Our fathers solemnly announced the Equal Rights of all men, and that government had no just foundation except in the consent of the governed; and to the support of the Declaration heralding these self-evident truths they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Looking at this Declaration now, it is chiefly memorable for the promises it made. Mighty words! Fit utterance for the infant giant then born! Fit device for the great Republic taking its place in the family of kings! Fit lesson for mankind! And now the moment has come when these vows must be fulfilled to the letter. In securing the Equal Rights of the freedman, and his participation in the Government which he is taxed to support, we shall perform the early promises of the Fathers, and at the same time supplementary promises only recently made to the freedman as the condition of alliance and aid against the Rebellion. Failure here is moral and political bankruptcy. It is repudiation of moral and political duties, ending in repudiation of the financial obligations. So are duties to the national freedman linked with obligations to the national creditor, that you cannot repudiate the former without impairing the latter. Whoever disowns any of the promises of the Republic leads the way in repudiation. But you cannot be thus guilty. Even if indifferent to the vows of the Fathers, necessity, in harmony with the plain injunction of the Constitution, will constrain you. On this there can be no doubt. You must perform these promises; and this brings me to the overruling necessity of the times. I. Necessity is a peremptory instructor. It gives the law which no man can disregard. It will not hearken to apology or postponement. With a voice of command it insists that its behests shall be obeyed. And now this very necessity speaks with familiar tones. Twice already, since Rebel Slavery rose against the Republic, it has spoken, insisting, first, that the slaves should be declared free, and, secondly, that muskets should be put into their hands for the common defence. Yielding to necessity, these two things were done. Reason, humanity, justice were powerless; but necessity was irresistible. And the result testifies how wisely the Republic acted. Without Emancipation, followed by arming the slaves, Rebel Slavery would not have been overcome. With these, victory was easy. At last the same necessity, which insisted first upon Emancipation and then upon arming the slaves, insists with the same unanswerable force upon admission of the freedman to complete equality before the law, so that there shall be no ban of color in court-room or at the ballot-box, and government shall be fixed on its only rightful foundation, the consent of the governed. Reason, humanity, and justice, all of which are clear for the admission of the freedman, may fail to move you; but you must yield to necessity, now requiring these promises to be performed.