Title: The Negro and American Liberty
Author: Moore, John W. (John Wheeler)
Language: English
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                               THE NEGRO
                         AND AMERICAN LIBERTY.

                                 1895:
                    PUBLISHED BY PROF. JOHN MOORE,
                             BOSTON, MASS.



[Illustration: CRISPUS ATTUCKS. (From the “Bostonian.”)]



                           B. WILKINS & CO.,
                               PRINTERS,
                        93 FEDERAL ST., BOSTON.



WHAT THE NEGRO HAS DONE FOR LIBERTY IN AMERICA.

BY PROF. JOHN MOORE.


It seems like a paradox to speak of the Negro as efficiently related
to the cause of freedom in America. He was brought here and forced
into slavery, in which condition he was held most of the time since
the country was settled. He was treated not as a human being, but as
property to be used only for the advantage of his oppressors. Some
became free, but North as well as South, they were largely shut out
from the opportunities for industry and general improvement of their
condition. They were under a social ban and not recognized as equal to
their fellowmen of a different complexion. After suffering from such
treatment for generations it could hardly be expected that Negroes
would feel much enthusiasm in the cause of popular liberty on account
of the wrongs they suffered, and the seeming hopelessness of ever
getting their rights.

But notwithstanding this the colored man displayed an intense love of
freedom, and a willingness to fight and make sacrifice for the common
cause of human liberty, even when his own prospect of sharing in it,
was not promising. White men, generally assuming that they had the
special right to the monopoly of that blessing.

In this the Negro showed a magnanimity and noble manhood, never
surpassed by those of any other race. The time is coming when due
justice will be done to our African brothers by the patriotic
historian, which has not yet been accorded.

It would require volumes to record what the colored man has done for
the cause of liberty in this country. A presentation of a few of the
facts cannot but tend to fire our patriotism as well as revive in our
memories the important part our colored country-men have acted in
achieving the liberties we now enjoy.

In 1770 an important event took place in Boston. There was a massacre
on King Street now called State. Several men were shot by British
soldiers. The most conspicuous figure there was Crispus Attucks,
a Negro, who lost his life. Years before he had been a slave in
Framingham and escaped from his master. Several advertisements were
published in the _Boston Gazette_, with ample rewards for his capture;
but he was not seized. Twenty years after he came to Boston. When
the British soldiers were insulting and oppressing the true American
patriots, Attucks appeared as the leader to the first resistance to
their tyranny. On March 5th, 1770, Attucks as the leader shouted: “The
way to get rid of these soldiers is to attack the main guard; strike
at the root, there is the nest.” When the British soldiers fired,
Attucks was the first to fall. The body of this hero with that of
another who fell, lay in Fanueil Hall, while others were buried from
their homes. The funeral was said to have been the largest ever known
in this country. Daniel Webster said: “From that moment we may date the
severance of the British Empire.”

At the battle of Bunker Hill, Major Pitcairn was killed, which proved
to be a serious loss to the British. It was he who was the chief
commander of the forces that went out to Lexington and Concord at the
time of the famous fight there. He fell at the hands of private Peter
Salem of Colonel Nixon’s regiment of the Continental Army. This Negro
soldier’s claim to this honor could not be disputed. There was another
Negro soldier who distinguished himself, Salem Poor, and displayed such
valor that fourteen American officers called the attention of Congress
to his merits. The memorial was dated at Cambridge, December 5, 1775,
and stated “that under our own observation, we declare that a Negro man
called Salem Poor, of Colonel Frye’s regiment, Captain Ames’ company,
in the late battle at Charlestown behaved like an experienced officer
as well as an excellent soldier. To set forth the particulars of his
conduct would be tedious. We would only beg leave to say, in the person
of this said Negro, centres a brave and gallant soldier. The reward due
to so great and distinguished a character we submit to the Congress.”

The army organized at Cambridge under General Washington, had from
the start colored men in it. The historian Bancroft states that free
Negroes stood in the ranks by the side of white men. All through the
Revolution the colored man performed a very important part, for which
very little credit has ever been given him.

At the battle of Long Island in 1776, Negroes fought bravely, and
many fell. Theodore Parker, once in alluding to the discovery of the
remains of these, remarked: “Now after seventy-five years have passed
by, the bones of the forgotten victims of the Revolution are shovelled
up by Irish laborers, carted off, and shot into the sea, as rubbish
of the town. Had they been white men’s relics, how they would have
been honored with sumptuous burial anew, and the purchased prayers and
preaching of Christian divines! Now they are the rubbish of the street.”

