The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-05-30

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Instead Of abusing us you ought t
remember that this rebellion whic
, you are taught to dispise, by your en-
emies and ours, who only come a
mongst you for your votes, was q
instrument in the hands',of God fo
your deliverance, so far as morta
eye can divine the purposes of tn
Creator.
The. Southern people do not env,
you your freedom. They would no
restore you to bondage if they could
They have your we'll being at heart
I did not fire gun for slavey. More
than half the Southern army never
owned slave. Hardee, Cleburne
and many others signed a petition
long before the war closed, for your
freedom and to afford you an oppor,
tunity to volunteer and assist your
white friends Of the South in achiey-
ing Southern independence.
President Davis recommended this
course, and I, in the theatre, in this
city,. endorsed his policy in the pres
ence of a very large assembly, ard
stated that I would take great pleasure
in commanding colored troops. You
acted well your part during that un-
fortunate struggle, for which you de-
serve, and have, the gratitude of every
Southern man and woman in our
midst. s-.~~.. :. ~,i-r:~-..,
MI I.ie gentleman says that the N ~
can war was brought on and advocat-
cd by Mr.. Calhoun for the purpose
of increasing the area Of slavery
No man ought to know better than
the honorcd representative of Massa-
chusctts that the statement is untrue.
Mr.. Calhoun and also Mr.. Clay, the
greatest Southern giants alive at the
time, opposed the war. Mr.. Calhoun
was to the last the bittcrest opponent
of that war-predicting as he did the
DISASTROUS results upon the peace Of
the county,, Instead of that war be-
ing :waged for slavery it was very
evident, as the resultvsRrexed, ,--that.
any territory arGofflng"us >eease-ses
acquired would be free territory
That war gave to the North, Cali
fornia, Utah and New: Mexico.
Though only boy, [ followed the
old flag through that war, with many
thousand good and true men from
nv section who only regarded tle
National honor of our common coun-
try. Again as to how you became
free. The North aided to free you
with bayonct and by Military Proc'a-
nations only as they believed it wonid
iniurc us and raise you up hostile
element in our midst; and seemingly
making your welfare a secondary !,
consider alton. TO render this act Of
theirs valid and constitutional, it was
necessary that We should act. We
called together our Conventions and
without hesitation made you consti-
tutionally free forever. We also gave
you the right to testify in cases where
You were interested, and [ advocated
in this State House your right to
testify in all cases.
You now enjoy many privileges
here not enjoyed by your race in the
Northern States. AS the gentleman
has congratulated you upon your i'm:
proved condition here, and created
still greater expectations for your flu
ture political and social relations in
the South, let me tell you what great
blessings the North has conferred
upon your race even in his own State.
First, until very recently, although
your race at the North are free, and
have the advantages Of the free school
system Of which he boasts, and few IN
numbers, yet whilst your numbers rap.
idly increased as slaves in tho handsot
cruel masters referred 10 by him, yet
with him at the North they have di-
minished, your IA @ have been and are
still excluded from Northern hqels,
steamboat cabins, rail road cars, iand
places of amusement. They havebeen
frequently expelled: from such Raees' Raes'
and sometimes mobbed for claiming the
rights Of white people. And what has
been the result Of every effort Of their
part to obtain redress and 9tablish
their rights by law. They have in
every instance, lunless it be tery re-
centiy), signally failed. The Courts of
the country we're against them: l saw
in Northern Newspapers, and believe
it to be true, for I have no where seen
it contradicted, that about the hast OF
1866, or the first Of the prssent year,
Frederick Douglas, a mulafto OF New
York, who is said to be q highly edu-
Gated and polished man, Who conducts
-, 70 iii ,-noo& 1,ro,Aiofv eUapv,