Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-04-10

reasonable property and educational qualifica
ton for suffrage, it would rot have been five
years before every freedman worthy.of the
privilege Of Suffrage would, by energy and
application, have obtained the necessary quail
fcation, whereas now, the privilege of suffrage
having been indScriminately bestowed, he is
left without tina. great inducement to improve
aud elevate himself. Education will improve
the freedmen and elevate them intellectually
and morally, and make them consequently
better citizens. 1t is our duty not only to
educate them. but to teach them economy and
thrift.
1t is for our interest that the blacks should
vote with US. How is this vote 10 -e secured ?
| have heard u great deal said about controll-
ing the vote of tue freedmen. If it is at
tempted to control it by personal Influence
the attempt must fail. There is one way, and
one slone in which this CONTROL so much To
. be desired can be obtained, and that is by
proving to the freedmen that their interests
and ours are identical. That there is sufi.
cient general intelligence among them to ap.
prcciate this argument there can be little, or
rather no doubt believe that could prove
t to any one Of them in ten minutes conyer-
sation. that it was for his interest to have his
| friends here and not in Massachusetts. It
! has been generally supposed that, because
they were kept in state of slavery by the
white PEOPLE Of the South for long series Of
years, US soon as they became free they would
become our enemies. 1t issaid to them nov by
our enemies that they cannot trust the white
people Of the South, because we have always
hitherto oppressed them, and that they ust
| look to the North for their friends, because
they were set free by the people Of the North.
will tell the colored citizens Of this State
that it was not proposed ut the commence
meut Of the war to set them free, and that it
was no: finally determined on until they were
called upon to enter the army Of the United
States. But, grant that we were their op-
pressors and that they were set free by the
people Of the North, we and they now occu.
py !! new po>it:on.-what IS their interest ID
our interest; many Of them, too, can rccollect
when thcy received pecuniary assistance from
different individuals Of the white race!
If agriculture is to flourish at the South,
it will be more for the benefit of labor than
for the benefit OF capital. The tax Of two
cents per pound on cotton affects the blacks
of this country let us see now what tax
has been drawn from the bone and sine~ of
the State On a crop of 100 600 bales of
cotton, a tax of 81 200 ,OO0is collected all o.
it levied on the industry, energy and labor Of
the colored population of South Carolina,
when not dollar of tax has been laid on the
wheat raised in Ohio or the corn raised in
| Kentucky. Do net tell me that the negroes
cannot understand this argument. They ueei
representation as much as the white people
The tobacco of Virginia and North Caroliua
has been as uninstly taxed as the Cotton Of
| South Caroli,la and other Southern States,
and the interest alike Of the white and col
ored man of the South is that they should
have representation in Congress 10 protect
them from the evil of such unjust legislation.
It is not theu By intimidation or by brow
beating or wronging these people that we a:e
to secure their votes! But by Showing them
tha. their interests and ours are identical.
They have intellect enough to know when We
are acting with them, and they will b: found
standing shoulder 10 shoulder with the white
men on this platform. 1t is naturally TO be
expected that their synpathies viii! be ap-
pealed to against Us. Radical cm;ssarcs will
say to them that we were their task. N astsrs and
opprcssor;, but, if it was 80, it was so by the
law, and it was thought right but 'hst state
of things has been changed, and the produce
of the blacks labor goes into his pocket as
does that of the white man into his. As |
expect my remarks to be printed, l desire to
say one or two things especially for the
blacks. Trust no emissary who wishes to
hitch you on TO any party; who says to you
that you must vote so and SO. SsJ to the
emissary from Massachusetts go home, and
do not come here and tell me what TO do.
| Under The law of South Carolina as it now
is. whoever made it, every colored man can
vote but in Massachusetts no man can vote
who cannot read and write. Tell the cmissa-
~ from Ohio to enlighten the heathcn at
home. 1t is not one month since New Jer,
sey, Ohio and Michigan refused although
they voted for the bill to establish universal
suffrage throughout the South, by their Leg
islature in solemn conclaYe. to allow the COL
ored man to vote. Tell these 'emissaries:
then, to GO back and remove the beam from
the eyes of their Own people before they
come here to remove the mote from the eyes
of ours.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the Board
OF Trsde, am afraid that l have detained
You to long, but there arc & few more re-
marks feel called upon to make.
1 have seen indications Of an effort to or
sanize throughout the State National Union
| Republican Radical Party! think this is
what they call it. In my opinion this is not
wise. 1t would be better lor whites aud blacks
to turn their attention to State p,litics, to
watch carefully over the preparation Of a
State constitution, and then when we have
secured representation In Congress, send men
there not pledged to Republicans Or Demo.
Gratis, but man who will say: Gentlemen, we
stand by that party which gives us equal
rights under the constitution. There h.,
been wide spread apprehension OYER ths
Northern and Western States that, as SOON
as our reorganization ard reconstruction are
complete, the Southern States will again fail
into the hands Of their old friends the Demo
Gratis. | myself was identified for ten years
aith the Democracy If the United States,
and the distinguished Commander of this
Military District, who sits On MY right, can
testify that no enc enjoyed more the conf
dence of his party or received higher honors
at their hands in Congress. None, therefore:
have better reasons tor; personal regard Tor
the Democ- c-acy than myself, and confess
that held On to the last with the hope that
they would some day redeem their losses and
turn 10 their former position of power and
influence.
But the dream is past! We have several
accounts to settle With the Democratic party,
before for one can consant to affiliate with
that party agsin. Many of you remember
well the hopes and expectations held out by
the Democracy, ct the time of secession, that
there should be no war, and that if war did
come it must commonce in the North and
West. You know how faithfully these promi-
ses were kept when VIC We're involved in war
now take this opportunity to say what