Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-11-06
MEETING OF TENNESSEE COLOR
Ed MEN; WHAT THEY THINK
nEs THE "a Afl

The Chicago Tribune contains Il
report of a large meeting Of the col
orcd residents of Nashville, which
was held on the 30th ult., for the
purpose of enlsting troops for the
United States service. 1t was
called and conducted exclusively
by colored people. A full corps
of officers were elccted--a Presl-
dent, Vice President George
Washington, by the way,) Secre-
tary, and foar Assistant Secretaries.
After the reading oFthe Scriptures
and singing a hymn, fervent, 10y
al prayer was offered, and then the
President of the meeting arose to
say few words full OF earnestness
and vigor:
1.-TWO paths presel 1T themselves
for the choice of us and our race.
To continue ground down in abject
Slavery, to live, and our children
after us to live in chains and con-
tempt; or to rise up in our might to
assert our manhood and win our
freedom from bondage Now is
the time to decide. Choose We
this night whom We will serve.
Shall we look on and see the North
conquered, and have tie old dv-
nasty of rebel rule placed over us
again? Ny friends, | have made
up my mind to one thing--that III
not stay here to see it." Applause. ]
Another speaker said:
1--WE must shoulder arms. Every
ore of US knows Il at Slavery has
caused this war; slaves have been
the pillars of it, and it is for us to
rise and crush it. Here and now
resolve what We will henceforth
and forever behaves or freemcn.
''Then let every able bodied de-
scendant Of AIric. rally to arms.
Tor arms alone can achieve our
rights. God will rule over our
destinips. He will guide Us, for
He is he friend of the oppressed
and down-trodden. The God OF
Battles will watch over Us and
lead us. We have nothing to lose,
bn; everything to gain [ Applause. ]
Then why not enter upon the work
with holy zeal and throw ourselves
with might AID main into the
breach? The decision of the great
questions OF Il G day rests with Us.
Pens nor tongue can speak their
magnitude and Importance to us
and to the world. Life or death is
before us. Then let US leap into
the breach AID show the world
we are not dead, bot living. Sla-
very can never be what it has been,
but let us not sit supIncly by, but
rather take a share in the great
events transpiring. Let us make a
name for ourselves and race bright
as the noon-dAv sun Let US show,
as Greece has done, people
bursting their i,ond< and raIlying
for freedom. Applause. To do
this, aud to maintain in the future
our liberties when won, we must
learn TO use arms; we must be a
fighting people. Present to the
world the picture cf true manhood.
show yourselves lion-heaitcd; be
not afraid to die Cheering and
applause.
Jerry Sullivan, another colored
man, said: God is in this war.
He Will lead Us on to victory.
Felix's talk about the fighting being
nearly over; nut | believe there is a
heap vet to come. Let the colored
men accept The offer OF The Fresi
dent and Cabinet, take arms, Join
the army, and then we will whip
the rebels. even if LongStreet and
all the other Streets Of the South,
concentrate at Chattanooga
Laughter and applause. Why,
don't YOU remember how afraid
they used to be that we would rise?
And YOU know we would, too, il
we could. TCries OF That's so.'
ran away two years ago. Cover
nor Harris said to me, GERRY, YOU
must 90 with the army to black
shoes and wait on the officers, and
YOU must start tomorrow morning.
He said ! might see mv wife and
family that night Where Do you
suppose | was next dav? Why |
was in kentucky; laughter and the
next day got to Cincinnati, and
from there | went straight 10 Gen.
Rosecrans' headquarters. AID now
am going to be Corporal! [Shouts
OF laughter.
"Come, boys, let's get some guns
from Uncle Sam, and 90 coon
hunting-s shooting these greY-back
coons that 60 poking about the
country nowadays. Laughter.
Tomorrow morning, don't eat too
much breakfast. but as soon as YOU
get back from market, start the first
thing tor our camp. Don't ask
your wife. for. if she is a wife worth
having, she will call YOU a coward