in the election.” The late martyred resident, who sounded forth the trumpet call, and never beat a retreat, meditated the joint gift of the ballot to the loyal, and am nesty to the deluded rebels; and AndrewJohnson, who gave the fatal blow to the Cuticle democracy by adenialthatthiswas “uwhite mans Government, ” has promised to be their Moses. For his kindest words ever spoken to the negro in presidential message I thank him, and proffer my humble assistance, that when he reaches his Canaan he may have a ballot as well as a bayonet for the de ense of his company against the Pharaohs of the land. But I take no refuge under the names of the living and were the testimony of the fathers doubtful, I would turn to the reccpts of the golden rule as the only safe gni e for the states man, with one answer to him who or cs his policy in place of justicc“ Get thee behind me, atan;” and ifI am to minister to the prejudices of a constituency rather than heed the voice of the Eternal, my answer is “I would rather be a dog and bay the moon an such a Roman.” My purpose is not to leave that heritage of shame to my children, that I forgot those whose blood fed our rivers and crimsoned the sea, and left them outcasts in the “land of the free, pre ferrin white treason to sable lo lt. I rather vote eath the penalty for the o ie traitor, all honor and reward for our soldicry, and a bal lot. safety, and justice for the poor. d Mr. KASSON obtained the floor, but yield o to