Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-08-16
FNRoIIM1aSFs 81 fsail:sE.TEaHors. !. !, !

forsthet snfolbns q fsssa negroes,
'Before introdue6a. was taken up9 -,
> Mr." BnooKE.-op the, day.f left home, had
aeenSersation with the quar.ermastet n rela-
strong desireahat such an ordinance hs I fipd
before the Convention shopld be passed. 1
know the, fact to my knowledge, IN hich was
hood ofsBi nassas Junetion snd iu the soun-
tiesaround that point; there are large NUMBER
Of able bodisd free negroes who are espnbls Of
rendering efficient service as teamats5 but all |
efforts made in that section 10 engagetheirsli
upasailing. From some cause, they SbsvSI
shown great indisposifion sto engage iti that /
service, thouehspay'ha been offsrsd them as
fully as "codld reasonably bs EXPECTED It
desir redsoBject.. It wilt bring into the servida
Of the State large andyaluable acquisition IN
Ifnd Here that the provision is that they
should got be detained fora longer period thaif
out and ninety inserted in it's stead. $ sci
Mr.. CHAMBLrss-1 would suggest that sixty
days will be long enough.
Mr.. BaooKE-T accept the amepdment.
., The amendment was then adopted, and the
3ssss sf M the Of the
The above, Messrs: Editors,; d, taken ,from,|
the Richmond EnSuiisr Of tie .Tih, and We esI|
would ask, HwhyseApnot soms Suse be made of
the free negrges ia Spr State duting the present
crisis. If not in time 81 psessa There are about
40. 900 free blacks in this State. Out OF this
number fGdE or Eve shundred might be employ.
ed d-usefully ine some way by thsRauthoritjes.
thus proving an sdvantage to the State and
iipproginga their own condition. 1nei1dingt
womenInnds bofs& more than fthousand Sc
these people might be employed in the, service
of the State eIther'in attending our army in
Virginia as cooks. wagoners, or washers, or in
throwihg.uP, defences on our own coasts We
|thsvsthpusabds Of rich men and pdof men. in
Virginia whes are digging and ;lffting, heavy,
timbers, forming breastworks to. resist sthe
progress Of the invaders. and II .ouEsovn State
should be invaded. our boys, and old men may
be called to the coast to dig and wheel dirt
aud rocks, to lift heavy logs: and asdndbssgss To-
Protect themselves, their oRn fresides and the
fresides Of the free negroes against Invasion
IT, So why should not the free blacks be called
| On to bear hand in this workt Why not
give them "a "place in the picture" and make
them feel that+they are Of some use to the
stats2 Why should they be exempt while
white;men who cannot afford TO be absent from
home, ateseslled away forsmonths to toll and
lssweat, TO be szposed to burning sun by day,
Eto drenching. rain. to dews and frosts by night,
aud ere: lougato the sleet and snow and storms
Of Northernswfnter, subsisting good 'Pssfrt
fof the sms,onsptor scanty fare, anda exposed
to the deadlytaim Of an insulting foe or amid
chains and hand-cuffs 10 gloomy dungeonsg
FWhy should the white pen be thus exposed to
defend their homes and their families blacks
END white. while the free blacks are allowsds8 8
Stand atoof and take,no part on t6eworkg II
|our free eolofed peoplezhave home it is in this
|statssand. .they should asbrreguired to do.,omee
foE t6e dsfsnse of their homes as wei. as.
jstHs people. Many of themssnsed employs
;@sI, AMI sthey need some one to control their
fqs6oF: symight be paid seven. eight or ten
do1hrs. per Haonth, figure lower.than men can
Afford 6.lis4t ifsitsservsnts.to throw up en-
.trs6shmsStb :
ssIE &c wefs nseesssry or proper at this time f.
might show that, oursfree ,colored popi,iatioaS
could be made an "arm of the. State, "l-cda,ld
.besepploXad:n as tanners. stone sand brick ma.
sons &eJs&e., and thusprove a'bene6t tosthe
State andte shsnselves. 9 Of this At another
time. At7present. .it seems to Us that thpy
should have something to do in che :Pfssent
struggle. Hwould make them; sSfee sapd sbss-
ter eitizens.tp feel. and hayssil zsy that
theys6elped.to ro,.t the Yankees, s4he
Yankeesshou subjugate tie sonth IT, Nee
negross will fare but n,;ddling at'tfsir hands.