The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-29
RECONSTRUCTION.
View. of n colored south:CarolInInn
HIS Remarkable UIterances.

T.
We have already published dispatch
In regard to a meeting of the colored
people of Columbia, South Carolina,
held on the 18th inst, in which, it will
be remembered, Wade Hampton and
other prominent eN-rebels took a part.
The Columbia South CnroEi1IiaE, of the
10Th, publishes, with very Iaudatory
comments, the full address of Beverly
Nash, one of the colored speakers,
which we reproduce us striking evil
dence of the change in affairs that has
taken place in that section. However
just and sincere one may think his ex-
pressions of friendship toward the peo-
pie who were lately the owners of his
race, his thorough self-possession and
realization of their altered relations are
very perceptibGe:
FELLOW CITIZENS IL have been ta-
ken somewhat by surprise, and am not
prepared to say. all that want to on
this occasion; but we know what we
celebrate the right OF sutfrage-the one
thing needful to place on a common
platform of citizens. The question has
been asked, whether we are prepared
for this condition of things orsnot2 j
do not blame our people for their doubts
on this subject, because our former con-
dition was calculated to make them
doubt, but whether we are prepared or
not, we are now entitled to vote, under
the recent law. / must confess that 1
do not like the law in all respects, be-
cause it disfranchises gentlemen in
whom we have more confidence than
anybody else, and torbidS them to
represent our country as it should be
in the councils of the people. My doc
trine is, that every man, whether
ignorant or not, who is compelled to
pay taxes, is entitled to vote. 1t is
matter of public policy that we
should be, because there is dis
posed of the Ignorant people of both
classes, which would be generally dis
turbed if they were prevented by u
convention of the State, from exercis-
ing the right to vote, and we should
have revolution in a tea-kettle. For
the pupose of peace and quiet, there
fore, in our State, / want to see every
body vote, except women. believe,
mysfriends and tellowscitizens, we are
not prepared for this suffrage. But we
can learn. Give a man tools, and let
commence to use them, and in time he
will learn trade. So it is with voting.
We NAV not understand it at the start,
ty. 1t has been said that Calhoun was
master of South Carolina; Clay the die
tator of kentucky, and Webster the
emperor of Massachusetts. But here
after we are to vote for principles, not
men. And we have good men in our
midst, men we can trust; men who are
our friends, and who have proved by
their acts that they are friends of the
State. In these gentlemen we must
have confidence until they have proved
that they do not deserve it. do not be-
lieve there is man in this district who,
If you will reason with him about
these things, will not agree with what
say. We recognize the Southern white
man, as the true friend OF the black
man. You see upon that banner the
words United westand, divided we fall, ,
and, II you could see the seal of the So
ciety which that banner represents,
YOU would find the white man and the
black man standing with their arms
locked together, as type of the friend
ship and the Union which we desire.
We feel that the white man has not un-
derstood the black man-aS the black
man has understood the white man;
and If the citizens of South Carolina
had all acted after the close of the war
as these gentlemen have done to-day,
and spoken their kind sentiments as
freely, our State would not regret the
loss OF twenty thousand colored citizens
who have gone abroad because they
had not sufficient confidence to stay.
After the remarks we have heard to-
day, we believe there is a better time
coming. Twelve months ago Mr..
Gibbes said: "Fellow citizens, we are
willing 20 meet you half way" and we
are glad to say that the representatives
and public men of Richland District
have done so on the present occasion.
We feel that we are understood here,
and We believe that colored men will
hereafter enjoy the rights and privi-
leges which now belong to their race.
There is less prejudice here, less pre-
iudice everywhere south of the Poto-
mac against the colered man than there
is north of it. lApplause.l 1 saw in
Washington, few days ago, men more
violently opposed TO our advancement
than any gentleman here, and we know
that the States of New Hampshire,
Ohio, and perhaps some others, have
refused that political equality which
exists and has been accorded in South
Carolina. 1t is our duty, therefore, to
identify ourselves with this soil. Here
we have grown from childhood to man
hood. Many of US, white and black,
have been brought up together; we love
the people; We respect their honor; we
know their worth, and ask whether,