The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-31

| DELEGATE TO CONGRESS.
There are, as we have before stated, 500,
600 cOlored persons in this State. Most o
these have been slaves. They are not onl
| free they are citizens; but citizens de
PriUed Of rights granted to other citizens
| They pay taxes TO support the Government
| and yet they are allowed no voice in choos
ing the officers who govern them. This /
| tyranny and the question arises how shall
| their condition be improved? 1t is tn
boast Of cur statesmen that this is fre,
! Government; that the people rule tina
! government derives its just powers from tn,
| consent of the governed. Nevertheless j
| is proprosed to deprive nearly one-half o
! the citizens Of this State of all participation
| in the affairs Of the Government, that OBJ
| liges them 10 pay the taxes for its support
| One-half OF the citizens claim the right o.
| being represented, but deny that right tC
| the other half. While colored men mus
| feel that it is wrong to oblige them to pay
taxes to support Government that denies
to them presentation, the practical ques-
! tion srises, what shall they dO2 Shall they
remain unrepresented, or shall they act
themselves and send a Delegate to Con-
gress?
No sane man will advocate a resort to
arms. Every true friend ofo colored citi-
zens will sdvise them to appeal to the un-
derstanding and better judgment of those in
authority.
The President of the United States has
lately shown that he is not as friendly TO
colored men, as we had reason, few months
ago, TO suppose he was. If he is honest he
has reasons satisfactory 10 himself for
changing his policy, and he will change in
favor Of the freedmen, if he is convinced
that be is now unjust to them. 1t is best
a., . la ant 20
from every Southern State so as to inform
the President fully in regard to the condi-
tion Of the colored people. Many of the
Southern States are now represented in
Washington. Shall Georgia be represent
ed? Friends Of equal rights il is for you u
say. The Georgia Equal Rights Association
proposes to send Delegate TO Congress, as
soon as sufficient money is raised TO do this.
Subordinate Associations are being formed
in the State. We urge our friends to labor
with zeal, for we assure you that the enc
mics Of equal rights are not idle, and unless
you work row, when you have the opportU-
nity, you may in a few months learn that
further effort, on your part, viii be useless.
Friends in every county in Georgia, we ap-
peal TO you to assist in this important work.
It's for you to say whether you will be re-
presented in Congress. If you do not un-
derstand how 10 organize your Associations,
YOU can receive all needed information
from the President of the Georgia Equal
Rights Association"
The people of Macon are aware that
there has been considerable excite
ment, the past week, in this city, grow
ing out of the rival claims of two col
ored gentlemen, Banks and Smith, to a
seat in the aforesaid convention. We
have abstained from any allusion to
the matter before, because we had not
given sufficient attention 10 it to speak
understandingly. How the controyer-
sy here has been settled, or whether
settled or not we neither know nor
care. Whether Smith or Banks is the
delegate to Augusta, is none of our
business. But we wish to say to the
freedmen, generally, that you know not
what YOU are doing. What business
have you in the Congress of the ma
tion2 If you send one delegate, why
not scut1g Why not call a convention
10 nominate some colored man for
Governor and new Legislature2 Your
organ, the Loyal Georgian, artfully says,
in the above extract, no sane man iCiH
advocate resort 10 arms" Why throw
out this idea, if it is not intended, in
the last resort to carry out the
schemes of the convention, whatever
they may be, by force of srms2 We
have evidence, already, here, of the
incapacity of these people to agree
among themselves as to who shall re-
present them. The widest and most
incoherent views are entertained by
the colored masses-all looking for
ward TO millenial day which is about
TO dawn upon their race, but without
any idea Of the nature and probable
results of the movement into which
they are now being inveigled by de-
signing and ambitious politicians of the
white racel
Under these circumstances, Will not
the Executive of the State ask from
the President such assistance as may
be necessary to avert the danger sp-
proaching2 Ii is no time 70 cry peace,
peace, when the wolf is at the door, or
after the storm has arisen in its wrath
We are the friends OF the freedmen
We wish them 10 have all their rights,
but for their own sake and for the well
fare of the country, we say TO them,
aeiye politics 10 the dogs, snd engage
in the pesceable pursuits OF industry,
instead Turbulent and ambitious lead.
ers among you must be put down, or
you will be involved in all the evils of
anarchy, before you are aware OF the
terrible dangers that are sure 10 follow
in the path Of revolution. The '7h'ts
people of Georgia have no representa-
ton in Congress, yet Why then seek
privileges that are not granted to themf
There can be but one reply TO this
question. You think the radicals in
Congress viii give you the preference.
But will that be for your gOod2 Pause
and oonsider.-Aaooa (Ga) Ca.-n, 26h