On the record
They scrupulously reserved for your own decision, through your Congress or at the polls, the question of political status and civil rights for the inhabitants of your new possessions.
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Whitelaw Reid
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gutenberg.orgWhitelaw Reid: “They scrupulously reserved for your own decision, through your Congress or at the polls, the question of political…”
Editor's note · Context
Reid notes that the decision regarding the political status of new territories was reserved for Congress and the electorate, emphasizing democratic principles.
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More from Whitelaw Reid
They should persist in this claim respectfully, but firmly, taking care to bring no discredit upon it by their own action.
And it is both natural and right that colored Americans, entitled to the rights of citizens, should claim their exercise.
He who has that right will usually respect himself more, be more respected, perform more, and more productive work, and do more to increase the wealth and welfare of the community, than he who has it not.
In this way they will surely overcome unjust hostility, and convince even the most prejudiced that the denial to them of any right which citizens may properly exercise is equally unwise and wrong.