The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-03-04
mans order. TIE officer having the mat.
ter in charge will explainsais IL you.

bles, and write as well as white people
under similar circumstances the children
go to school and learn as fast as white chill
dren Who have had no greater advantages.
They look respectable, and attend school
regularly. No interference 10 to be made
made by the coloEed people on these islands.
Many Of the colored folks there have almost
forgotten that they were slaves and their
children hardly know anything about
slavery, except ssas q rude relic Of the past.
You will get along much tasteT9 Than they
have-ws look for greater things from you.
Now ], came here to-daf 70 tell these
things 10 the colored people. want you
to understand that you can get land-those
Of you that want i:-go to tho islands, pick
out the places you would like to have. !
advise the most Of you to 60 down 70 the
islands and get farms and b independent,
and then you can build good houses if you
are only Industrious.
Some Of you will probably have to stay
in the city, but, generally, the country is
the better place for you to live in.
that this beautiful city was built, and when
you are free you certainly can build
houses, villages and cities for yourselves.
Northern free cities are larger and better
than the cities of the South because the
people there are free. God cursed the
South on account Of slavery. He cursed
Egypt for making bondmen Of the 1sfsei-
ties, and He will curse any nation that has
slavery. wish / could Explain this to
you, but have not time TO do it.
! say 10 you, every cOlcred man should
thank The LORD thar he is FREQ.
Let the music swell the breeze, with The
words--"We're free-Oe're free, forever
free
In ten years do rot think there will be
one that will be poor enough TO do any
honor to slavery. Slavery is carse 10
itself, and every person that has to do
The General took his seat amid much ap-
plause, and Inscriptions of praise TO God,
and the President, Gen. Sherman and Gen.
SaxtoH.
Rev. Mr.. French followed, saying: /
love TO talk to you. Some one says, ''who
can come after the KiDg?" but / would
add who can come after the Generals
He has covered nearly the whole ground
said, that does not meet my full approval.
Now, my friends, if your freedom were
the gift Of man, you might fear that i,
would be taken from you. Your freedom
is the gift OF God. The President Of the
United States proclaimed /: to you and
Gen. Sherman with his Grave, heroic ar.
my, only brought to you what God had
provided for yon. 1t being therefore, moi
The work Of man, but Of God, no man car
Your status, as yet, 10 not fully defined; il
il somewhat like that ofthe 1sraelitee, who
had left Egypt, and had moi yet reached
Canaan, their future permApepf home, bu,
we're in the wilderness. They had TO make
q long journey TO reach thess homes. You
more favored, are freed on the very sol
you are to possess and cultivate, ~ yorN
rhA fr.e ,k,r1
on reaching the land of promise, was :
homestead. This was the arrangement o
Providence. Such also are the arrange
ments Of fouHgovernment for you, and tina
too, On liberal but just scale.
Not long since, and the Government
with the entire army and navy, were
pledged TO keep you in slavery. But now
our Government with its five hundred
thousand bayonets and immense navy: il
equally pledged to preserve you in youl
freedom. General Sherman and his nigh
~ army has left you, TO carry freedom Il
others, but the Government has sent, il
their stead, General Grover, who 10 nov
here, with many thousand brave troops K
protect, not only the citizens Of Savannah
but to protect you IN your freedom. lShouts
kc., abundantly.l You see, then nov
abundantly the Lord has provided for you
In the city there 10 much prejudice
against you on account of your color anG
former condition. It will b hard for you
to obtain wealth or positions Of honor fol
yourselves or your children. On theislandi
It 10 not 20, however. Providence hal
swept them clean from all rebel masters
You may 60 and gaYnish them with al
that is rich and beautiful in freedom.
We have often been told by your formel
dom, that you could notsupport yourselves
and that you preferred slavery. mo, no
tom all parts of the house. YoujoyfullJ
accept your freedom, and youare now to *
on these ielands to prove whether youl
freedom will be q success. The freedmen
on the sea islands Of South Carolina have
made their freedom . success, and you
now, are TO try the experiment for your
selves. Will you go9 [Amens and yes
You are 70 go almost empty handed
many Of you without mules, carts, plows
hoes and other needfnl things. The gov
eminent will aid you somewhat, bnt thu
Generals means are % yet, very email
But will you be discouraged? How is i
with the 6ees when they swarm? Do they
carry stock Of honey with them, or go in
to wsll.built hives? They seek only shell
ter, and then all go in search Of honey
They do not starve, but soon find them
selves better of than in the old and over
crowded hive. Can you not do ~ well Al
the bees, or are you Sfraid yon will fail ant
starve? Savannah is like an overlooked
bee.h hive, and shall expect great many
sWarms of freedmen will leave il for tht
Islands. Were in your place, would &
i'll were obliged to live on roots for awhile
and wear my old clothes entirely out be-
fore would remain here in idleness, thu
scorn of others, and makea failure Of my
freedom. Your masters said you could dt
better, in slavery, for yourselves. Prov,
now that you can do better, IN freedou,.-
Let the hoes and ploughs and freedmen
hands that hold them raise better crops OF
your forty-acre lots than were ever raisel
IN slavery. Slavery allowed you many
wives, but in freedom you will need. ant
can have only one. Hearty amens.l Yo,
will now have an opportunity to schoo
your children, and bring them up in lifi
Of honor and usefulness. You will hav,
christian marriages and baptiAms, and will
no doubt build and crowd your churche,
with devout worshlpers, and make the is
| lands smile with ali that is beautiful in tn,
eyes of God and all good men. hope tha
everv man, woman and child will do 8,
wen in all things that neither your friends
the Government, nor your Heavenly Faith
| er. will be sorry for doing 80 much for you
| MANY amens, &c.l
Once it was proposed to colonize such a
-