The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-03-28
IlEsSS ssslEE's ssJ5oPIJLAR EVl
% eRatNyIlLE sotpIII MARCH as 1867 q

sheir arms locked toGethers ~ 4 type
Iof The friendship and the union which
We desire. We feel that The white
man has not understood the black man
as the black man has understood The
lsahits man and if tho citizens OF South
I Carolina had all acted after the close
t:of the war as these genslenen have
done today, and spoken their kind
sentimentsas freely. orr State would
not regret THE loss Of 10000 colored
citizens who have gone abroad because
they bad not sufficient confidence 10
stay. Afterthe remarks we have beard
TO day, we believe there Is a better time
looming Twelve months ago, Mr.. Gibbes
Esaidg 'J,eFefio citizens We arc will,
hing tosmeef you half way ,;"aDd we are
glad to-say that therepresen,atiyes and
public men of Ricblapd District have
done, so on the present occasion. We
feel that We are understood here. and
we believe that colored men will here.
after sepjoy the rights and privileges
which now belong to their race. There
is, less prejudice here, less prejudice ev-
Aerywhere South Of thePotomac against
Ehe co(orod-man than there is North Of
~, tAppfause:t / saw in Washington,
a few days ago, men more violently op.
posed 10 our advancement than any
T gentleman here; aud 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. I, is
onr duty, therefore, 20 identify ourselves
with this soil. Here, we have grown
from childhood to manhood. Many Of
US, white and Black, have been brough
up together we love the people, we re.
tspect !heir honor we know their worth,
Sand ask whether, under these circum
Islances, having the power TO do so, we
fought not to petition Congress to res
move the disability which shuts ont that
portion of our people from the elective
franchise in whom we have such long
tried confidence.
If we are TO have q convention in the
State, for the purpose of changing its
constitution, let !, be convention fun
Of intellect and power. If the black
man is TO cast a vote, let him rest that
vote upon q standard Of ability, and moi
be contented to see body of men who
are not competent to discharge the high
dHtics that will be required of-them.-
We know the old saying that fools
rush in where angels fear TO tread" If,
therefore, you elect ignorant men, you
will have a bad constitution. Give us
then, the good men Of the State.
would rather trust him who took up
arms and went to tho battle field, and
has come home with his honorable
scars, believing in the justice Of hi~ cause,
than he who skulked from duty, and
now claims 10 be Union man. Cheers. !
Such one is unworthy the contempI
Of even negro. l would rather trust
Gen. Hampton riding at,.he head Of his
column, and shouting 10 his men to fol.
low, than any man who has stayed al
home and, when his country was in
danger, hunted for an iron clad or a ra,
|-hole. Cheers. And SC. would you.
| [" That's So We don't believe in
those people. who, since the war. haze
lodged around the corners. declaring
| they were " Union men," No. nc. I
Wien hear Southern man say he
was a Z" Union man." know he is a
traitor. When hear a Northern man
say he WAS a Southern man during the
war, know he is a traitor. Bat, when
hear colored man say he was Union
man. | believe him from my heart
Whenever the telegraph announced a
Southern victory, the black man trem
bled, hut Whenever he.tidings came Of
a Northern victory we rejoiceG, because
we felt that we were that much nearer
freedom. TO day, thank God, We en-.
| Joy the results of. that. freedom. We
stand before the world invested with a
political equality with the white man.
We can vote. - - ... -, ..'
Hon. Edward Arthur. sotov oce.
You are more than our equals, Nash, in
one sense, because we are Gisfranchised
The Speaker.-Yes, sir. and we. are
not going 10 let the halls of Congress
remain silent until yon are permitted to
vote. Il is the men Of your class, and
your ability, who recognize our wants,
and whom we desire to see reinvested
with the power of doing good. It is
with the men of your class with whom
we want to vote on The great questions
ofrhe day; and by whom we wish TO be
counseled and directed.
II is not our desire to be liscordant
element in the community, or to unite
tue poor against the rich.~ We want
to live together in harmony-to go to
work and restore the lost credit of th e
State: AS Gen. Hampton has SAID, " our
destinies depend npon each other" The