The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-06
MEETING OF THE FREEDMEN
IN EDGEFIELD.
Sly Thousand Presen
speech Of GeneraI risk aud Others.

Six Thousand Present.
speech OF General Fisk aud Others.
Yesterday was beautiful Autumn day,
well suited for sn occasion Ike the one that
trauspirsd IN the beautiful grove situsted
in, or near the center Of the beautiful. little
village Of Edgefeld.
In this retreat secure from the din and
hustle Of Nashville, six Thousand Freedmen
met for mutual counsel and an interchange
Of thought snd feeling to the anne
lioration and elevation Of the race 10 which
q ~ belong m
We Do hot promise 10 this complets re-
port Of the p -oceedings, as we were late in
striving at the stand Of the speakers. We
vii, however, attempt 20 give our readers a
faithful synopsis Of the leading features
ct it.
At about half past twelve O'Clock, the Rev
j. McEwing offered up a fervent prayer
invoking The blessing OF the Lord upon the
speakers and all present, and asking Him to
consesrate aud guide the alterations Of the
nesting 70 the end, that We may be free,
happy, and virtuous.
Big Geu. Fisk was introduced to the as
semBly and said; "Mr. President, friends
and tel 0w citizens-the year of jubilee has
come, and / suppose that you are all thsnk-
chains OF slavery in Tennessee is no longer
heard, the sh.cEies have been stricken from
your limbs, and you are free, - God intend
ed YOU 10 be. Il you fully realize the i'm
plrtsnce Of this blessing, you viii prove
that YOU are entitled 20 Il by your industry,
sob ietv, aud integrity, and If you discard
these duties, your freedom viii be q disgrace
60 YOU snd also a curse 10 the community in
which you reside. i would like 10 see the
co ored men and women not only useful, but
ornamental 20 society. You have many
preiudices 20 overcome. You can do it with
out my assistance, il you determine that you
will 10 Will be my pleasure 10 assist you at
auv time that il is consistent with my duty
as an officer OF this Government, of which
YOU are citizens, and | hope you have de-
iermined 20 be useful ones. ] stand here
today 70 see that you are not oppressed,
and also 10 see that goa discharge yOu1 dHty.
In this I am clothed With authority from
:he Government. Let the negroes do right,
aud no shite man OF woman shall or will
harm them.
We viii not stop TO discuss the propristy
of emancipation. You have got Il, a3d it
matters not bow il came. There are msny
who contend that the negro is naturally
lazy, idle ysgabond, a. general thing
Vicious IN the extreme and unit not 70 be
trusted IN sny capacity. The charge is too
Just, and al who are guilty should try 10
reform at once. You have enemies in both
sections Of this country, but you have as
many friends in the South as you have in
the North--perhaps more, and detire you
TO remain where you are. But when we as
sert the darkey is lazy, we do not prove that
oil the white men are entirely free from this
IN thst flesh Is heir TO. In passing down
Church street the other day | saw eight ne
groes and eleven white men, each with a
tan in their hands, keeping the flies of
bucket full Of molnsses and water, with a
small piece Of lemon peeling floating about
IN il-all trying 10 earn a respectable hveli-
hood by selling this yillainOus decoction 20
the thirsty passerby at Eve cents glass.
v hile ] regret this, / rejoice 70 think that
The negro has no. vet descended 10 the trat-
ic in whisky. I want you to 60 10 work
we will drag those lazy rascals TO the sur
lace, and make them work and earn all the
bread they eat. There is not an officer in
the country that il not authorized 20 assist
10 carrying out the proper thing with the
Freedmen'a Bureau and they will oAit
moth ng 90 make the colored men support
themselves and families.
The Legislature now in session at the
Marble Hail. in Nashville viii stand by
you and see that you have your rights, They
Will also Zee that you do not neglect your
y Z
icit the enjoyment Of many privileges which
you Otherwise may have. want 70 put the
ra'ored man IN the jury box aud on tue wit
ness stand. IL is true that they emulate the
white man by living when il suits them bat
az intelligent Jury and Court can discriniin-
ate and accept the evidence for all that Il is
worth in doubtful cases. The testimony of
many Of you would be truthfnlly and cen
scientiously given, and where a false state
,..rH asga rrfnHa urnu1N ~auav ~ r.astfH
from ignorance or bribery and in the last
case he would be punished for il Is an Of
tence against the law. The hlackman must
he elevated. lie was property-he is now
person. ! may 20 out here to-day and hill
one Of you and though there is an hundred
black persons 20 witness my crime-f
white msn is not there 70 testify against me
I would be acquitted and 81 unwhiPped Of
justice.
