The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-05-23

that the first settlers here had not been ly
ycr of slavery, but that afterwards i2
when the constitution was adopted, ST.
Carolina was for retaining it, and had 3eS
since upheld it. Admitted that the Nort
did not fight to free the slave, but that God
ovcrruled their purposes AMI gave the ,wal
that direction at last. That the North suc3
cccdcd SO soon rs they, made that their ob!
icct. That Mr.. LIScoLysin his,heart always
:: desired their freedom, SAID the c6lorcd pes
ple were in:te majority in South Carolina;
and had the power; ADVISED tifem to be mors
,nagnan;mous. to the whites than they had
been. and concluded with panegyrlcs upon the
rcrublicaniem of his party.
4: Gen. KENNEDY, followed, and in substdl
said: He felt that lie could address them d,
friends. He was born Land reared arsorg
them. He felt an interest in them: Yseir
contlrct prior to and during thesswar, had
been highly commendablc; also since. Thsy
were nowplaced in ostrcsponsfble positions
They were endowed with 'citizensllip. lIeaas
fined it. 1t was with them to meet this respon,
s:bility They could make ,itab!cssing orr
curse. Us to himself, lie did not fe- the leas
desire TO abr;,!gc their privileges. He wen
not put them back enc step, no sensible md
lcsircdit. What was done must bsacceptcdsi5
, If permitted to register, lie intended to doa|
so, and if to vutc, 20 vote fora convention
lie counscllcd them todo all in their powers
to make themselves worthy ofthcir new borng;
privileges: To JOIN no party a.this juncss.
turc. They were not prepared US yet to diss33
criminatc as to tile claims of particular part
tics. TO ayo:l for the present, federal poll.
ties rs much as possible. In voting for men
to Convention, to vote fer the proper sort
of men. To scrutin=c new friclds, TO mako
haste alowly; to become educated; to make
money, to be men. That the white and COLI.
o:el mans interest is idcntical;I that they.
must stand shoulder to shoulder; that tbey>
silcull make common cause; there should be
no division lie was prepared to guarantee. !
them their rights. He said fuItl,eFmore,
their career was in tic future; the past was
! gene Twas useless 10 recall that past,
EEthcy were free, and occupied the position;
they do, and that was sufficient. Twas use--
less to recall tic past history Of slavery. 1t
was a dead issue No man cen account for
the various changes in this country; The fac:
stands ou. before us; its reason wemaS not ful-a
ly comprehend. Let us act on it as fact, lett 81
do the best We can. As to a war ofraccs, be de-
plorcd tho very idea ofsucha thing, IT wasper-
feet " abhorrent, it was destruction. Hc did
10. entertain such thought, for itwas unnat-
ural There should never be any necessity for
It. Amity, harmony and identity ofintcrcst
between the races would yet make:thc old
State bud ard blossom as;zthc rose. He,
woud take pleasure, at any time, in counsel
ling thcal 10 tie best. of bis ability. They
must not be tco suspicious or too crcdulnhs.
b. In conclusion he invoked the blessing of God
on their liberty and privileges, and q propers
use Of them"
Rev. Ben. LAWSON followed ina sRee9r
characterized by strong sense, ilcntsfsslss
ing. good taste and judgment, mid
:, gnality and lnmor. Ec spoke ILstrainso OF
manly pride of his poverty, anlthat Of his
brcthrcn-of his determination. to work OUT
his destiny; by honesty, industry and justice,
. to mend his fortunes, to put money in his
!. purse, and thcn to buy himself q home; when
lie was ready TO buy, lie had no doubt he
could purchase some of the broad acres Of
some of his white friends, and he had no
! doubt, when lie pulled out his money, should
+ prorcnot quite enough, good feeling would
:, do the rest and he wou!d get his land said
Gen, ScorT told them in Sumter, that this
. was the only way to get land; said they want
ed to trust the white man, and did do it, but
were little afraid Of hin, yet; said some Of
them were like the lian who: would not handle
Tive snake after his fangs were drawn; but
only when his head was off; that hc,trusted
them, and would labor with them to promote
!. harmony and good feeling, and raise up
South Carolina from the dust-make her
fields teen with corn, cotton and rice, and
cause her to bloom and prosper. ...
: JonN CuEsxUT was then called on said he
. was not prepared to make speech, but went
, on to make some remarks, which VIC refrain
:, from attempting to report, for fear that in-
Justice might be done him by the impression
leftupor our mind, ostlc tenor of wi o: he said.
The meeting then adjourned.