The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1867-04-11

tho A'o'eu0ih iidu eet ultu fTe9. Dul
1t may be remembered that il was mol
the first, nor the second, nor the third
year, nor till they were called upon 10
fight in the armies Of the United States,
that they were sci free. Suppose, how!
ever, that they were set free by the
Northern people, the question arises
with them: this relation having been
destroyed, we occupy totally new po.
sition. What, therefore, is our material,
our social, our personal interest
suppose that many of the colored citi-
zeDs of this State, both before and after
the war, are able TO cite the names OF
Mr.. A., b. and g., who have extended
TO them pecuniarv assistance.
If agriculture fourishes 10 the State,
whose interest is,promoted by in Is il
not chat mans who occupies the posi-
lion Of landholder 2 Yet you find Con
gress imposing a tax of three cents a
pound upon cotton up to September
last, and two and half cents since that
date. s-.
Looking at the last years crop when
there was 90 complain; of the colored
people 10 any section Of the State,
and when we produced 100000 bales
of cotton, what proportion OF that has
gone In the shape OF taxationH $780,
O0U, which has been literally wrung
from these people in the shape of tax
upon cotton, while not a dollar has
been levied upon the wheat or grain in
Ohio, or corn 10 Illinois. &C.,.
DO not, then, tell me, gentlemen, that
the colored people have not the intelli
gence 10 be interested in these sffairs.
They need representation in Congress
as much as We do. They requi,e that
the tax shall 6e taken off their labor.
1t is not only the cotton Of South Car.
olina, however, but The tobacco of Vir.
ginia and North Carolina, which is As
unequally taxed. 1t is not, then, BY in.
tiinldation and brow beating, or by
wronging these people, that you are TO
control ;heir votes; but you must show "
that it is TO their interest TO, vote with
you, and l undertake to say, that when
these facts are presented 10 those who
have intelligence. they will be found
standing shoulder to shoulder with the
white man, and carrying out the prin>
cip!es which | desire to urge upon you
on this occasion.
1t is 10 be expected that attempts
will be made to ALLEVIATE the sympalhies
Of these people from US. People will
come here and see that the negroes have
been prosecuted. We concede the fact
that theirs was a condition of servitude
They were so under the law. 1t was
believed 10 be right, but the relation is
changed, and now, every dollar which
the black man earns by his labor goes
10 his pocket in precisely the same way
as every dollar which the white man
earns goes into his pocket. Now, there
fore, our interest is identical.
AS seme Of these remarks are likely
to 90 in print, ! would here take occa.
sion to say one or two things which
desire so 60 upon record. When az
emissary comes here from the State o
New York, Massachusetts or Ohio, and
says 10 the black man, we are your
friends-we are going to. take care oi
you; vote with us these white people
cannot be trusted : / want our colored
men 10 say TO these emissaries, to the
Massachusetts, man, that in South Car
olina, under this law, it matters not by
whom it was passed, every culored man
twe.hy-one years of age, is entitled u
his ballot, and that he would not be
allowed 10 vote in Massachusetts,, unless
he could read and write. Say 10 the
emissary from Ohio who comes here for
the purpose Of giving advice as TO how
you shall vote, go back TO Ohio, and
enlighlen the heather there, before YOU
come here, because no black man there
is entitled to vote. Within the last
three weeks, New Jersey, Ohio anG
Michigan have resolved that the black
man shall not vote under any circum>
stances whatever.
Therefore | say to those colored men,
when these emissaries come among you
tell them to go back and remove the
beam from the eyes Of their fellow citi
zens before they come here TO take the
mote from the eyes of our own people.
have seen indications in various 10.
calities in South Carolina TO organize a
colored and white party, to be called a
National Union Republican Party. |
think that is the name. | do not tink
this is wise because I believe that the
white and colored people OF these unre
constructed States will further their ends
more thoroughly BY turning their at.
tentions to their own State policies and
when We get the right Of reprensentA
ton in Congress, l would send men
there, not pledged TO a Republican
IrniA., Dn.i,, . .II ..lnln.l L. hn nn,,,