Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-05
TO THE rREEDMEN OF GEORGIA.

many of his brethren, has found out that
the Radicals are making professions of
friendship for their race, not from sympa-
thy or love of justice, but from interest;
TO THE FREEDMEN OF GEORGIA.
SAVANNAH, May %, 1S67.-On the eve
of leaving America for a short stay in
Europe, feel not only the inclination, but
deem it my duty to address a few parting
words to my people, whose welfare lies next
to my heart, and whose interests are the
theme of my thoughts by day and my
dreams by night. These ideas are dictated
not only by fixed resolution, determined
by observation of the present political
aspect, but also by what l have observed
through a prolonged residence in both
sections of the United States. In doing
this, | am well aware, from past experience,
that | shall no doubt call down upon my
head the viais of wrath of the Radical
party at the South, and if deemed i'm
portant enough, perhaps Of the North also !;
but 81 speak the words of truth and sober
ness" and | earnestly entreat my people
not to be persuaded by the wild inventions
of party faction, addressed to them on
issues entirely outside of their material
interests, but to listen to the words of one
who has no personal advantage to sub
serve, and who, in making these remarks,
is actuated simply by a desire to see his
people pursue a course consistent with their
past situation and their future responsible
tiles and duties; for, my colored brethren,
We have most serious responsibilities and
duties in the future. We spring from a
state Of slavery to one which makes us
Legislators, and gives us a voice as potential
as that of our late masters in the govern
ment of the country, not the Southern
country only, but the United States at
large for reconstruction is about to ensue
on our admission to political rights, and
our vote in Georgia for Federal offices is
equal to the vote of the white man, North
and South, for the Federal offices.
The first question that arises under this
state of affairs is: care we prepared, by
education or otherwise, to select the best
men for Office ?" and if not, :" to whom are
we to look for advice and guidance on this
question, which so deeply involves the fate
of our people"
To the first proposition, think that the
educated and thinking men of my people
must answer that, with few exceptions,
my people are not capable of the neces-
sary discrimination ;" and this is not neces-
CARLY the result of any inferiority of race,
as may be suggested, but is the result of
what would be in any people the conse-
quence of long continued slavery and a
general want of education.
Now then, my people, under these cir
cumstances, to whom shall we look for
GIon % H. a., IL 4, e. Al
Northern States, or to the people of the
South-to the stranger who breaches ben
nevolence, or to the friends ,Ohom are kneD
from irfdncys 1t is true, that the North
has struck the letters from our limbs, but
We are to inquire seriously as 10 this ques-
ton, while we are bound in gratitude to
thank them for this service, whether this
action was the result of love to the colored
man, or hatred to the rebellion and its ad
herents.
The question is one Of too mach iaifica-
cy for me TO argue here. merely suggest
to you the expediency of deep and abiding
thought and speculation on it. But | de-
sire to bring these things before you as they
are for love acts and not theories, and
the Pharisee holds small position in my
mind, when he is brought in contact with
the conscientious Levite. Ishave lived at
the North-this philanthrophic North
which has fought our battle and liberated
us on political question-aph ilanthrophy
which was achieved altogether at the cost
body else one cent.
L grew up with Southern white boys,
played with them, and love them. have
met only unyarying kindness at the hands
| of some Southern men. | cannot say the
same of Northern men.
But leaving all this out of the question,
to whose interest are you to trust2 VIII
you rely on the man whose interests are in
| yolyed with the looms of New England and
| the mines of Pennsylvania, where you can
never live or be employed, or will you
| trust to the planter of rice and cotton, in
whose country you live and whose interests
are identically yours? Can't you see that
your interests are identically those of the
| people of the South? That as they pros.
| per, you will prosper. That as they are
| impoverished by taxation legislation, you
will be impoverished also. Now, if this be
| true, and common sense will clearly show
| you that it is, the Southern people are moi
| going to vote or legislate to impoverish
| themselves. And if their interests are
| your interests, ought you not TO take their
advice on these political matters, in which
your future is greatly involved l hardly
| think it admits of question.
! Now, my bretheren, you are Southern
| men, live at the South, raised at the South
Your interests all Southern, your future in
1 dissolubly linked with the South. Dema
gogues may try to persuade you otherwise
but have lived among them, | know tn
| status of the colored man among them; and
| in fact, TO sustain my position, need onl,
| to point to Illinois and other Northern
States, where a colored man is not permit
ted by their laws to reside. Such Law
never has been enacted and never woult
have been enacted in a Southern State, anC
this you very well know.
To those, then, my people, with whom
you have been raised and among whom vol
were born; to those accustomed to YOU
habits and manners; TO those among whom
you live and whose interests are clearl
your interests; TO those who are the onl
parties ID whom you must look for wor
and subsistence; to those who sympathiZ
with you and yours; to those among WHOM
you Give and move and have your being !;
and finally to those who, as believe befor
God, are the only friends and preservers @
the colored men, | enjoin you to turn-t
take example, advice and precedent iron
those whom you know, and, while you trea
the stranger kindly, trust, above all, to oil
and we'll tried friends.
HENRY GwINN.