American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-02-15


never to know the benefit of the common
school. just released from a worse than
Egyptian bondage, to make him Colon
ist, without the implements of colonial
ton or fostering care ON the part OF the
mother country. To any such illogical
and unjust treatment of the negro, itneed
not be said that the people OF Massachu-
setts will never consent. Our mdterdt
interests, the Interests Of the country Qp-
pose il. For two hundred and ffty years
at least we have been importing the Ia
borer. because we needed labor in this
country. The necessity for labor here
has caused it to be imported, even to be
empl yed in the wasteful habits of Sla-
very. Shall we now, that four millions
eff strong hands and willing hearts are
made free laborers, productive and profit
able. take them from the lands which
they have titled? From the homes which
they have reared? From their hearth
stones. as dear to them as our rOOf-tree is
to us, and send them away to some for
eign land. or shut them up in some corner
of this. where their labor, if not wholly
unproduetiye and lost, must be unprofta-
bic? Orr sense Of justice denies it
They have taken up arms freely and will
in2ly in our deienie, and we have given
them their freedom and rights as citizens.
What just freedom is it tothem to be pen
ned in a corner, or to be shut up in rice
swamp and not be allowed to see the faces
Of their follow citizens. except it may be
Of soldier sent as their guard? What
true citizenship is it, to be deprived OF
their equal rights, in the land their arms
have helped to save fromthe iie'y furnace
Of Rebellion, and 70 be put upon such
portions Of it only as are not thought to
be well habitabIo by their white fellow
soldiers? What fair division can it be Of
the heritage acquired in part by their
blood. to Liye their white fellow soldier
one hundred and sixty acres Of laud, to
to be located where he chooses" The fl
nest the sun e'er shone upon '-tohim and
his hei.s forever, while to the colorel sol
der, SCARED perhaps with honorable
wounds. but forty acres # arice-swamp IS
to be allotted, or eight hundred ieet front
Of marsh an sluggish river, aud that
posscssory title only And yet the dis
tneuiyhel General who makes this prop,
ostion says the young and able-bodied
negroes are he encouraged to contribute
their share toward maintaining their own
freedom aud securing. their rights as cit
i2ens Of the United States" Whot en-
couragemcnt to enlist is this? What
freedom? What rightsof citizenship for
which to shed ones, even if it is only
black blood ? What wise craftsmanship
ever vet founded Il colony from which the
young and able-bodied men were taken as
soldiers? Where the blacksmiths, car
penters. and the skilled mechanics were
taken from tie settlement; and where
the respectable heads of families had no
inducements held out to them for leaving
the homes Of their childhood and max
inc new homes in the Wilderness, save a
possessory title on y TO forty acres OF land
not too much out Of water? Under such
inducements, under such pup!lase, with
such restrictions, and with such hopes,
even our hardy Anglo-Saxon fathers, who
landed at Plymouth, would not have thriv-
en-. How much less, then, is the negro,
by our wrongs untaught, uncutlvated and
without the habit OF seli-dependeuce, fit
ted thus to take care of himself? The
prcccpts of our hoy religion Jor6id it.
Every benevolent christian in the land has
contributed his mite to send the sef-sac-
rifcing missionary to redeem the Pagan
from darkpess, and yet here it is proposed
to erect a hedtheaage upon our own soil,
into which nc Christian minister or Sab
bath school teacher, upon their high and
holy mission, shall penetrate, if it is their
good fortune to have white face. re-
peat again Massachusetts, as undtteroJy
oPposedto any proposition cf colonization
or segregation Of the american citizens,
made so by his amendment Of the Con-
stitutioa. No! We propose, on the 9TH
er hapd, simply to let the negro alone /;
that he shall, in fact, enjoy the right Of
selecting his place of labor, the person
for whom he will labor, if not for him
self; to make his own contract for his la
Dor; to determine its length and its val
ue to allow him at least the enjoyment
Of the primordial curse, BY the sEeat of
thy face shalt thou eat bread = restrained
only by the laws applying to him, and to
all alike; as the rain falleth upon the just
/ l.l.. Il A.