In the war of 1812, the Negro performed heroic service on land and on
the water. Commodore Perry said that Negroes in the navy seemed to
be absolutely insensible to danger. General Jackson gave them great
credit for their efficient services. He solicited and welcomed them
into the service of their country. In September, 1814, he issued a
proclamation, which contained the words: “As sons of freedom, you are
now called upon to defend our most inestimable blessing. As Americans
your country looks with confidence to her adopted children for a
valorous support.”

In the war of the Rebellion the colored man performed a very prominent
and heroic part. This furnished on a large scale an opportunity to show
his loyalty and courage, and he met the highest expectations which had
been cherished by his friends.

For two years the war had been carried on by the North on the principle
of saving the Union without interfering with slavery, which was really
at the bottom of the whole trouble. While that policy was pursued the
prospect of success seemed dark. Slaves in several cases ran away and
came into the Union forces for protection, but in several instances
were sent back. General Butler after awhile declared that kind of
property to be contraband of war. After that the rebels did not have
many of the “contrabands” forced back by our soldiers. After the
proclamation of emancipation was issued, victory seemed to turn on the
side of the Union forces, and defeat on the other side. That step for
the freedom of 4,000,000 of slaves, was announced as an act of justice
and a military necessity.

On the side of the North, negroes for a considerable time had not been
allowed to use a shovel or shoulder a musket in behalf of the cause
of freedom. Some predicted that if so allowed they would not begin to
compare in efficiency with the white man. The experiment proved a grand
success.

One of the most joyous days of my life, was that in which the first
Negro regiment marched through the streets of Boston, after having been
reviewed on the Common. That was the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth, which
made such a noble record afterwards. This was in May, 1863. Four flags
were presented to it, one by young colored ladies of Boston; a national
ensign presented by a society of colored ladies; another by ladies and
gentlemen friends of the regiment; and another flag by relatives of the
late Lieut. Putnam. One of the emblematic banners had inscribed on it:
“Liberty, Loyalty and Unity.” This regiment did noble service for their
country. General Strong said of the Negro troops that charged on Fort
Wagner: “The Fifty-fourth did well and nobly, only the fall of Colonel
Shaw prevented them from entering the fort. They moved up as gallantly
as any troops could, and with their enthusiasm they deserve a better
fate.”

Generally the Negro troops acquitted themselves most creditably as
soldiers. Stanton, Secretary of War, said of them at Petersburg: “The
hardest fighting was done by the black troops. The parts they stormed
were the worst of all. After the affair was over, Gen. Smith went to
thank them, and tell them he was proud of their courage and dash. He
says they cannot be exceeded as soldiers.”

There were in all 178,975 Negro soldiers in the United States
Volunteers, and of these 38,847 were killed, wounded and missing.
They took part in 449 battles. Besides the large military force there
were 150,000 Negro laborers in other departments. When Cincinnati
was threatened with an invasion, 706 colored citizens volunteered
to construct military roads and fortifications, and were known as
“The Black Brigade of Cincinnati.” Many of the members afterwards
entered military service. Had I space I might speak of the brilliant
achievements of Robert Small and others on the sea. Of William Tillman
the _New York Tribune_ said: “To this colored man was the nation
indebted for the first vindication of its honor on the sea.”

The Negro has two elements in his nature which render him specially
susceptible to civilization and patriotism, namely, the religious
sentiment and music. Without these there cannot be an exalted
patriotism. During the Rebellion the colored people of the South had
as by a sort of inspiration an impression that they were going to be
freed. They sang and prayed with that idea before them. They believed
that “Father Linkum” was to be their Moses, and they would soon be set
at liberty. Under the influence of this they were patient and hopeful.
They prayed for the success of the Northern army, and their songs were
inspired by the love and hope of freedom.

I will conclude by mentioning an incident which occurred on old Fort
Plantation, Port Royal. There was a grove there of live oaks, in one
of which was a seat, on which a Boston minister had sat while writing
a book on the beauties of slavery, called the “South-side View.” On
the first day of January, 1863, the commanding officer of the Union
forces appointed a meeting in that grove, at which the declaration
of emancipation would be read. There was quite a program marked out,
but which was somewhat interrupted by a remarkable incident. When the
proclamation was read, the many Negroes present suddenly broke out
singing the national hymn: “My country ’tis of thee; Sweet land of
liberty.” That hymn they never could sing before, and now that they
were free they sang it with swelling hearts; but how they learned it
was unknown. Their hearts thrilled with joy at the thought of being
free, and rose in gratitude to God.



Transcriber's Note:

Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as
possible.

Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.

On page 7, in “the religious sentiment”, “religious” is a correction
of “religous”.



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