Journal of freedom. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1865-186?, 1865-10-07

about your persons9 You may be set
upon, beaten into jelly, and murdered
outright, and although fifty respectable
colored persons might have seen it. Won
would still be without redress. What i
to protect your wives and daughters from
the brutal lust of those who would select
a time when no white witnesses were pres
ent, to effect their develish designs a.
Formerly your masters protected yon as
property, now you must protect yourselves
as persons,a land unfortunately the prejudice
| is too strong against you Il fear) to expect
Justice from the State. And there are
tother feelings by no means so excusable
as prejudice and policy by no means
national which will operate to- keep, you
down. Your only hope is an, appeal to
Congress.
Hold your meetings throughout the
State; you have right to do so. But
let everything be done deccntly and in
I order. Put down at once the slightest in
timation in favor of violence. Let not the
evil disposed among you bring discredit
/ upon a good cause. There will be others
1 also, designing men, who will try to pro-
woke you to this for your Injury. You
have been much enduring people; con-
tinue to be- SO now. Bearing these things
in mind, go on with your meetings. Set
the facts before Congress. You have
friends there, and your petitions will not
be unheard. You may tell them that
national tranquility and national justice
demands your equality before the law ;
that if the agitation Of this question is ever
to cease if you are to be contented and
happy people if the root of future inter
nal trouble ard confusion in the South
to be removed if they will introduce :;
new element of strength into the govern
ment, an accession of voters heartily loyal,
who will support national policy ant.
who may be relied OH in any emergency
in peace or in war, if they Will give yoI
the means of defending yeur freedom
which otherwise will be morkery !;
they will guarantee ito each Stare Il Itt
publican>tnrm s'f government; If they vii
GARRY out the principles at the imm rita
Declaration ; it they will m"ke AmerIc
the field for the development AM pr"Ire,
,f humanity II they will do these .hln-
II any of them, then i'm ,,l"re them nj
adult Il State until these Important guar
.ntees are we'll secured. At present you
rights are protected by II military force
hnt woe tn yop will be the day when
former slave State shall be admitted t
full equality in the Union and your equal
lty before the law not recognized.
You may make what use you please o
this letter. Yours respectfully,
VIM W. COLEMAN.
On motion the letter was ordered to b
} printed as a part Of the proceedings o
the Convention, and a vote of thank
was rendered to Mr.. Coleman in retur
: therefor.
y The address of Horace Greeley, of Ne
O. York, was then received and read as TO
lows:
> 70 THE coLoRED PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLYN
# MY CouNrRYMEN II heard that yo
are to hold u Convention at Raleigh ::
q the !29th instant, to ask for the Right
Suffrage, anu that am among those II
n vited by you to be present and couns
n YOU. Being under an old and lmper'
% tive engagement to be on that day
v Minnesota, cannot be with you in Mort
n Carolina aud, having no address !
N which | may send you a letter, a.
T. obliged to respond thus publicly to yo'
J. Invitation. Let me, therefore, urge al
= entreat you to
20 I. Be hopeful. Great reforms are 81
be dom completed in moment. Old wron
8 and abuses yield slowly to the advant
DR. of Justice and Humanity. | have
lr thirty years ardently wished, but, t
,u very recently, dared not to hope, thai
ee might live to see ours a free country,
at now see it, and bless God for the Wlsdo
ed and benefcence-so infinitely transcen
ing all human preconception-where
o. the weakness, infatuation, incapacity; q
en- loyalty, treachery and general unwort
orr ness of men, have been made to suDsei
as- the Divine purpose. But for Nortne
IL subserviency, so enormous that tney W.
no justified in expecting to be aided oy II
VI the field as well as in the cabinet,
ng slaveholders would never have revo10
'en But for imbeoility in high places anu
ion capacity, if not treason also, 10 tne
rection ofour armies, the rebellion wo' S
us, have been speedily suppressed Win
! Of seriously affecting your condltlon-I
ner siblv with new concessions ana guar
of tees to slavery. Looking back a.
red momentous history the stupendous ora
ked frmations-o of the last five years, we u
lin reyerently say, 'This is the Lora :
ing ing, and it is marvellous in cur TyeS.
,pu- Let Us nnwaveringly trust that VI. 3
work will be prosecuted to its ies'''u
ani. and logical consummation.
,han II. Be patient. We may 1os' ~a .',
.nial recognition of your rightS ullro.a1 S.'a1 ,
, are the sff,rt will never be ab !ndoaea
and, ;ts success is assured. And We are