Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-03-27
Freedmen's Celebration.

by the colored men of the city of the passage
Of the Shermau-Shellabarge Bill, investing
them with the right of suffrage and recog..
nisiug their political equality in the eye OF
| the law.
The Curolinian says:
ain anticipation of the event, their Com
mittee of Arrangements selected the speakers
for the occasion, and it is a significant and
noteworthy fact that, Notwithstanding the
presence in the city of their Northern friends
aud sympathizers, the gentlemen called upon
to address this assemblage were our own cit
izans, who had been identified in person with
tho war-men who have been disfranchised
by the same act which has created this pot-
ical equality between tie two races, and yet
men who heartily possess the confidence of
the entire community"
The speakers on the occasion were Hon.
W. F. DeSaussure, formerly Seuator in Con.
rress. Hon. Edward Arthur, Hon. W. H. Tai
lev, james G. Gibbes, and Rev. David Pick
cit and Beverly Nash (both coloredl.
The Carolinian, referring to the speeches.
says:
The sentiments uttered Oh the occusion
are worthy OF the ti,ne, worthy OF our pco.
ulc, black and white, and are living evil
dence of that honor which. thank God, still
sli-s the common heart. The speeches by
Rev. George Pickett aud Beverly NASH both
colorei), were models of excellence aid de-
serving of all praise as emana!ons OF sensible
thought from source that should be appre-
ciated Speaking for ,heir race, they treated
in the present condition uf affairs in spirit
Of common sense, which we confess was not
anticipated, and which encourages the belief
tha, the relations between the white and COL
ured men Of the Stale are too intimately con-
nectcd 10 permit an sntagonsm or diversity
of interests now or hereafter
Gen. Wade Hampton made an effective
address, which will be published in full. He
said:
Recognizing fully the new Obligations
imposed upon the colored man as citizen,
he advised him as to the manner in which he
should hereafter conduct himself as mcm-
bcr of the community. lie alluded not only
to the necessity Of education, but of an iden
titv with the people among whom the negro
was born and reared, whose interests were in
no wsy different from his own, and whose
policy was to be III the future as much the
work of the black man as of the white. The
speaker referred likewise to the Importance
Of harmony in all the relations between the
two races, as essential in determining the well
fare of the people and securing permanent
peace aud prosperity"
The following is the substance ofthe speech
made by Beverly Nash (colored):
FELLOW CITIZENS have been taken some
what by surprise and am not prepared to say
all that want TO, on this occasion but we
know what We have come here for. We have
coma to celebrate the right Of suftrage-the
one thing needful to place US on common
platform as citizens. The question has been
asked, whether we are prepared for this con.
dition of things or not? / do not blame our
people for their doubts on this subject, because
our former condition was calculated to make
them doubt but whether we are prepared or
not, we are now entitled to vote, under the
recent law. l must confess that do not like
that law in all respects, because 1t disiran-
chises gentlemen in whom we have more con-
fdence than nybody else, and forbids them
TO represent our country rs it should be re-
presented in the councils Of the people. Ny
doctrine is, that every man, whether Ignorant
or not. who is compelled to pay taxes. Is
entitled to vote. 1t is q matter Of public pol
icy that we should be, because there is dis
cortented element in our midst, composed OF
the ignorant people OF both classes, which
would be greatly disturbed if they were pre-
vented bv Convention Of the State from ex
ercsing the right to vote, and we saould have
revolution in tea kettle. For the purpose
of peace and quiet, therefore, in our State, |
want to see everybody vote except the wo
men. I believe, my friends and fellow ciii
z-n<, we are not prepared for this suffrage.
But we can learn. Give man tools, and let
him commence to use them and, in time, he
will learn trade. So it is with voting w
NAV not understand 1t at the start, but, in
time we shall learn TO do Our duty.
1t has been said that Calhoun was master
of South Carolina Clay the dictator Of Ken.
lucky, and Webster the emperor of Massachu.
setts. But hereafter We arc to vote for prin-
ciples, not men. And we have good men in
our midst; men We can trust; men who are
our friends, and have proved, by their acts,
that they are the friends of the State. In
these gentlemen we must have CD onfdcnce
until they have proved that they do not de-
serve it. l do not believe that there is q man
IN this district who, if you will reason with
him about these things, will not agree with
what I say. We recognize the Southern
white man as the true friend Of the black
MAJ. You see upon that banner the words
United We stand, divided we fall" and, if
you could see the seal Of the society which
| that banner represents, you would find the
white man and the black man Standing with
their arms locked together, as type Of the
friendship and the union which We desire.
| We feel that the white man has not under
stood the black man as the black man has un.
derstood 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 free.
Is, 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 re
have heard to-day, we believe there is bet
ter time cou..ng. Twelve months ago, Mr..
Gibbes said "Fellow- citizens, we are willing
to meet you halfway y 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, aud we believe that colored men will
hereafter eniov the rights and privileges which
now belong heir race. TtSre is less pre-
iudico everywhere South of the Potomac
against the colored man than there is North
of it. Applause.l 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 Hamp-
shire Ohio, and perhaps some others, have re.
fused that political equality which exists and
has been accorded in South Carolina. 1t is
our duty, therefore, to identity ourselves with
this soil. Here, we have grown from child
hood to manhood. 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 nnder