The boys in blue have upset the doctrine
Of Chief Justice fancy, "thst a negro has
no rights that q white man is bound 70 re
spect" The doctrine now is, negro has
no rights fhai white man is not bsund TO
respect. You have been clothed with
ugtts. and 10 accepting them, you assume
certain obligations as citizens, which you
can honorably discharge, and / want 70 see
YOU do it. / have Jour welfare ~ heart,
aud I would ike 70 see you live prosperous,
de hapg y, and So to Heaven.
In conclusion. would eni0in upon you
The pecessity % living mp faithfully 70 every
hsnora L. contract that you enter into. Il
you arree 90 work for q man one mouth for
Ten dollaTs. DO ID, do not quit him because
an0thsr party Offers you twelve dollars a
m0uih. When the time Of your fret con-
trsct expires. you are at liberty 90 make =
new eagsgement, then, and not TN then
= - nIr IN = NE
csn. 10 not expect us 20 do all, nor half,
but pct your shou ders 90 the wheel and do
ior yourselves. May God bless You, aud
make you wise, bsppy aud useful citizens.
Ten tlsk retired amidst enthusiasts
cheers, while the colored Brass band pres
ent pleyed seve al beautiful airs.
lhtpisIn Lawrence was introduced, snd |
sad that he always believed that nothing
could be Loot TO toe people Of the South by |
enancl patton, ana thst Tennessee had |
galned more by already shan She could |
acquire 10 a century with tlave-v 20 retsra /
her IN her prospcrou, career. But thew ssv ]
"a y have lost Their niggsrs whv vou are /
stll here, and an you worth a. much 70 /
Yourselves - you were 70 vonr ulestsrsp /
You must Bot be eVtrnvsgant m YOUR man /
pey q living; the man "a I has a wife ana /
children depending on his daily labor for /
support ought 70 wear cheap shirt, com |
mon shoes, sud buy No gold watches until |
BE has home for his family. Save your
moeey, set you home, and do not dwell
70 thess rat holes that are 10 be found IN
sllles that no one else would occupy Il you
a'a pet iahabit them. A good home for
go one ot you Is better than all she Pc
csIlae.
1e'oe OF you remind me OF q lit.lc story of
men a. came home intaxieatod. He
-. ~ S5'nS OF vater. His wife had len
t,l -.l N-ti o. yarn Ia the Glass near the /
$3.50 TINS De dll uai ass,,v,, br,t r,,rtrss
-. s.si sa' aud swallowed van 80 m .
,,l,;- caught lu his teeih- and while
asp,l, - = ~ ~ ioun3 thai there Wa :,
called r,.-t.I,-' ne got fiFhtepe5 and
lrIf Tr,s IN (. W, Y. lis vlte-''Sal'iet Sal
v-sv uitb ,r,n,' 'Ss-''ng outr' Thar Il he /
Qua. sna So. - - yea are all ravellipr /
- ei You are cors,,i.,-,. e----e /
siieA CUT hope you VIII l.. -l..''eiH reN-
ih oet'er shape. You r,,,.., -. 'oseioer I
sp.rt 20 iorgiveEess f.r tl..,-.-, 'e5isn q ]
alEsys admired the spirii Of ~. -. / have ]
Nas oaered ca The sth OF Iuiv =, - r that |
I.ariailun, By one %. Jea's t.-r.,.- p Jaws /
On, LORD take Mass JeT ana N =. ~ '5a's;
over he'll and scare hun a. No. MN
eal, hut be careful! aud 90 lot lei ~, "a
iufT nm drcp
hey Daniel Watkins then addr,r..s 81,
'IeNa ~ an eloquent manner. benz -
tlea'y ehecrcd. lie was followed 81 II,
"a 'nFes others, AL II whom seemed Ia -,
.-s ana ieei the inportance Of TIE oerns,,,,
- ~ y. lack q space We have omitted
The rncsiiug vas orderly and rospe.t-
- 1880 nc n every way erediiable % ali who