The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-07-01

every attempt to ALLEVIATE one portion
Of our country from the rest or to en-
feeble the sacred ties which now link
together the various partsI
To the colored people Of Che State
! would say, YOU are now free. Pros
vldence has wi!led that the very means
adopted to render your servitude per.
petual, should be His in struments for
releasing you from bondage. 1t now
remains for YOU, aided ss you will be
by the superior intelligence Of. the
white race, aud cheered by the sym
pathies-a all good people, to decide
whether the freedom thus suddenly
bestowed upon you, will be blessing
to you or source Of injury. Your
race has been depressed by your con
dition of slavery, and by the legislation
of your former masters, for two hun
dred years. 1t ls' not to he expected
that you can comprehend and appre
ciate as they shouh he comprehended
and appreciated by selfgoyerning
people, the wise provisions and lunita-
tions of constitutions and laws; or
that you csn now have that Knowledge
of public affairs which is necessary to
qualify you to discharge all the duties
of the citizen. No people has ever
vet bounded at once into tl,e full en-
joynent of the light OF self government.
But You are free in common With all
our people. and You have the same
right, resulated u, Law, that others
have, to enter upon the pursuit Of
prosperity and happiness. You should
henceforth sacredly observe the mar
rlage relation. and you should provide
Tor your offspring. You can now not
only learn to read yourselves, as some
Of you have been able to do hereto
fore, but YOU can instruct others, and
procure instruction from others fer
yourselves and your children, without
lear Of punishment. But. to be pros
perous and happy you must labor. aot
merely VIXEN YOU feel like it, or for 81
scanty support, but indqstriously and
steadll. :. Il view to making and
laying l.. ~ometbing for yourselves
and your antilles. If you are IDLE
you will become vicious and worthless.
if vicious and worthless, You will have
no friends, and will at last perish. In
the sweat Of thy face shalt thou eat
bread all the days of thy life.
The same Providence that has. be.
slowed freedom upon you. has told
YOU that diligence in bns;oess is re-
CURED Of all bis creatures; and you
cannot expect that your race will
escape ultimate extinction, if you
wiliully violate or disregard this, one
OF His great commands. Freedom
does not mean that one may 90 as he
p'e>ses, but that every one may, by
industry, frugality, and temperance,
improve his condition and ENJOY the
fruits of his own labors, so long as he
obcys the laws have no prejudice
against YOU. On the contrary, while
am white mrn, and while my lot
is with my own color, vet Isympa,hize
with you asAhe weaker racs; and l
cannot forget that during the rebellion
many Of you fought for the pre-er-
vaton of the Union, and, that those
Of you who remained at home in the
then slaveholding States, were. for the
most part, dociIe and faithful. and
made no attempt by force of arms to
gain even their own freedom. I will
see to it rs far as I can, that you have
your liberty; that you are protected in
your property and her sons; and tfat
You arc paid your wages.
But, ON the other hand,I will set
my face against those of you who are
idle and dissipated, and prompt pun,
lshment will be inflicted tor any
breach Of the peace or violation of