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

you elect Ignorant men, you WILL nave oad
constitution. Give US, then, the good men
of the State. / would rather trust him who
took up arms and went to the battle field, aud
has come home with his honorable scars, be-
lieving in the justice of his cause, than he
who skulked from duty, and now claims to
be Un.on man. [Cheers. Such one is
unworthy the contempt of even negro.
would rather trust General Hampton riding
at the headsof his column, and shouting to
his men 10 follow, than any man who has stay.
ed at home and, when his country was in
danger, hunted for an ron-clad or q rat hole.
[Cheers. And 50 would you. that's so."
We don't believe in those people who, since
the war, have lodged around the corners, de-
claring they were Union men," No, no..
When l hear Southern man say he was
"Uaion man," know he is traitor. Whep
hear Northern man say he was a South.
ern man during the war, know he is a trail
tor. But, when hear colored man say
he was Union man, believe MIN from my
heart. Whenever the telegraph announced
Southern victory, the black man trembled;
but whenever the tidings came of Northern
victory we rejoiced, because We felt that we
were that much nearer freedom. To-day,
thank God, we enjoy the results of that free.
dom. We stand before the world invested
with political equality with the white man.
We can vote.
Hon. Edward Arthur [sotto voice. You are
more taan our equal, Nash, in one sense, be-
cause we are distranchised.
The Speaker Yes, sir, and we are not GO
ing to let the halls of Congress remain silent
until you are permitted to vote 1t is the
men OF your class, and your ability, who
recognize our wants. aud whom VIC desire to
sec re,invcsted with the power of doing good.
It is with the men of your class with whom
we want to vote on the great questions of the
day, and by whom we wish to be counseled
and directed.
1t is not our desire TO be discordant elc-
tnent in the community, or to unite the poor
against the rich. We want to I've together
in harmony-to go to work and restore the
lost credit Of tie State. As General Hampton
has said sour destinies depend upon each
other" The white ,uan has land, the black
man has labor, and labor is worth nothing
without capital. We must help to create
that capital by restoring confidence, and we
can only restore confidence by electing proper
men to fill our public Offices.
There are said TO be sixty thousand coorcd
voters and forty thousand white voters in
South Carolina. Look what a power you
have for good or for evil But, fellow citizens,
be sure you use that power with intelligence,
end to the end that South Carolina, with
which your interests are all identified, may
enjoy the prosperity which it gives. When
cili2ens come forward and meet US as gentle
men have done to-day, We have no right to
doubt tho future. look upon to-day as our
fourth OF July. Aud If We do our duty. we
shall prove ourselves worthy Of the great
privilege with which we have been invested.
1t is true, the majority Of colored men may
not be able to vote intelligently, but you will
be educated. In the four weeks preceding
the first election in this district, you will be
taught more about voting than the people oil
Ireland or England ever did know. There
never was people who have gained so much
as we have done. But little while ago we
were slaves. Now we are trecmen. 1t has
been declared that We shall have voice in
public affairs. In these public affairs we must
unite with our white fellow citizens. They
tell US that they have been disfranchised, yet
we tell tho North that we will never let the
halls of Congress be silent until we remove
that disability. Can we afford 10 loose from
the councils of the State our first men? Can
we spare judges from the bench g? Can we
put fools or strangers in their position? No,
fellow citizens, mol Gloomy would be that
day, indeed. We want in charge Of our in
terests only our best and ablest men. And
then, with strong pull long pull and
pull altogether, up goes South Carolina,
(Cheers).